History & Revolution

Northeast Normal University (NENU) is an institution of higher learning under the direct administration of the Ministry of Education, and one of the national key universities given construction priority of the “211 Project”. NENU is located in Changchun City—the beautiful Spring City of Northern China, and reputed as the cradle of teachers.

NENU's predecessor was the Northeast University, which was founded in Benxi City, of Liaoning Province in February, 1946. During the war, the university moved through many cities, such as Dandong, Tonghua, Meihekou, Jilin, Changchun and Harbin. It settled in the City of Jiamusi in June 1946. In July, 1948, the Northeast University moved southward to Jilin City, merged with Jilin University, and was named Northeast University to begin with its regularized school education. From 1948 to 1949, the former Northeast University in Shenyang City, Changchun University, and Baicheng Normal University were consecutively merged into Northeast University, which was made the largest comprehensive university in the Northeast of China at that time. In July, 1949, the university was moved to Changchun City.

In April, 1950, Northeast University was renamed as Northeast Normal University to meet the needs of national education development, and became a normal university of higher learning aimed at training the new-type middle school teachers, under the administration of the Ministry of Education. In April 1958, Northeast Normal University was downgraded to a lower level under the administration of Jilin Province and renamed as Jilin Normal University. In February 1958, approved by the State Council, the university was again under the administration of the Ministry of Education. In August 1980, with the approval of the Ministry of Education, the university readopted the name as “Northeast Normal University”. From then on, NENU has stepped in to a new era of development. It restored original academic disciplines, established new ones and set up the Graduate School. In 1996, it became one of the first key universities in the national 211 Project. In 2009, it undertook the national project— 985 Project Innovation Platform for Teacher Education & Advantageous Discipline'.

In recent years, NENU has achieved great improvement in such aspects as discipline construction, talents training, teaching staff, scientific research, international cooperation, social service and the overall education condition. This has been made possible with the support of 211 Project, 985 Project Innovation Platform for Teacher Education and Advantageous Discipline and the Agreement of Joint Construction between the Ministry of Education and Jilin Province. NENU has become a comprehensive, research-oriented university with its own characteristics, including such disciplines as philosophy, economics, law, pedagogy, literature, history, science, engineering, agriculture, management and arts.

校史迁移图

Historical Events

In 2014, NENU's postgraduate student Li Jianrou from School of Physical Education won the first gold medal for China in the female 500-meter short-track speeding skating at the Sochi Winter Olympics.

On 25 June 2013, three experimental teaching centers of biology, media and arts were rated as “National Experimental Teaching Demonstrating Center” by the Ministry of Education.

On 19 April 2012, Liu Yichun was appointed as the President of NENU by the Ministry of Education.

On 24 March 2011, on the basis of history and geography, NENU increased 8 doctorate authorization first-level disciplines and 6 master's degree authorization first-level disciplines. The 8 doctorate authorization first-level disciplines include philosophy, applied economics, political science, psychology, science of physical education, foreign languages and literature, arts and physics. The 6 master's degree authorization first-level disciplines are law, sociology, foreign languages and literature, physics, computer science and technology, library, information and archives management.

On 6 April 2010, NENU held a series of activities celebrating the 10th anniversary of the establishment of Jingyue campus under the theme of “Inheritance and Development”.

On 28 November 2009, “the Opening Ceremony of Educational Talents Market for National Graduates of Colleges and Universities” was held in Changchun International Convention and Exhibition Center.

On 21 June 2008, Engineering Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Proteins and Genes Screening declared by Research Center of Agriculture and Medicine Genetic Engineering of the Ministry of Education were officially authorized, being NENU’s first national engineering laboratory and the first state-level laboratory.

On 24 December 2007, the signing ceremony of “Innovative Experimental Zone of Teacher Education in Northeast China” supported by theDepartment of Education ofLiaoning Province, the Department of Education of Jilin Province, the Department of Education of Heilongjiang Province and NENU was held in our university.

On 23 September 2005, the History Museum of NENU was completed and put into use.

