Overview

Weinan Normal University (WNU) is a multi-disciplinary and application-oriented university with a primary focus on teacher education. WNU grew out of Weinan  Teachers College established in 1960 and Weinan Education College founded in 1983, offering teacher training for the Weinan region. In 2000, Weinan Teachers College and Weinan Education College merged to form Weinan Normal University with the approval of the Ministry of Education.

WNU implements the fundamental mission of fostering virtues through education, and upholds the educational philosophy of “rooted in Weinan, dedicated to education, and cultivating outstanding teachers for the new era”. Guided by the motto “Respecting Teachers, Valuing Education, Serving the Nation with Utmost Sincerity”, WNU practices the spirit of “Striving Every Day, Joying Every Day”, and has cultivated a school ethos of “Diligence, Simplicity, and Self-Reliance”, a teaching style of “Passionate Teaching, Caring for Students, and Nurturing with Grace”, and a learning climate of “Eagerness to Learn, Deep Thinking, Clarity in Judgment, and Resolute Action”. WNU promotes the integration of value shaping, knowledge imparting, and ability cultivation, establishing a comprehensive education system of ideological and political education and curriculum-based ideological education in tandem. It has formed an educational framework centered on undergraduate education, complemented by postgraduate education, continuing education, and international education, striving to build a distinctive and first-class normal university.

Located in Weinan, Shaanxi—a revolutionary old district—the university currently has four campuses: Chaoyang, Fuping, Xiyue, and Hanma. WNU was included as a newly authorized master’s degree-awarding unit in Shaanxi Province’s development plan. It has established three provincial-level model workstations for joint graduate education, and collaborates with Shaanxi University of Technology and Yan’an University to cultivate master’s students.

The university comprises 15 schools, along with School of International Education and School of Continuing Education. Among these, Moscow School of Arts operates as a Sino-foreign cooperative educational institution. It offers 60 undergraduate programs embracing ten major disciplines, such as education, literature, science, and arts. Enrolling students nationwide, WNU has over 19,000 full-time undergraduate students.

Teacher Education Characteristics

WNU, renowned for its distinctive teacher-training strengths, is one of the key universities supported by the Ministry of Education’s Collaborative Enhancement Initiative for Teacher Education, and the only university in Shaanxi Province to receive such recognition. The university hosts Shaanxi International Expertise Exchange Demonstration Base and Shaanxi Integrated Curriculum Research Center for Ideological and Political Education. It also serves as a training base for primary and middle school teachers and vocational college teachers in Shaanxi Province.

Over the past six decades, WNU has nurtured more than 100,000 graduates, many of whom are recipients of prestigious national honors, including: National “Ten Thousand Talents Plan” scholars, Leading Innovative Talents in Technology and Entrepreneurship, National Model Teachers and National Excellent Teachers, National May 1st Labor Medal Awardees and National Outstanding Retired Cadres. These outstanding graduates demonstrate WNU’s dedication to cultivating diligent, capable, and socially responsible professionals.

Faculty Team

WNU pursues excellence through connotative development and a talent-first strategy, maintaining a highly qualified faculty team. It currently has 1,340 faculty members, including 1,066 full-time teachers, 455 of whom hold associate professor or higher positions. A number of teachers have been honored with prestigious accolades including “Sanqin Scholars” and “Shaanxi Provincial Teaching Masters”. WNU also invites academicians, National People’s Congress delegates, members of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, and national model workers to serve as off-campus counselors, and visiting professors.

WNU innovates talent training models through cultivating entrepreneurial and innovative abilities among students. It has established a provincial-level university science park and a national innovation hub. Students consistently excel in national competitions ranging from teacher training skills to innovation and entrepreneurship challenges.

Research Excellence

Committed to pursuing high-quality development, WNC has been designated as a “Home for Science and Technology Workers” by the China Association for Science and Technology. It hosts 16 provincial and ministerial-level research institutions, operating the Qinchuangyuan (University) Innovation Promotion Center  and co-establishing the Weinan Normal University Innovation Center at Qinchuangyuan (Yulin High-Tech Zone) through university-local partnerships and university-enterprise collaborations.

WNU has been awarded grants from prestigious national programs including the National Social Science Fund, National Natural Science Fund, Soft Science Research Plan, and China Postdoctoral Science Fund, yielding a series of research achievements that won accolades from the Ministry of Education and other relevant government bodies. The academic journal’s column “Sima Qian and Studies on Records of the Grand Historian” was selected into the Ministry of Education’s Famous Columns for Philosophy and Social Science journals.

WNU prioritizes the holistic development of disciplines, degree programs, curriculum systems, and research programs. It has 8 national-level first-class majors and courses, along with 102 provincial-level first-class programs, quality courses, open educational resources, and model courses. WNU has also secured 6 national and provincial “Four New” projects (emerging engineering, medical, agricultural, and liberal arts).

Academic Collaborations

WNU has embraced an open-door policy in education, actively expanding international exchanges and cooperation. It has established academic collaborations with 44 universities across 14 countries and regions, including South Korea, Russia, and the United States. A landmark achievement is the establishment of the Moscow School of Arts in partnership with Moscow State Pedagogical University - a project that was officially approved by China’s Ministry of Education and ceremonially endorsed by the premiers of both nations.

WNU actively promotes student and faculty exchanges, international academic communication, and joint research programs. Each year, it dispatches faculty members abroad for academic visits, exchange programs, and international promotion of Chinese language teaching. Over 1,200 undergraduate students participate in overseas study programs, degree pursuits, and student exchange programs, while more than 300 international students and exchange students from countries such as Thailand and South Korea come to study at WNU. Additionally, the university’s Student Art Troupe has conducted performance tours in countries such as United Kingdom and Ireland.

WNU has successively won honorary titles such as “National Excellence Award for Arts Education”, “National Outstanding Unit for Language Affairs”, “National Model University for Language Standardization”, “Best Unit in Shaanxi Province”, “Provincial-level Civilized Campus”, “Provincial Garden-Style Campus”, “Shaanxi’s First Model University for Innovation & Entrepreneurship Education Reform”, and “Safe Campus in Shaanxi Province”.

Embracing the New Era and Undertaking New Missions

Guided by its 14th Five-Year Plan, WNU is advancing comprehensive reforms across all fronts, making steady progress toward its vision of becoming a first-class normal university with distinctive characteristics!

(February of 2025)