Abstract: The core of a great university lies not only in the improvement of its hardware facilities, but also in the profound academic atmosphere, educational philosophy, and cultural heritage it embodies. Based on the author's academic and work experiences at universities such as Cambridge, Harvard and Xi'an Jiaotong University, this article elaborates on the core elements that a great university should possess (good place, good constitution, good inheritance, good teachers, and good students), as well as how these elements can effectively promote the cultivation of high-quality talents and scientific innovation, providing reference and inspiration for the construction of first-class universities.