Beijing Normal University, a key university under the administration of the Ministry of Education, is a renowned institution of higher education known for teacher education, education science and basic learning in both the arts and the sciences. The university’s predecessor, the Normal College of the Imperial University of Peking, was founded in 1902. In 1908, the school name was changed to Advanced Normal College of the Imperial University and the school became independent.
In 1912, the name changed again, to Beijing Advanced Normal School, and then, in 1923, the name changed yet again 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 merged to create Beijing Normal University.
Beijing Normal University (BNU) has a history of more than 100 years, which is almost as long as the history of Chinese modern education. The University has developed from the Faculty of Education, Capital Metropolitan University established in 1902 under the concept of Establish school, prioritize teacher education,which initiated teacher training in Chinese higher education.
After several times of merging and reforming since 1949, especially in the 1980s, Beijing Normal University has moved into the new age of rapid development. The University’s history is an epitome of the development of modern teacher training and Chinese higher education.