Nanjing Normal University (NNU) is located in Nanjing, the ancient capital of six dynasties in history. It is a key university of Jiangsu Province and one of the 211 Project institutions. Its history can be traced back to Sanjiang Normal School established in 1902. It was since then operated under a series of names including Liangjiang Excellent Normal School, Nanjing Higher Normal School, Southeast University, Central University, and Nanjing University.

Another branch source came from Huiwen institute set up in 1888, which developed into the private Jinling University, merged Jinling Women’s College of Arts and Sciences and became the National Jinling University. In 1952 when the Chinese institutions of higher learning underwent a nationwide reorganization, Nanjing Teachers’ College came into being with departments from Nanjing University, Jinling University and a number of other institutions. It became Nanjing Normal University in January, 1984, and merged Nanjing Advanced College of Dynamics in March, 2000. The university provides programs in various areas such as liberal arts, history, philosophy, education, science, engineering, economics, law and public administration. 

Nanjing Normal University has been serving as a cradle for advanced teacher education in China. In the past years, the university has cultivated large amounts of educationists. At present, there are a large number of scholars well-known home and abroad who engage in research, publishing and teaching at the university. Their efforts and contributions have formulated an academic tradition in pursuit of truth, as seen in the university motto: A virtuous and loving life, a path of learning and practice.

College for International Students of NNU was established in 1996, which is derived from the Foreign Student Section of Foreign Affairs Office of NNU.  As one of the earliest universities to open to the outside world, it is also the earliest to enroll international students.  It is authorized by the Ministry of Education of the PRC to be one of the two preparatory Chinese Language Training Centers in China as well as one of the universities having B.A. degree of Chinese language and literature for international students.  In 2000, it was appointed to be the only ‘Oversea Chinese Language Educational Base’ in Jiangsu Province.  And later in 2003, it was appraised to be ‘National Education Base of’ by the Ministry of Education. 

Ever since 1989, this college has set up Chinese language and literature of B.A. degree.  Longer-term students, those who stay more than half a year, include language learners, candidates for B.A. of Chinese language, candidates for master degree and doctoral students.  Short-term students will be divided into different classes according to their language level and will be taught language, culture, history, music, painting and P.E.  Under the permission of Ministry of Education, there is a test center of HSK, providing international students with convenience for HSK test. 

Nowadays, NNU accepts thousands of students coming from over 60 countries all over the world every year.  In 2003, there were about 970 person-times for long-term study and 650 person-times for short-term one.  The number of international students on campus of NNU ranks the first of all those universities which recruit international students in Jiangsu Province and the 14th in China.