Capital Normal University (CNU)

Capital Normal University was founded in 1954. Originally, CNU was a teacher’s college, but by the 1990s it had evolved into a comprehensive school offering a wider variety of degrees. Today, Capital Normal University offers some of the best polytechnic and vocational education in China.

Capital Normal University is one of China’s “Double First Class” universities. As such, it receives generous funding and support from the Chinese government as well as connections to other top academic institutions in China. CNU is also a “Province-Ministry Co-Sponsored” university, meaning that it is jointly supervised by the Beijing Municipality and the Chinese Ministry of Education. The university offers 56 undergraduate programs, 147 masters programs, and 97 doctoral programs. All programs are open to foreign applicants.

True to its history, CNU is still one of the best locations to pursue an education degree in Beijing. The University oversees two high schools—The CNU High School and the CNU Yuxin School. Both schools are experimental schools, which means teachers-in-training at CNU have opportunities to test out new pedagogies and gain valuable teaching experience through practical work at these schools. Aside from teaching degrees, CNU offers a wide range of discipline-based programs ranging from tourism to engineering.

Although Capital Normal University has not, to date, attracted many foreign students, recent government initiatives are beginning to bring CNU into the sights of more international scholars. CNU currently has about 80 foreign students, mostly from countries in the “Belt and Road” organization. One of CNU’s colleges is the College of International Education (CIE) which was established specifically for foreign students. The CIE offers a Bachelor’s Degree in Chinese language, a Master’s Degree in Chinese language, and a non-degree Chinese language program. CNU has ongoing cooperation projects with 225 universities in 42 different countries and has established six Confucius Institutes in universities abroad. CNU has also been selected as one of China’s “Belt and Road” national talent training bases, which will likely see the university expand its overseas influence in coming years. Foreign students applying to CNU are eligible for generous funding, including the Beijing Government Scholarship, the Confucius Institute Scholarship, and the Chinese Government Scholarship.

The teaching quality at Capital Normal University has received a number of awards. In 2003, CNU was recognized by the Ministry of Education as the “Outstanding University of Undergraduate Teaching.” The University has also won two first prizes and 13 second-place prizes for its “nationally outstanding teaching work.” In addition, the university has won 96 awards for outstanding teaching quality in the Beijing Municipality. In 2008, a government review of teaching quality at institutions throughout China named CNU as the “National Innovative Experiment Program for University Students.”

Capital Normal University offers a variety of teacher training programs and vocational training. For international students hoping to study the Chinese language, CNU offers a college and programs designed especially for international learners. These academic strengths combined with recognized teaching quality make Capital Normal University a great opportunity for students wishing to pursue an education in China.