General Information

Beijing Normal University, a key university under the guidance of the Ministry of Education, is a renowned institution of higher learning, emphasizing teacher education and basic learning in both arts and sciences. The university’s predecessor, the Normal College of the Imperial University of Peking, was founded in 1902. In 1908, the school changed its name to the Advanced Normal College of the Imperial University and became independent. In 1912, the name again changed, to Beijing Advanced Normal School, and finally, in 1923 the name changed to Beijing Normal University, the first Normal University in Chinese history. In 1931 and 1952, respectively, Peking Women’s Normal University and Fu Jen Catholic University were merged into Beijing Normal University.

For over a century, Beijing Normal University has from the beginning shared a fate as regards the Chinese people’s struggle to gain independence, freedom, democracy, and prosperity, and the school has played a significant role in patriotic movements that include the May 4th Movement (1919) and the December 9th Movement (1935). Over the years, the school has been home to a large group of renowned intellectuals and scholars, who have promoted culture and stimulated education. Among them Li Dazhao, Lu Xun, Liang Qichao, Qian Xuantong, Wu Chengren, Li Jinxi, Chen Yuan, Fan Wenlan, Hou Wailu, Bai Shouyi, Zhong Jingwen, Qi Gong, Hu Xiansu, Wang Kunren, and Zhou Tingru. Adhering to a fine tradition of “Patriotism, Progress, Honesty, Sincerity, Truth-Seeking, Innovation, and being a paragon of virtue and learning”, meanwhile embodying the spirit of “Learn to be an Excellent Teacher; Act as an Exemplary Person”, for over one hundred years, Beijing Normal University has formed a philosophy of “Pursuing study, Cultivating oneself, and Helping the whole world.”

Among the National Key universities constructed during the time of China’s Seventh and Eighth Five-Year Plans, Beijing Normal University was confirmed as one of the nation’s first 10 key universities and entered into the first “211 Project” Construction Program during the Ninth Five-Year Plan. During the 2002 Centennial Celebration, the Ministry of Education and Beijing Municipality attached great importance to collaboration in the development of Beijing Normal University. The Ninth Congress of the Communist Party of China in Beijing listed Beijing Normal University among the institutions that they support to build into world-class universities. Over the Tenth Five-Year Plan period, the university was listed among the nation’s “985 Project” Construction programs.

The total area of Beijing Normal University covers 172.6 acres, and the school has over 3,000 faculty and 21,000 full-time students, including 8,700 undergraduates, 10,000 graduates, and 1,800 long-term international students. The campus has one education faculty, 22 schools and colleges, 2 departments, and 24 research institutes (centers). The library boasts over 3.88 million volumes and some 100,000 GB of digital resources.