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.
For detailed information, please look through BNU website: http://english.bnu.edu.cn/about_bnu/historyofbnu/index.htm
Chronological Review
1902
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.
1908
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.
1912
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.
1920
Establishment of graduate programs
1921
Recruitment for female students
1923
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.
1931
The Peking Women’s College of Education（北平女子师范大学） merged into Peking Normal University.
1937
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.
1938
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.
1946
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.
1949
The city was renamed as Beijing in February. In September, the university was renamed as Beijing Normal University.
1952
Fu Jen Catholic University merged into Beijing Normal University.
1954
The new campus established at BeiTaiPingZhuang.
1956
The university sent 76 professors to 15 provinces, supporting to establish local normal schools.
1967
Culture Revolution broke out and the university had to close.
1973
The university restarted to recruit undergraduate students.
1984
The University reopened the graduate programs.
1991
Post doctoral workstation established.
1996
Became member of Project 211
1999
Became member of Project 985 Phase I
2002
Signing an agreement with Ministry of Education and Beijing Municipal Government, Beijing Normal
University became the 10th university on the list to get special support from the Chinese Government, aiming to be a world prestigious university.
2002
Celebration of Centennial Anniversary
2004
Became member of Project 985 Phase II
2006
On May 4 2006, Premier WEN Jiabao took a special visit to Beijing Normal University, enjoying the Youth Day together with BNU students.
2007
In 2007, the Chinese government implemented the Fee-Waiver Policy for teacher training programs in six normal universities which are supervised by the Ministry of Education. On September 9, Premier WEN Jiabao took a special visit to Beijing Normal University in order to meet the freshmen enrolled in the Fee-Waiver Program for teacher training. Premier WEN delivered an important speech on education reformation and improving the education for students enrolled in teacher-training programs, which recognized the educational achievements at Beijing Normal University and directed the future reformation in teacher training programs.
2007
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.
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Project 211: The Chinese government's new endeavor aimed at strengthening about 100 institutions of higher education and key disciplinary areas as a national priority for the 21st century.
Project 985: In 1998 the central government, prompte d by the former President Jiang Zemin's decis ion that China should develop world-class universities, announced the 985 Project, designed to channel millions of dollars into a handful of elite universities in an effort to bring them to international prominence.
