Founded in Shanghai in October 1951, East China Normal University (ECNU) is one of China’s top research universities. Under the Ministry of Education and sponsored by the national key university programs - “Project 211” and “Project 985” - the university is renowned for its teacher training and high-level research programs in both basic and applied sciences.

In 2017, ECNU was selected into Class A of the World First Class University and First Class Academic Discipline Construction Program, an education initiative launched by the Ministry of Education aimed at developing elite Chinese universities into world-class institutions by the end of 2050.

Adhering to the strategy of pursuing interdisciplinary development, internationalization, and informatization, ECNU has made great achievements in talent training, scientific research, community service and international exchanges in the past few decades.

Based on the five action plans of petals of a flower—“Education Plus”, “Ecology Plus”, “Health Plus”, “Intelligence Plus” and “Internationalization Plus”—the university is working hard to forge the Flower of Happiness, ECNU’s recently formulated university development initiative. Through these action plans ECNU intends to fulfill its vision of “Creativity, Character and Community”.