For six decades, East China Normal University (ECNU) in Shanghai has been a cornerstone of international education, attracting students from across the globe. This year, the university celebrated the 60th anniversary of its international education program, a milestone that underscores its enduring commitment to fostering global academic exchange and cultural understanding.
The story of ECNU’s international education began in 1965, when China recognized the importance of international student education as a key component of its global outreach. As the first normal university established in New China in 1951, ECNU took on this mission by founding its foreign student affairs office and Chinese language teaching department. Initially welcoming 210 Vietnamese students, the program has since expanded to include over 3,100 students from 114 countries, with more than 100,000 alumni worldwide.
One such alumnus is Hoang Tra, who arrived at ECNU in 1965 at the age of 18. Reflecting on his time at the university, Tra noted, ‘The 1960s were a period of frequent exchanges between Vietnam and China. I believed learning Chinese would be beneficial.’ After completing his studies, Tra returned to Vietnam, where he spent four decades teaching Chinese at Vietnam National University, Hanoi, inspiring many of his students to pursue their education in China.
The impact of ECNU’s program is also evident in the story of Vietnamese student Doan Bao Tran and her mother, Vu Thanh Xuan. Xuan, who earned both her master’s and doctoral degrees at ECNU, left her 17-month-old daughter in Vietnam in 2003 to pursue her academic dreams in Shanghai. After returning to Vietnam, Xuan shared her experiences with her students and her daughter, sparking Tran’s interest in ECNU. ‘Since I was very young, I had always wondered about life in Shanghai and at ECNU through my mother’s stories,’ said Tran, who is now studying international business at the university. ‘Now, I can finally experience it myself.’
In 1985, ECNU became one of the first four universities in China to offer an undergraduate program in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language, marking a significant shift in Chinese language education from basic language training to a comprehensive academic discipline. This evolution has further solidified ECNU’s reputation as a leader in international education.
As ECNU continues to attract students from around the world, its legacy as a hub for academic excellence and cultural exchange remains as strong as ever. The university’s 60th anniversary celebrations in October were a testament to its enduring impact on the lives of its students and the broader global community.