South China Normal University is situated in Guangzhou, an open metropolis in South China; the University is imbued with Lingnan’s pioneering and pragmatic spirit. It has a tradition of elegant simplicity and a favorable learning atmosphere. In the past seventy years or so, the University has all along preserved its distinguishing characteristics, mainly concentrating on teacher-education and training, and has dedicated itself to training qualified teachers and professionals of other kind, viz., outstanding personnel of moral integrity, high thinking, inventive ability, with a sense of responsibility.
South China Normal University (SCNU) was established in 1933, and is now a member of "Project 211” and a prestigious university in Guangdong Province. The university’s three campuses total approximately 509 acres, which are located in or near Guangzhou, the largest city in southern China. This region is one of the most economically and commercially vibrant regions in China, with excellent public transport system, pleasant weather and two large trade fairs (Canton Fair) in this city every year. It is a comprehensive university, consisting of diverse branches of learning, such as philosophy, economics, law, education, literature, history, science, engineering, and management.
The university comprises 24 schools and one department, offering programs, which include a certificate, a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree and a doctoral degree. Three large libraries house a collection of over 3 million books. The total number of full time students reaches approximately 29,000; in addition, there are about 1000 international students for both long and short study.
SCNU adheres to the goal of becoming a teaching-oriented research university. It has a team of experts and scholars who are famous at home and abroad. There are over 1,600 teachers, among which over 300 are professors, over 400 associate professors, over 600 master and doctoral supervisors, and 1,202 are holders of master or doctoral degrees. There are 4 members of the Academy of Science of China (ASC).
SCNU strives to nurture qualified personnel, emphasizing the development of the students’ overall abilities. Its alumni are playing their parts in education, government, business and other fields. Some of them are government leaders, famous scholars, professors, and business elites.
The university is active in international exchange, utilizing the advantages of being close to Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, as well as its strength in teacher education. Links have been established with dozens of universities and educational organizations from over 20 countries and regions.
In view of the fact that institutions of higher learning are all immediately concerned with social and economic development, South China Normal University has adopted an entirely new outlook, a broad world view on education. It has broadened its horizon on the key issue of cultivating talented personnel, and made its greatest efforts to create a congenial and harmonious environment for both teaching and academic research and foster a rich variety of campus culture. Its aim is to build itself into a high level comprehensive teaching and research-oriented university with open distinctive features.
The university will continue to maintain its good tradition developed over years, adjusting and optimizing its programs, focusing on teaching and research, stressing the whole person education. It strives to build itself into a first-rate university in the country in terms of the overall level of school running and comprehensive capabilities, featured by its uniqueness, openness and comprehensiveness.