Beijing Normal University (BNU, simplified Chinese: 北京师范大学; traditional Chinese: 北京師範大學; pinyin: Běijīng Shīfàn Dàxué), colloquially known as Beishida (北师大), is a public research university located in Beijing, China, with a strong emphasis on humanities and sciences. It is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in China as part of Class A Double First Class University in the Double First Class University Plan and was designated by the Chinese Ministry of Education as a member of Project 985 and Project 211.
“Normal school” refers to an institution that trained schoolteachers in the early 20th century. The title is preserved in the names of Chinese institutions after they developed into comprehensive universities. It also reflects BNU’s heritage as a Faculty of Education member of the Imperial University of Peking which was established as China’s first modern university.
BNU ranked first among universities that originated as “normal schools”. The Faculty of Education is considered the best in China according to several widely cited international rankings, including the QS World University Rankings, the Academic Ranking of World Universities, and the University Ranking by Academic Performance. BNU is ranked 36th among the Global Top 100 Innovative Universities according to the World’s Universities with Real Impacts (WURI) Ranking 2021.
Schools and Departments
- Faculty of Education
- School of Chinese Language and Literature
- School of Law
- School of Economy and Business Administration
- School of Foreign Language and Culture
- School of Life Science
- School of Chemistry
- School of Resources
- School of Geography
- Department of Astronomy
- School of Mathematics
- School of History
- School of Philosophy
- Department of Physics
- School of Systems Science
- School of Psychology
- School of Social Development and Public Policy
- School of Arts and Mass Media
- School of Environment
- School of Sociology
Beijing Normal University also has many other areas of study not mentioned above.