Lijiang Normal University

Lijiang Normal University (丽江师范学院), located in Lijiang City (丽江市), Yunnan Province, is a public university approved by the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China. It is the only provincial full-time public university in Northwestern Yunnan.

History

The university traces its roots back to 1906, when the Lijiang Prefecture Normal School (丽江府中学堂师范简易科) was founded. The institution underwent several transformations, eventually becoming Lijiang Normal University in 2024.

• 1906: Established as the Lijiang Prefecture Normal School (丽江府中学堂师范简易科) with a one-year curriculum.

• 1913: Became the Sixth Provincial Normal School (省立第六师范学校), offering a five-year program.

• 1942: Renamed National Lijiang Normal School (国立丽江师范学校).

• 1956: Rebranded as Lijiang Normal School (丽江师范学校).

• 1968: Renamed Lijiang District Normal School (丽江地区师范学校).

• 1995: Changed to Lijiang Nationalities Normal School (丽江民族师范学校).

• 2001: Merged with Lijiang Education College (丽江教育学院).

• 2006: Became Lijiang Normal Higher Vocational School (丽江师范高等专科学校).

• 2024: Upgraded to Lijiang Normal University.

University Facilities

Campus

As of March 2025, the university covers an area of 940.43 acres and has a total building area of 317,400 square meters. It also has an additional 40,000 square meters of non-property usage. The university boasts research and teaching equipment worth 70.7 million yuan, and it houses a collection of 968,100 physical books and 1.59 million e-books.

Academic Programs

The university offers a broad range of academic programs, including:

• 5 undergraduate programs.

• 34 vocational programs.

• It operates 12 colleges as of March 2025.

Student and Faculty Numbers

• 515 full-time faculty members (as of January 2024).

• 8,889 full-time students (as of January 2024).

Leadership

• Party Secretary: Bi Tianyun (毕天云)

• President: Chen Benhui (陈本辉)

Historical Development

Early Years

• 1906: The foundation of the university began with the establishment of the Lijiang Prefecture Normal School.

• 1913: It became the Sixth Provincial Normal School, which trained teachers for regions such as Lijiang, Dali, Diqing, and Nujiang in Northwestern Yunnan.

• 1942: The school was upgraded to National Lijiang Normal School, which lasted until 1956 when it was renamed Lijiang Normal School.

Development in the 20th Century

• 1968: The institution was renamed Lijiang District Normal School.

• 1995: The school became Lijiang Nationalities Normal School, continuing to serve the ethnic communities in Yunnan.

• 2001: Lijiang Nationalities Normal School merged with Lijiang Education College, leading to the creation of Lijiang Education College.

Modernization and Growth

• 2006: The college was upgraded to Lijiang Normal Higher Vocational School, and in 2024, it officially became Lijiang Normal University, following approval from the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China.

Academic Programs Overview

As of March 2025, Lijiang Normal University offers a wide variety of academic programs, including both undergraduate and vocational courses. Below is a summary of the academic programs available at the university, categorized by faculty and program duration.

Undergraduate Programs

Vocational Programs

Faculty Strength

As of January 2024, Lijiang Normal University has a total of 515 full-time faculty members, including 414 full-time teachers and 101 part-time teachers. Among the full-time faculty, 245 hold graduate degrees, accounting for 59.18% of the full-time teaching staff. Additionally, 165 faculty members hold senior professional titles, representing 39.86% of the full-time staff, and 180 are “dual-qualified” teachers, accounting for 43.48%.

The university boasts several prestigious recognitions, including 1 Yunling Scholar, 1 National Excellent Teacher, 2 Outstanding Professional and Technical Talents with Significant Contributions in Yunnan Province, 1 Special Government Allowance Recipient from Yunnan Province, 1 Winner of the Yunnan Provincial “May 1st” Labor Medal, and 2 Outstanding Scholars in Yunnan Province. Furthermore, the university has several distinguished teaching awards, such as 4 Teaching Masters and 2 Exemplary Teachers in Yunnan Province.

Key Faculty Awards and Recognitions

Educational Infrastructure

As of March 2025, the university has 149 on-campus experimental labs and 136 off-campus internship bases. These facilities support various academic programs, providing students with hands-on experience. The university has also established the following national and provincial-level academic and professional resources:

Quality Engineering and Specializations

Teaching Achievements

In 2023, the university won 2 first prizes for Yunnan Provincial Teaching Achievements (Vocational Education). As of January 2024, the university has won 5 Yunnan Provincial Higher Education Teaching Achievement Awards, including 3 first prizes. The textbook “New Accounting Comprehensive Training (4th Edition)” compiled by the faculty was included in the national curriculum for vocational education during the 14th Five-Year Plan period.

Notable Teaching Awards

Domestic and International Cooperation

Domestic Cooperation

As of January 2024, the university has established a “Lijiang City Primary and Secondary School Teacher Training Base” and has trained 69,400 teachers from northwestern Yunnan. The university also supports the cultural and tourism industry in northwestern Yunnan, having trained over 5,000 cultural and tourism professionals. Additionally, the university participates in the “Sports and Aesthetic Education Immersion Plan” and has provided targeted assistance to Lanping County in Yunnan Province.

International Cooperation

Lijiang Normal University has been recognized as a key unit for foreign visits by the Lijiang Foreign Affairs Office. The university has hosted exchange programs with Laos Ministry of Education and Sports, Chiang Rai Royal University (泰国清莱皇家大学), and Lampang Royal University (泰国兰帕潘尼皇家大学). Faculty and students have also participated in various cultural exchange activities, including the Japan-China Cultural Exchange organized by the National Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.

Academic Research

Research Platforms

As of March 2025, Lijiang Normal University (丽江师范学院) has the following key research platforms:

Research Achievements

As of March 2025, Lijiang Normal University (丽江师范学院) has launched 527 new research projects at various levels, including 5 national-level projects and 44 provincial and ministerial-level projects, with a total funding of 10.5 million RMB. The university has published 131 core journal papers, authored 56 academic books, and has been granted 106 patents. Additionally, the university has contributed 359 consulting reports to the government and industries, and received 54 awards for research achievements at the municipal and higher levels.

Notable Research Awards

Academic Resources

Library Collection

As of June 2025, the library at Lijiang Normal University (丽江师范学院) houses:

• 968,100 physical books

• 1.59 million electronic books

• 1,429 foreign-language books

• Subscriptions to platforms like China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) (中国知网)

The library has also collaborated with the Lijiang Municipal Bureau of Local History (丽江市史志办) to establish the Northwestern Yunnan Local Literature Museum (滇西北地方文献资料馆). The university subscribes to 341 physical journals and 12 newspapers annually.

Campus Culture

School Symbols

• University Badge: The university’s badge features a circular design, with the school’s name in traditional Chinese characters at the top, the English name at the bottom, and an emblem in the center that includes a snow mountain, a book, and the founding year of the university.

• University Flag: The flag displays the university badge and name.

University Spirit

• Motto: “Virtue and Practicality, Beauty and Greatness” (德高业实，丽泽三江)

• School Ethos: “Honor Virtue, Pursue Knowledge, Seek Truth, Innovate” (崇德尚学、求是创新)

• Teaching Style: “Learn to Teach, Act as a Model” (学为人师、行为世范)

• Learning Attitude: “Study Broadly, Uphold Virtue, Strive to Practice” (博学弘德、励志笃行)

Administrative Leadership

Current Leadership (as of July 2025)

Previous Leadership (as of May 2021)

Honors

The university has been named one of the “11th National Model Units for Ethnic Unity and Progress” .