Northeast Normal University

Northeast Normal University is an institution of higher learning under the direct administration of the Ministry of Education. Situated in Changchun, Jilin Province, the University has a campus covering 817,000 square meters, with a building area of 467,000 square meters.

Founded in 1946,the university was initially named Northeast University, which was the first university set up in the northeast by the CPC. In her early years the university changed her locations here and there in the northeast of China and became the largest institution of tertiary education in the region at that time, with the affiliation of the university initially founded by General ZHANG Xueliang(School of Humanities, School of Science, and School of Law & Business), the former Jilin University, the Changbai Teachers College and the then Changchun University. It was renamed Northeast Normal University in 1950. Renowned educators ZHANG Ruxin, CHENG Fangwu, DING Haochun and others have successively held the leading positions of the university. The current Secretary of the university CPC Committee is Sheng Lianxi, and the president of the university is Shi Ningzhong.

NENU presently comprises 17 colleges/departments, 26 research institutes, 4 experiment centers, 40 undergraduate specialities.68 subjects are authorized to confer M.A. degrees, and 13 subjects to confer Ph. D. degress. Ancient and mediaeval History of the World is a national key faculty. Department of History and Department of Chinese Language & Literature are selected as "the national bases for personnel preparation and research of social sciences". There is a postdoctoral research station in Biology. The university manages the State Center for Experimental Studies in Elementary Education, the State Laboratory of Grassland Ecological Engineering, the SEdC Northeast Center for Training Educational Administrators, the SEdC Northeast Center for Retraining University Teachers, and the Preparatory School for Graduates Going to Japan.

NENU has a rich resource of qualified teachers and researchers. Among them are a considerable number of specialists and renowned scholars influential in the academic circles at home and abroad. Among the 1107 teaching staff members are 517 higher degree holders,167 professors,385 associate professors, 1 member of China Academy, 4 members of academic committees of the State Council, 68 ph. D. supervisors, 28 national or provincial outstanding specialists. The present total enrollment of full- time students is 7848 undergraduates,1385 M.A.and PH.D.graduates, 221 overseas students, and 166graduates going to Japan.

NENU has been adhering to its orientation of serving elementary education. In order to turn out excellent teachers, ad- administrators and specialists, the university has renewed the curricula, restructured the courses, enriched the teaching content, and has established a new undergraduate education model and system that will develop the students' teaching competence. The university has also established its bases for research and experiments in elementary education to promote theoretical stud- ies in educational science.

In scientific research the university lays importance on fundamental theoretical studies, emphasizes applied sciences and interdisciplinary studies, attaches more weight to exploitation of new technology and to the application of research findings. Since the seventh five-year plan the university has undertaken 590 national or provincial(ministerial) science projects, pub- published 853 monographs or textbooks and 8201 articles.237 findings were rewarded by the state government(or its ministries) or provincial government; 10 won the national prizes for scientific invention or technological innovation; and 4 got the awards from the FOK Yingtong Foundation for young scientists. In the meantime, the university has completed 667 national or pro- vincial(ministerial)projects in social sciences and in educational science, published 2632 monographs or textbooks and 8411 articles in the two specified spheres, Among these publications,319 were rewarded by the state government(or its ministries) or provincial government, 8 wan the first batch of SEdC prizes for outstanding research results in social sciences, 4 got the national rewards for excellent research findings in educational science, and 4 articles were rewarded by the Propaganda Department of the CPC Committee in its spiritual Central civilization project.

In the past fifteen years or so NENU has established exchanging relations with 60-odd universities in 10 countries or regions. Every year the university invites more than 30 foreign specialists to teach and/or to do research, and dozens to come on academic tours or for cooperations. 135 overseas scholars have been conferred the titles of honorary professor or guest pro- fessor.

NENU is well facilitated and has a nice environment. In 1993 the NENU campus was named "Model Campus "by the SEDC in its campaign of campus civilization construction. In 1995,the university was conferred the title "Model Civilized Unit" by the Jilin Provin- cial Government and the CPC Party Committee of Jilin Province. In September 1995 NENU passed the SEdC examination for the "211" Project and is selected as one of the universities that will be given priority in construction in the ninth five-year plan period. Looking forward, NENU envisages a long way to go and a heavy responsibility to shoulder. All the staff and the students are working diligently and confidently to build NENU into a first-rate socialist teachers university in China which draws considerable attention from the rest of the world.