Confucius Institute Scholarship at Harbin Normal University

About the university

Harbin Normal University (HRBNU), located in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, is under the administration of the Heilongjiang Provincial Department of Education. It is a key high-level university in Heilongjiang Province, an excellent institution in the Ministry of Education's undergraduate teaching evaluation, a university under the national 'Midwest University Basic Capacity Building Project', a pilot university for the Ministry of Education's 'Three Comprehensive Education' reform, and one of the first batch of universities selected for the Ministry of Education's 'Excellent Teacher Training Program Demonstration Project'. Founded in 1951, Harbin Normal University traces its origins to the Special District Art School established in 1929, which was renamed Songjiang Provincial Xingzhi Normal School in 1947. It later went through periods as Harbin Junior Normal College (1951–1956) and Harbin Normal College (1956–1980), before being officially named Harbin Normal University in 1980. In 2017, the university was awarded the title of First National Civilized Campus. In 2019, its School of Marxism was designated as one of the third batch of National Key Marxist Schools. In December 2022, the university was selected as a 'Domestic First-Class University Construction University' under Heilongjiang Province's 'Double First-Class' construction project. In May 2024, the university was approved for the first time for a local innovation sub-project under the China Scholarship Council's Local Cooperation Project. As of May 2025, Harbin Normal University has three campuses covering approximately 1.53 million square meters, with total teaching and research equipment valued at 462 million yuan. It comprises 25 colleges and offers 74 undergraduate programs. The university has 9 first-level doctoral degree authorization disciplines, 2 professional doctoral degree categories, 17 first-level master's degree authorization disciplines, 16 professional master's degree categories, and 5 postdoctoral research stations. It has over 1,700 full-time faculty members. In 1929, the 'Special District Art School' was established in Harbin, expanded in 1931 to the 'Special District Normal Junior College'. In 1949, 'Songjiang Provincial Xingzhi Normal School' merged with 'Harbin Municipal Normal School' to become 'Harbin Xingzhi Normal School'. In 1951, the Northeast People's Government Ministry of Education successively established 'Songjiang Junior Normal College' and 'Harbin Junior Normal College', which were later merged into 'Songjiang Junior Normal College'. In 1953, it was renamed 'Harbin Junior Normal College'. On May 8, 1956, 'Harbin Junior Normal College' was upgraded to 'Heilongjiang Normal College'. On July 20, 1956, it was renamed 'Harbin Normal College'. In 2000, Hulan Junior Normal College and Heilongjiang Agricultural Reclamation Junior Normal College were merged into Harbin Normal University. In 2002, Heilongjiang Provincial Materials School (Heilongjiang Provincial Materials Staff University) was also merged to form the new Harbin Normal University. In November 2017, the university was awarded the title of First National Civilized Campus. In 2019, the School of Marxism of Harbin Normal University was designated as one of the third batch of National Key Marxist Schools. In 2021, the university added four new doctoral and master's degree authorization points: Mathematics obtained first-level doctoral degree authorization, Design obtained first-level master's degree authorization, and Resources and Environment and Public Administration obtained professional master's degree authorization. In June 2022, six programs were selected as national first-class undergraduate program construction sites, and seven programs were selected as provincial first-class undergraduate program construction sites. In December 2022, the university was selected as a 'Domestic First-Class University Construction University' (provincial high-level university), with six disciplines including Marxist Theory, Education, Chinese Language and Literature, Fine Arts, and Foreign Languages and Literature selected as 'Domestic First-Class Discipline Construction Disciplines' (provincial advantageous and characteristic disciplines), and four disciplines including World History, Mathematics, and Physics selected as 'Cultivation Disciplines' (basic disciplines), and the professional degree category of Education selected as a 'Cultivation Discipline' (urgently needed blank discipline). In April 2024, in the 2023 China International College Students' Innovation Competition, one project won the highest award 'Innovation Potential Award' in the Budding Track, and three projects won national bronze awards in the Main Track. In May 2024, the university was approved for the first time for a local innovation sub-project under the China Scholarship Council's Local Cooperation Project. On November 12, the Heilongjiang Provincial Local Legislation (Record Review) Research Center, jointly established by the Heilongjiang Provincial People's Congress Standing Committee Legislative Affairs Commission and six universities including Harbin Institute of Technology, Heilongjiang University, Harbin Engineering University, Northeast Forestry University, Northeast Agricultural University, and Harbin Normal University, held a signing and licensing ceremony at Heilongjiang University. On the afternoon of December 6, the Chinese Modernization Research Center of Harbin Normal University was inaugurated. In April 2025, Harbin Normal University signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Dingxiang Talent Development Group. Also in April, Heilongjiang International University and Harbin Normal University held a signing ceremony for a paired party-building cooperation.