Fujian Normal University

Fujian Normal University (FNU), a century-old university based in Fuzhou, a historic cultural city known as "Land of Culture on the Coast", is a time-honoured and well-acclaimed provincial institution of higher learning.

Founded as Fujian Superior Normal School in 1907 by the famous late-Qing scholar Chen Baochen, who once served as the teacher of China's last emperor, the present day FNU went through a few changes—merging with the former Hwa-Nan Women's College of Arts and Sciences, Fukien Christian University and Fujian Provincial Teachers School respectively—to form Fujian Teachers College in 1953.

In 1972, the University was renamed Fujian Normal University and has been thus referred to since then. In 2012, the Ministry of Education and Fujian government signed an agreement to jointly support the development of the University. In 2014, FNU was designated as a "provincial high-level university for prioritized construction". Currently the University proper consists of two campuses: Qishan and Cangshan, with a total land area of about 260 hectares.

FNU offers 83 undergraduate programs (only 76 enrolled students in 2017 though). Currently there are over 23,513 full time undergraduate students, 7420 graduate students of various types, and 1700-strong teaching and auxiliary staff in the main campuses. Its faculty counts 57.5% full or associate professors and 50% doctorate degree holders.

Bringing into full play the leadership role of its well-established disciplines, an academic arrangement has been structured of first-rate Art, advanced Science, and featured Engineering. A balanced and coordinated development of this wide spectrum of disciplines has given FNU a distinct identity as a multi-disciplinary comprehensive university. Academic programs cover 11 subject areas in literature, history, philosophy, physics, engineering, pedagogy, economics, law, business management, agriculture, and art. The University has one state key discipline, three provincial innovation (and cultivation) platforms for advantage disciplines of Fujian universities, nine provincial key disciplines with special features, 26 provincial key disciplines, 19 post-doctoral research centres, 19 primary discipline doctoral programs, 37 primary discipline master programs, and 13 professional master programs. In the third-round national discipline evaluation, six of FNU disciplines were ranked among the top 20 in the country, among which three entered the top 10 list. Chemistry ranked among the top 1-percent in ESI (Essential Science Indicators).