East China Normal University: A Comprehensive Overview

East China Normal University (ECNU), a prestigious public university in Shanghai, China, holds a significant place in the country's higher education landscape. Affiliated with the Ministry of Education and co-funded by the Shanghai Municipal People's Government, ECNU has a rich history and a commitment to academic excellence. The university’s motto is “Pursue what we have not been taught, and practice what we are going to teach”.

Historical Roots and Formation

East China Normal University traces its roots to the formation of St. John's College, which was later to become St. John's University. In 1879, St. John's College was founded by William Jones Boone and Joseph Schereschewsky, Bishop of Shanghai, by combining two pre-existing Anglican colleges in Shanghai. In 1905, the college became St. John's University and was registered in Washington D.C. in the United States.

After the May Thirtieth Movement in 1925, some academics and students left the St. John's University. ECNU was officially formed in October 1951 through the merger of Great China University (est. 1924) and Kwang Hua University (est. 1925). Furthermore, faculty members from Fudan University, Tongji University, University of Shanghai, and East China PE Academy joined ECNU, solidifying its position as the first national teacher’s training university of the People's Republic of China.

Restructuring and Key University Status

In the 1950s, the Chinese government initiated a restructuring of higher education institutions to align with a Soviet-style system. As part of this policy, most faculties from Saint John's University, Zhejiang University, University of Shanghai, Utopia University, and Aurora University were integrated into ECNU, transforming it into a comprehensive multi-disciplinary university. In March 1959, ECNU was authenticated as one of the first 16 National Key Universities in China, a status reaffirmed in 1978. This recognition underscored the university's importance in the national education strategy. In June 1986, ECNU was among the first 33 higher education institutions authorized by the State Council to establish graduate schools.

Project 211 and Current Auspices

In 1996, ECNU met the requirements and became one of the universities sponsored by the major national program "Project 211". Today, ECNU operates under the direct auspices of the Ministry of Education.

Campus and Resources

With two campuses located in Minhang and Putuo District, and with a total area of over 207 hectares, ECNU has long been reputed as a Garden University for its beautiful campus scenes. The university provides a conducive environment for students and faculty. ECNU sponsors or supervises the publication of more than 20 academic journals and periodicals, fostering intellectual discourse and research dissemination. The library collection exceeds 4,000,000 volumes, providing extensive resources for academic pursuits.

International Cooperation and Exchange

ECNU attaches great importance to the internationalization of its development and enjoys a wide influence and an excellent reputation around the world. The university has established strategic cooperative partnerships with numerous international institutions, including École Normale Supérieure and its group in France, the University of Pennsylvania and Cornell University in the USA, Tokyo University and Kobe University in Japan, the University of Melbourne in Australia, and the University of Warwick in the UK. These partnerships facilitate joint research projects, faculty exchanges, and student mobility programs.

The university has been carrying out academic exchanges with over 150 universities and institutions of Great Britain, France, Germany, Japan, the United States, Canada, Australia, Korea, and Russia, etc. ECNU also hosts a CIEE satellite campus, providing opportunities for American college students to study in China each semester.

Online College of Chinese Language

ECNU also runs an Online College of the Chinese language in collaboration with the National Office for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language (NOCFL). This online platform is the first of its kind in China, serving over 5,800 students in 137 countries and regions.

Study China Programme

Along with several other Chinese universities, East China Normal University has hosted the United Kingdom (UK) government-funded Study China Programme for a number of years. In this programme, students from UK institutions spend one to two summer months studying Mandarin Chinese and Chinese culture at a university in China. The programme is organised by the University of Manchester and is fully funded by UK government bodies, such as the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills. Its purpose is to strengthen ties between UK university students and China, in particular as relatively few British students enroll in degrees in China.

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Diplomats' Program

Sponsored by Shanghai Municipal Education Commission and Shanghai Foreign Affairs Office, the Diplomats' Program has been organized by ECNU since 2011.

Academic Programs and Structure

Since China opened up to the world in 1978, ECNU has developed at a breathtaking pace into a comprehensive research university. At present, the University has three faculties, 23 full-time school, two colleges, a college of Marxism, 11 advanced research institutes, and a college of further education, with 58 departments offering 79 undergraduate programs in humanities, education, science, engineering, economics, management, philosophy, psychology, law, history and art.

