Central China Normal University (CCNU) is a key normal university directly under the Chinese Ministry of Education. Located in Wuhan, it has a campus of over 2,000 acres with a construction area of more than 600,000 square meters on Guizishan, a hill bordering the East Lake and the South Lake. It has brilliant flowers and green trees all year round.
A hundred years of vicissitudes and striving fostered this celebrated university. The predecessor of CCNU is the combination of Huazhong University, Zhonghua University and the Pedagogical College of Zhongyuan University, with Huazhong University as the main part. Huazhong University was the largest and most influential mission university in South Central China, it developed from Wenhua Academy (the first college of mission school) that was founded in 1903. In 1951, the public Huazhong University came into being after the Pedagogical College of Zhongyuan University merged with Huazhong University. Then, it was reorganized into Huazhong Higher Normal School in 1952 and later renamed Huazhong Teachers College in 1953. In 1985, the university was formally entitled Huazhong University and Deng Xiaoping, one of the founders of Zhongyuan University, inscribed the new name of the university. In1993, President Jiang Zemin wrote an inscription for the university "Developing normal education, improving the nation's quality".
The university attaches great importance to the development of disciplines. After adjusting and expanding some of the disciplines, CCNU has formed a complete and optimized disciplinary system consisting literature, history, philosophy, natural science, engineering, education, economics, law, agriculture and management. Now, it comprises 18 schools, 9 department and 82 research institutes (centers) and offers 53 doctoral programs and 94 master's degree programs. The university also has 5 first-grade doctor's degree disciplines, 3 national key disciplines, 9 provincial and ministerial level key disciplines, 5 post-doctoral programs. Moreover, it has established 2 national bases for personnel training & scientific research, and 3 national key bases for the research of humanities and social sciences. The university has set up its Continual Education College, Higher Vocational Education College, Network Education College and International Cultural Exchange College. Entrusted by the Ministry of Education, it also established a Teachers Training Center for Teachers Universities and Colleges in South Central China and a Training Center for Education Administrators from the same region.
CCNU boasts an array of qualified teachers as well as scholars full of vigor and vitality. Among a total of over 700 professors and associate professors, there are 3 experts with national achievements and 22 with provincial achievements. Apart from that, 8 are selected by the Ministry of Education for "Cross-Century Talents Project" and 1 for "Talent Project". CCNU also has many of honorary professors and adjunct professors.
CCNU has made noticeable achievements in scientific research. Since the 7th Five-Year Plan was carried out, the teaching staff has been entrusted with a great many important scientific research projects such as national high-tech project 863, national "Torch Program" and some international cooperation projects. During the period of the 8th Five-Year Plan, the faculty members were involved in 744 scientific research projects, and more than 130 of them won different awards at the provincial/ministry level or above.
CCNU carries on a wide range of international academic exchanges. It has regular academic links and cooperation with more than 20 universities, colleges and research institutes in America, Germany, Russia, Ukraine, France, Italy, Britain, Japan, Switzerland, and Bulgaria.
Foreign experts and teachers are regularly invited to teach at the university and many faculty members have been sent abroad for further study, visit or joint research. Most of them have returned home and become the backbone in teaching and research; a good number of them are active on international academic rostrum and have made admirable contributions to science, technology, culture and education exchanges between China and foreign nations.
Central China Normal University had set a goal to reshape itself to be comprehensive in curriculums and research-oriented with distinctive features. With boundless enthusiasm and enterprising spirit, the faculty and students of Huazhong University are determined to make greater progress o build CCNU into a high-level university well-known both at home and abroad.