Shaanxi Normal University

Shaanxi Normal University (SNNU) is a higher learning institution in central China, founded in 1944 and incorporated into the infrastructure and development 211 Project in 2011. The two campuses, Yanta and Chang’an, are both located in Xi’an, the capital of Shaanxi province and the oldest of the four great ancient capitals of China. Xi’an is also a modern metropolis fuelled by tourist attractions such as the world renowned Terracotta Army dating to 210 BCE, and modern industries such as China’s space exploration programme.

SNNU has 23 schools of study based on two campuses, offering students a range of more than 300 bachelors or postgraduate degrees, from traditional humanities such as History or Law to more modern developments such as e-Commerce or Television Editing. There are also 67 doctoral programme majors offered at the university, in courses from Western Economics to Neurobiology. SNNU has also offered an adult education programme since 1987, offering night colleges and long distance learning programmes for those who need to balance work and family commitments around their studies.

Hosting overseas students for Chinese language courses and cultural education is a core part of the university mandate. The International School of Chinese Studies offers courses in teaching Chinese as a foreign language and Sinology, as well as the opportunity for foreign students to follow full undergraduate, masters or degree level programmes. Dormitory building Qixia Yuan contains both Chinese and Western style restaurants, and combined with Tiantan Xuan section there are more than 120 rooms for international students to stay in.

The motto of SNNU is Morality, Learning, Aspiration and Action, each based from phrases in four classic Chinese books. The crest is made up of two Chinese characters, ‘Shan’ referring to Shaanxi province, and ‘Shi’ meaning teacher.