Global China Program

The 15-week Global China Program offers content courses (Business, Economics, Sociology, History, and Culture) in English, as well as Chinese language instruction for students at all levels from beginning through advanced. You will have the opportunity to become fully immersed in Chinese culture and to better get to know your fellow Chinese and international students by taking part in all kinds of students’ activities such as sports competitions, an international cultural festival, day trips, etc. ECNU also offers non-credit elective extra-curricular courses for personal enrichment such as Chinese Martial Arts, Calligraphy, Chinese songs, and Chinese painting to international students every semester. Different levels of language classes from beginning to advanced will be offered according to students’ placement test results. Content courses vary by semester and are drawn from a variety of fields including Business, Sociology, Literature, Political Science, Economics, etc. The Chinese language class is worth 6 semester credits, which is equivalent to 9 UO quarter credits.

For students considering the Academic Year program: You are welcome to study at ECNU for the full year. However, there are not a large variety of classes offered in English, so you would do one semester in the Global China Program and one semester in an intensive Chinese language program.

Intensive Chinese Programs

Studying intensive Chinese at ECNU offers students the opportunity to learn Chinese language in an immersive small-classroom environment with excellent Chinese instructors. The course is designed to improve your comprehension and communication skills.

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Exchange Programs

Located in Shanghai, the East China Normal University provides Reed exchange students nominated at ECNU with either a semester or year-long enrollment geared towards intensive linguistic and cultural integration. Courses will be taken primarily in Chinese; however, ECNU also offers the Global China Program (GCP) with courses taught in English, as well as introductory-level Chinese language courses for less experienced students.

Global China Program: The Global China Program provides an excellent opportunity for students to learn about China through academic and cultural immersion during one semester. This program is open to current college students who wish to study in China for one semester (15 weeks). The program consists of two parts: A. Chinese Language Course (6 credits) from beginning to advanced levels B.
Direct-Exchange (Visiting Students Program): For students with an advanced level of Chinese language. Chinese-taught programs require different Chinese proficiency levels according to different majors (The standard shall be the same as that for degree students). For these exchange programs, students must be officially nominated by the IPO Director in order to apply.

Research and Innovation

ECNU boasts 2 State Key Labs, one National Engineering Research Center, one National Field Observation and Research Station, 7 Key Labs or Engineering Centers, 6 Key Research Bases for Humanities and Social Sciences, one Base for Strategic Studies of the Ministry of Education, and one International Cooperation Laboratory of the Ministry of Education. IEEE and DRAA, the Digital Resource Acquisition Alliance of Chinese Academic Libraries, have entered into an open access read and publish agreement.

Student Life

With over 110 official student associations integrating the academic, extracurricular, and curricular spheres of students’ life, ECNU students are active on and outside of campus. Having the ability to engage in a wide variety of interests and to enrich the social, cultural and educational experience is highly valued at ECNU. Every year, the University makes an appraisal of all these associations according to their popularity and contribution.

Yang Zhi Shui Drama Club: Founded in 1999, Yang Zhi Shui Drama Club has enjoyed a great reputation on and outside of campus. The purpose of the club is to provide practical experience in all aspects of drama (artistic and technical), with assistance from knowledgeable and experienced professors in the dramatic arts. All the activities of Yang Zhi Shui Drama Club are based on the primary goal of stimulating interest among the members and discovering and training talented actors/actresses.
O3 Society: Since its establishment in 2001, O3 Society, short for Our Own Oasis, has been closely involved in environmental protection issues at ECNU. As the only student association for environmental protection at ECNU, the association has successfully promoted the concept of “Hold Green in Your Heart” with the goal of drawing attention to this increasingly important idea to the general ECNU community.
Lan Xin Philosophy Club: Lan Xin Philosophy Club is ECNU’s flagship student association dedicated to the practice and promotion of philosophy. The organization has two central purposes: meeting friends who share an interest in philosophy, and coordinating student philosophical activities.
Psychology Association: One of the earliest student associations at ECNU, the Psychology Association was founded by a group of students majoring in psychology in the 1980s. The association seeks both to promote the interests of the undergraduates affiliated with the School of Psychology and Cognitive Science and to promote the study of psychology in the campus community at large.

Rankings and Recognition

In 2017, ECNU was chosen as one of the 36 Class A universities on the list of Double First Class University Plan released by the central government of China. In 2021, it was ranked 37th globally in the Times Higher Education Rankings by Subjects in "Education".

Notable Alumni

Xi Nanhua: Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Joe Z. Daniela Anahi Bessia: Celebrity performer for the China Central Television, Hunan Television, Shanghai Media Group, etc.
Glenn Duffie Shriver: From Grand Valley State University, he did a study abroad program at ECNU.

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