Hunan Province “Belt and Road Initiative” Scholarship

About the university

Hunan Normal University (HNNU), located in Changsha, Hunan Province, is one of the first batch of universities selected for the national "211 Project" and the national "Double First-Class" initiative. It is a jointly constructed "Double First-Class" university by the Ministry of Education and the Hunan Provincial Government, and one of the ten leading universities in the Ministry of Education's "Collaborative Quality Improvement Plan for Teacher Education." The university is also part of the national "111 Project," the National Excellent Teacher Training Program, the National Teacher Training Program, the Outstanding Legal Talent Education and Training Program, the Outstanding Doctor Education and Training Program, the Outstanding Teacher Training Program, the New Era Training Program for Famous Teachers and Principals in Primary and Secondary Schools, the National High-Level University Publicly Funded Graduate Program, the National Demonstration University for Deepening Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education Reform, the Chinese Government Scholarship Institution for International Students, and the Ministry of Education's Demonstration Base for Studying in China. It is an important member of international organizations such as the Cumulus Association (International Association of Universities and Colleges of Art, Design and Media), the "Belt and Road" Think Tank Cooperation Alliance, and the "Yangtze-Volga" University Alliance. The university traces its roots to the National Normal College, the first independent national normal college established in China in 1938. Shortly after the founding of the People's Republic of China, the National Normal College was merged into Hunan University. In August 1953, during the nationwide restructuring of higher education institutions, Hunan University was dissolved, and Hunan Normal College was established. In 1984, the college was renamed Hunan Normal University. In 1996, it became one of the first batch of universities under the national "211 Project." Since 2000, the university has successively merged with Hunan Education College, Hunan Political and Legal Management Cadre College, and Hunan Medical College. In 2017, it was selected as a national "Double First-Class" university, and in 2022, it was selected for the second round of the national "Double First-Class" initiative. As of December 2025, the university covers an area of over 4,000 mu (about 267 hectares), has 24 colleges, offers 87 undergraduate programs, and has 20 postdoctoral research stations. It has nearly 3,600 faculty and staff members, including over 2,300 full-time teachers, and nearly 50,000 enrolled students. On October 27, 1938, to meet the needs of the War of Resistance Against Japan, the Ministry of Education of the National Government established the National Normal College in Lantian Town, Anhua County, Hunan Province. This was the first independent national normal college. The first president was Liao Shicheng, and many renowned scholars gathered there, including Qian Jibo, Qian Zhongshu, Pi Mingju, Meng Xiancheng, Chen Chuanzhang, Gao Juefu, and Chu Anping. At its inception, the college established seven departments: Chinese, English, History and Geography, Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry, Education, and Civic Training, with a five-year curriculum. In August 1953, during the nationwide restructuring, Hunan University was dissolved, and the Central South Institute of Civil Engineering and Architecture (now Hunan University) and Hunan Normal College were established. Hunan Normal College was based on the National Normal College and incorporated the Chinese Language Department and Education Department of the College of Arts and Education of the former Hunan University, the History Department of the College of Social Sciences, the Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology Departments of the College of Natural Sciences, as well as the specialized courses in Chinese, History, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology from the Normal Department. At the same time, the Education Department and Normal Department of the College of Arts and Law of Nanchang University, the Biology Department of Henan Pingyuan Normal College, and some students from Tsinghua University, Nanchang University, Northeast Normal University, South China Normal College, and Pingyuan Normal College were also merged into Hunan Normal College, making it one of the normal colleges with the most specialties in the country at that time. All historical archives of the former Hunan University were handed over to Hunan Normal College for safekeeping, and Yuelu Academy was managed by Hunan Normal College on behalf of the former Hunan University. The former campus of Hunan University was divided into north and south sections by the road from Pailoukou, Zibeiting to the First Hospital. The south section was the Central South Institute of Civil Engineering and Architecture, and the north section was Hunan Normal College. The college established seven departments (Chinese, History, Education, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology) and six specialized courses. In 1960, to support the reestablishment of Hunan University, the college moved to Erliban, Hexi, Changsha, and donated some books and animal and plant specimens to Hunan University. The two universities were demarcated by the ridge of Yuelu Mountain, with the new and old Zhishan Village, Quzi Temple, Lushan Gate, and Fenghuang Mountain as the boundary. The area north and east of the boundary was assigned to the Normal College. In September 1961, Hunan Art College and Hunan Physical Education College were merged into Hunan Normal College, adding two departments: Art and Physical Education. In September 1984, the college was renamed Hunan Normal University. At that time, the university had 12 departments (Chinese, History, Political Education, Foreign Languages, Education, Art, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geography, Physical Education) offering 14 specialties.