Beijing Foreign Studies University

Not to be confused with Beijing Language and Culture University or Beijing International Studies University.
Beijing Foreign Studies University
北京外国语大学
Motto兼容并蓄 博学笃行
TypeNational
Established1941 (1941)
PresidentYang Dan
Academic staff
2,428
Students8,579 (932 international students)
Undergraduates5,088
Postgraduates2,559
440
Location
Beijing
,
China
CampusUrban
AffiliationsBHUA
Websiteglobal.bfsu.edu.cn/en/
Chinese name
Simplified Chinese北京外国语大学
Traditional Chinese北京外國語大學
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinBěijīng Wàiguóyǔ Dàxué

Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU; 北京外国语大学) is a public university in Haidian, Beijing, China. It is affiliated with the Ministry of Education. The university is part of Project 211 and the Double First-Class Construction.

History

BFSU was affiliated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from its establishment in 1941 to the early 1980s. During this period, the university primarily focused on training diplomats and foreign language specialists for China's foreign service. In the 1980s, BFSU expanded its academic offerings to include international studies and research. In December 2014, the Institute for Global History was founded to promote research on global interactions, and three years later, in December 2017, the School of History was established under Professor Li Xuetao to provide courses on world and Chinese history from a global perspective, emphasizing multilingual and cross-cultural research.[1]

BFSU's motto, 兼容并蓄，博学笃行 ("Embrace diversity, pursue broad learning and earnest practice"), was proposed by Premier Wen Jiabao in a congratulatory letter for the university's 70th anniversary. It draws inspiration from Cai Yuanpei's idea of "freedom of thought and compatibility" during his presidency at Peking University, reflecting a global vision, openness to different cultures, and the integration of knowledge with practical action.[2]

Rankings and reputation

BFSU is a research university specializing in foreign language studies.[3] It is considered one of the most prestigious in its field in the country.[4]: 201  BFSU ranked 17th out of almost 3,000 higher education institutions in China according to statistics based on the Gaokao from 2012 to 2023.[5][6]

Beijing Foreign Studies University ranked first among universities in China specializing in language studies and research in the recent edition of the Best Chinese Universities Ranking.[7][8] The university consistently features in the top 100 international universities in linguistics as ranked by the QS World University Rankings by subjects.[9] BFSU is also highly ranked by the world universities rankings in "Arts and Humanities", "Modern Languages", "English Language and Literature" and "Education".[10][11]

The International Business School of Beijing Foreign Studies University is accredited from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.[12]

Diplomacy

BFSU has trained generations of Chinese diplomats and civil servants.[13] BFSU alumni are well known in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of State Security.[14] The university has produced an array of senior diplomatic officials and proudly claims itself as "the cradle of PRC diplomats". However, having trained hundreds of Chinese ambassadors, China Foreign Affairs University (CFAU) also considers itself "the cradle of Chinese diplomats".[15] Rivalry between students of the two universities continues to the present day.

Notable people

BFSU has more than 3,000 international students from all over the world, more than 100 countries.[16] More than 70 years, over 90,000 people have graduated from the Beijing Foreign Studies University.[17]

References

  1. ^ "BFSU and China's Diplomatic Education". De Gruyter. doi:10.1515/jciea-2021-2005. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  2. ^ "温家宝总理贺信与北外校训". Sohu (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 2022-04-27. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  3. ^ "高校排名：2014年中国语言类大学排行榜". Archived from the original on 2016-01-16. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
  4. ^ Pei, Minxin (2023-12-31). The Sentinel State: Surveillance and the Survival of Dictatorship in China. Harvard University Press. doi:10.4159/9780674296459. ISBN 978-0-674-29645-9. JSTOR jj.10860939. OCLC 1419055794.
  5. ^ "【2018版中国大学近5年录取分数排行榜】". Huadong Normal University. 2 July 2018. Archived from the original on 5 July 2018. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
  6. ^ "2020版中国大学录取分数排行榜". 搜狐新闻. Archived from the original on 4 April 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  7. ^ "ShanghaiRanking's Best Chinese Universities Ranking". www.shanghairanking.com. Archived from the original on 2022-01-07. Retrieved 2022-01-07.
  8. ^ "ShanghaiRanking's of Chinese Language Universities". www.shanghairanking.com. Retrieved 2025-10-20.
  9. ^ "Linguistics". Top Universities. Archived from the original on 2021-03-18. Retrieved 2021-03-06.
  10. ^ "Beijing Foreign Studies University". Top Universities. Archived from the original on 2022-11-21. Retrieved 2022-11-21.
  11. ^ "ShanghaiRanking-Univiersities". www.shanghairanking.com. Archived from the original on 2022-11-21. Retrieved 2022-11-21.
  12. ^ "International Business School, Beijing Foreign Studies University". www.aacsb.edu. Archived from the original on 2023-09-07. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  13. ^ Goldman, Russell (August 25, 2023). "Isabel Crook, Who Witnessed China's Transformation, Dies at 107". The New York Times. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  14. ^ "School of International Journalism and Communication". Beijing Foreign Studies University. Archived from the original on 7 December 2021. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  15. ^ Retrieved 2018-08-30 http://news.ifeng.com/photo/history/200707/0702_1398_146517_7.shtml
  16. ^ Chiu, Christine (2021-01-27). "Top 100 Most Popular Universities for International Students in China". China Admissions. Archived from the original on 2022-10-09. Retrieved 2022-10-09.
  17. ^ "大学简介". 北外官方网. Archived from the original on 28 September 2022. Retrieved 30 March 2018.
  18. ^ "Foreign Policy Association". Archived from the original on 2023-04-04. Retrieved 2022-04-20.
  19. ^ "The Nobel Prize in Literature 2000". Nobelprize. October 7, 2010. Archived from the original on October 7, 2010. Retrieved October 7, 2010.

39°57′15″N 116°18′15″E / 39.95417°N 116.30417°E / 39.95417; 116.30417

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