On 30 June 2004, NENU passed the assessment by the Ministry of Education to establish Graduate School.

On 25 September 2003, NENU established the Commission of Undergraduate Teaching Instruction.

On 26 February 2002, NENU had 6 more undergraduate majors.

On 24 March 2001, Northeast Normal University Ideal Software Co., Ltd., the first software developing company focusing on e-teaching of basic education in secondary and primary schools in China, was founded at Tian Jiabing Hall.

In 2000, NENU held the ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of Jingyue campus.

In 1999, it was officially decided to establish Jingyue campus throughdiscussion at the enlarged meeting of the standing party committee of NENU. NENU issuedthe Decision on Undertaking New Reforms of Administrative System of NENU.

In 1998, NENU bought the first big-size precision instrument from the China branch office of Hewlett Packard Enterprise and held the signing ceremony at Yifu Science Hall.

In 1996, NENU celebrated the 50th anniversary of its founding.

In 1995, it was decided by the State Education Commissionto set up a Research Center of National Basic Education in NENU. NENU had passed the preliminary inspection by experts of the 211 Project.

In 1994, our university increased a batch of doctorate authorization majors, master's degree authorization majors and Ph.D. supervisors.

In 1993, the motto of NENU was officially decided.

In 1991, the inauguration ceremony for Yifu Science Hall was held in NENU.

In 1990,Key Points of Comprehensive Reformswas released by NENU.

In 1988, NENU was authorized by the State Education Commission to validate the qualification of professors and associate professors.

In 1986, NENU celebrated the 40thanniversary of its founding at the stadium.

In 1985, NENU set up the University Affairs Committee based on the instructions ofthe State Education Commission.

In 1983, upon the invitation of NENU, the President and other three guests of Southern Illinois University came to our university for a three-day visit.

In 1982, NENU was approved by the Ministry of Culture of the People’s Republic of China to publish a bimonthly magazineCorrespondence Education of Teachers in Higher Education, the first openly published magazine on higher correspondence education in China.

In 1981, 31 disciplines and majors in NENU were authorized by the Academic Degree Commission of the State Council to award master’s degree.

In 1980, our university regained the name of Northeast Normal University by the approval of the Ministry of Education.

In 1979, the opening ceremony of the Preparatory School for Chinese Students to Japan entrusted by the Ministry of Education was held in our university.

In 1978, the State Council approved that our university was under the joint administration of the Ministry of Education and Jilin Province, mainly the leadership of the Ministry of Education.

In 1960, the number of majors of each department or discipline was readjusted from 27 to 16.

In 1958,theCentralCommitteeoftheCommunistPartyofChinareleasedthe Instructions on Downgrading Institutions of Higher Education and Secondary Technical Schools. Our university was downgraded to a lower level under the administration of Jilin Province.

In 1954, the preliminary design of the basic construction of our school was completed. The first party congress of our university was held in the same year.

In 1953, the Ministry of Education unified the planning on the cultivation of graduate students. Our university took on the task of training graduate students majored in modern Chinese language,ancient history of the world and modern history of the world.

In 1950, Faculty Association was renamed as “Northeast University Committee of China Education Work Union”. Liu Chengyun was appointed as the President and was soon succeeded by Wu Boxiao.

In 1948, Northeast University moved to the City of Jilin, merged with Jilin University and retained its name as Northeast University. Zhang Ruxin was appointed as the President; He Xilin, thechief education officerand Zhang Songru, the vice chief education officer.

In 1946, Hejiang Daily published Admission Brochures of Northeast University.

In 1946, Northeast Bureau decided to change the name of Northeast College to “Northeast University” and appointed Zhang Xuesi as the President, Bai Xiqing and Shu Qun as the Vice Presidents and Zhang Songru as the chief education officer.

In 1945, Chairman Mao came to Yanan University to convey the decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China to the President Zhou Yang and the Vice President Zhang Ruxin to send a batch of key talents to northeast China to establish Northeast University.