Beijing Normal University (BNU) grew out of the Education Department of Imperial University of Peking established in 1902, which initiated teacher training in China’s higher education. After the development for over a century, BNU has become a comprehensive and research-intensive university with its main characteristics of basic disciplines in sciences and humanities, teacher education and educational science.

Beijing Normal University has always been actively practicing the university social responsibility, and is constantly committed to creatively exploring new models for practicing university social responsibility through volunteer service, teaching process, research and other ways, for example:

1. BNU established Baige Youth Volunteers Association in 1994. It is made up of students, managed by students and serves for students. It builds up a platform for students to practice USR and provides high-quality volunteer service for the society. By the beginning of 2021, 1,081 student volunteers have been active in various social welfare fields through the Association platform. It has not only become a student association with high visibility and influence in China, but also become a second classroom for our university to strengthen students’ sense of social responsibility, enhance their practical ability, and cultivate top-notch innovative talents.
2. BNU developed a summer workshop for global responsibility in the summer of 2021, co-instructed by a group of renowned professors from universities and senior officers from international institutions. The main purpose of this workshop is to cultivate students’ diversified abilities so as to promote their understanding and to enable their capacity in global service in the post-pandemic era, aiming to nurture a generation with global competitiveness.
3. BNU designed and launched the “China International Humanitarian and Sustainable Innovator Program” with the help of the UNDP office in China, UNOCHA, UNU, WHO, ICVA, ODI and other domestic and foreign partners. It aims to lay a foundation for knowledge and talents in the relevant fields of humane assistance and sustainable development in China, and to prepare for the long-term organic development of related fields.

The 2021 Course Playback

In facing the challenges and opportunities in the Post-COVID-19 world, Beijing Normal University has devoted itself in combating COVID-19 pandemic to make valuable contributions at a broad scale. 

1. BNU teamed up with UNESCO IITE and UNESCO International Research and Training Centre for Rural Education to publish the “Handbook on Facilitating Flexible Learning During Educational Disruption: The Chinese Experience in Maintaining Undisrupted Learning in COVID-19 Outbreak.” More than 11,000 schools from 180 countries have shared this handbook.
2. BNU established the Beijing Platform for Assessing and Warning the Risk of Transmission of COVID-19. The output of this platform has been adopted by the World Health Organization and continues to aid research and decision-making processes.
3. By recognizing the importance of caring for one’s mental health during the pandemic, BNU set up the Mental Assistant Hotline and online counseling service to help those suffering from anxiety or panic. More than 14 million people have been benefited from the services.