The Faculty of Education （师范馆）of the Capital Metropolitan University （京师大学堂）was founded on the initiative of the Emperor of Qing Dynasty. It was the first university in Chinese history with the main mission of training excellent teachers and specialists.

The Faculty of Education was named as the Capital Metropolitan School of Supreme Teacher Training（京师优级师范学堂）, and was separated from the Capital Metropolitan University.

The Capital Metropolitan School of Supreme Teacher Training was named as Peking Normal College （北平高等师范学校）, establishing her own affiliated primary school and secondary school.

Establishment of graduate programs

Peking Normal College was renamed as Peking Normal University （北平师范大学）which was the first normal university in Chinese modern education history.

The Peking Women’s College of Education（北平女子师范大学） merged into Peking Normal University.

Peking Normal University had to move to Xi’an since Peking was occupied by Japanese invaders. Together with National Peking University, National Beiyang College of Engineering, the three institutions formed Xi’an Temporary University.

Xi’an Temporary University moved to Han Zhong and was renamed as National Northwest Union University and Peking Normal University was renamed as Faculty of Education, National Northwest Union University.

Faculties and students gradually moved back to Peking. Those faculties remaining in Xi’an became teaching staff in Northwest University and Northwest Normal College, supporting the development of Higher Education in Northwest China. In November 1946, Peking Normal University reopened in Peking.

The city was renamed as Beijing in February. In September, the university was renamed as Beijing Normal University.

Culture Revolution broke out and the university had to close.

Celebration of Centennial Anniversary

Became member of Project 985 Phase II

On May 4 2006, Premier WEN Jiabao took a special visit to Beijing Normal University, enjoying the Youth Day together with BNU students.

In 2007, Beijing Normal University had 16 national key disciplines, including 5 general disciplines and 11 specialized disciplines. Beijing Normal University became a comprehensive university, covering almost all the disciplines except military science.