Introduction of ECNU
East China Normal University, one of China’s key normal universities, is a comprehensive research university which is sponsored by the prestigious national program “Project 211” and “Project 985”. Adhering to the school motto of “Seek Truth, Foster Originality; and Live up to the Name of a Teacher”, ECNU has made enormous achievements in talent-training, upgrading creativity, promoting crossing and amalgamation of disciplines and propelling the process of internationalization. At present, ECNU has two campuses, located in Minhang District and North Zhongshan Road respectively. The total number of students is about 30,000 with full-time undergraduate students, graduate students and international students.
At present, the university consists of 19 full-time schools and colleges, 2 unconventional colleges and 4 advanced research institutes, with 54 departments offering 67 undergraduate programs. They are: School of Humanities and Social Science, School of Education Science, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, School of Public Administration, School of Preschool Education and Special Education, School of Foreign Language, School of Business, International College of Chinese Studies, School of Communication, School of Arts, School of Design, School of Physical Education and Health Care, School of Science and Engineering, School of Resources and Environmental Science, School of Life Science, School of Information Science and School of Software; College of Continuing Education and College of Distance Education; Institute of Estuary and Coastal Research, Institute for Advanced International and Regional Studies, Institute for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies and Si-man Institute for Advanced Studies in Humanities. ECNU is designated as National Liberal Arts and Basic Science Training and Research Bases in its disciplines of Chinese, History, Mathematics, Geography, Psychology and Physics. Moreover, ECNU has a State Base for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language, certified by the Ministry of Education.
Introduction of the School of Educational Science
Education is a traditional advantageous disciplinary field of ECNU. The School includes Dept. of Education, Dept. of Curriculum & Instruction, Dept. of Educational Information & Technology, Institute of Vocational Education & Adult Education, Institute of Higher Education, Library for Education (Center for Educational Information Network) and Center for International Examination. There are numerous department-level research centers and institutes, such as Experimental Centre for Education Science (Space Station for Future Teacher), Centre for Research Database in Teacher Education Policy, Institute of International & Comparative Education, Institute of Teacher Education, Institute of Educational History, Institute of Educational Technology, Center for community Education, Center for Vocational Education, Center for Adult Education, Center for Human Resources, Center for Inclusive Education, Center for Learning Science, Center for Integrated Education & Science, etc. There are 148 faculties in the School, including 41 professors and 52 associate professors. There are 268 undergraduate students, 1064 postgraduates and 220 doctoral students in the School as well.
The School has furnished numerous excellent teachers and educationists for China since it was set up 30 years ago. Meanwhile, it is one of the top-level Schools in educational theory research. In recent years, School of Education Science attaches great importance to the international collaboration and exchange and it has established strategic cooperative partnerships with many world-renowned universities such as University of Pennsylvania, Humboldt University, University of Toronto, University of Tokyo, Singapore Nanyang Polytechnic etc., and the school has signed the agreements for academic collaboration and exchange. Moreover, the School has invited numerous internationally known scholars in the field of pedagogy to be its advisory professors.
The School has set up a new developing train of thought and construction outlines to the future development. It will strengthen academic conversation and collaboration between worldwide and regional wide. Meanwhile, the school will reconstruct the curriculum system of undergraduate and graduate education with wide international visions and it will promote holistic academic development based on native practice. Our aim is to build a sustaining leading research School in China with international influence, developing synchronously with international education.
Introduction of the Institute
The Institute of Vocational Education and Adult Education which is affiliated to the School of Education Science of East China Normal University is composed of the former Institute of Vocational Education and the Institute of Adult Education and Further Education of ECNU. It mainly studies on the basic and front theory of vocational education, adult education, human resource development and education, aiming at cultivating senior professional talent in these fields. There are three disciplines cultivating postgraduate students at both master level and doctoral level, including vocational education, adult education and human resource development and education, all of the three disciplines were first established in China. At the end of 2009, 16 professionals have been enrolled in the institute, including 5 professors, 5 associate professors, 5 lecturers and 1 administrative staff. Meanwhile, dozens of famous professionals are invited to be the consultants and part-time professors of the institute.
At the moment, 147 full-time postgraduates are enrolled in the institute, including 117 master students and 30 full-time doctor students. In addition, 56 teachers from secondary vocational education schools and colleges are doing their in-service master degree. In recent years, the institute attaches great importance to the integration of basic theoretical research, application research and talent cultivation. It contributes substantially to the vocational education, the construction of the learning society and the human resource development field in an active way. Furthermore, the institute provides professional and policy consulting services to enterprises, vocational schools, adult education institutes and governments. Looking forward to the bright future, the institute will make great effort to become a leading academic organization in China and an academic cooperative institute with international influence, adopting an international strategy and vision and absorbing more global research achievements based on native practice.