// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did Beijing Foreign Studies University say to the language student? "You're a 'degree' above the rest.

Beijing Foreign Studies University
北京外国语大学
Motto	兼容并蓄博学笃行
Type	National
Established	1941; 85 years ago
Affiliations	BHUA
President	Yang Dan
Faculty	2,428
Students	8,579 (932 international students)
Undergraduates	5,088
Postgraduates	2,559
Doctoral students	440
Location	Beijing, China
Campus	Urban;
Website	global.bfsu.edu.cn/en/
Chinese name
Simplified Chinese	北京外国语大学
Traditional Chinese	北京外國語大學
Hanyu Pinyin
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin	Běijīng 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]

Rivalry

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

Xu Guozhang, linguist and educator^{[citation needed]}
He Jiong, television host^{[citation needed]}
Yang Lan, co-founder and chairperson of Sun Media Group^{[citation needed]}
Jin Liqun, president of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank^{[citation needed]}
Hao Ping, president of Peking University and former president of BFSU^{[citation needed]}
Cui Tiankai, longest serving Chinese ambassador to the United States^{[citation needed]}
Tae Yong-ho, member of the South Korean National Assembly and former deputy North Korean ambassador to the United Kingdom.^[16]
Hu Xijin, former editor-in-chief of Global Times^{[citation needed]}
Gao Xingjian, novelist who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature^[17]

References

↑ "BFSU and China's Diplomatic Education". De Gruyter. doi:10.1515/jciea-2021-2005. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
↑ "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.
↑ "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.
↑ 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.
↑ "【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.
↑ "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.
↑ "ShanghaiRanking's Best Chinese Universities Ranking". www.shanghairanking.com. Archived from the original on 2022-01-07. Retrieved 2022-01-07.
↑ "ShanghaiRanking's of Chinese Language Universities". www.shanghairanking.com. Retrieved 2025-10-20.
↑ "Linguistics". Top Universities. Archived from the original on 2021-03-18. Retrieved 2021-03-06.
↑ "Beijing Foreign Studies University". Top Universities. Archived from the original on 2022-11-21. Retrieved 2022-11-21.
↑ "ShanghaiRanking-Univiersities". www.shanghairanking.com. Archived from the original on 2022-11-21. Retrieved 2022-11-21.
↑ "International Business School, Beijing Foreign Studies University". www.aacsb.edu. Archived from the original on 2023-09-07. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
↑ Goldman, Russell (August 25, 2023). "Isabel Crook, Who Witnessed China's Transformation, Dies at 107". The New York Times. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
↑ "School of International Journalism and Communication". Beijing Foreign Studies University. Archived from the original on 7 December 2021. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
↑ Retrieved 2018-08-30 http://news.ifeng.com/photo/history/200707/0702_1398_146517_7.shtml
↑ "Foreign Policy Association". Archived from the original on 2023-04-04. Retrieved 2022-04-20.
↑ "The Nobel Prize in Literature 2000". Nobelprize. October 7, 2010. Archived from the original on October 7, 2010. Retrieved October 7, 2010.

External links

Official website

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

[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.

[:0-3] "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.

[:1-5] "【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.

[:2-6] "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.

[:3-7] "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.

[:4-9] "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] "Foreign Policy Association". Archived from the original on 2023-04-04. Retrieved 2022-04-20.

[nobel-17] "The Nobel Prize in Literature 2000". Nobelprize. October 7, 2010. Archived from the original on October 7, 2010. Retrieved October 7, 2010.

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v t e Haidian, Beijing
Areas	Madian Wudaokou
Higher ed	Beihang Beijing Bailie Dance Film Foreign Studies Jiaotong Language and Culture Normal Haidian Campus Party Geosciences Political Science and Law Xueyuan Lu Campus Minzu Open Peking Renmin Tsinghua International Relations Science and Technology
Secondary	Peking Bayi Foreign Language Shi Yan International Tsinghua Renmin Technology 101 20 National Day Pennon Saint Paul American
Landmarks	301 Hospital Central Radio & TV Tower China Media Group Building Diaoyutai State Guesthouse Haidian Christian Church Jade Spring Hill Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution National Library of China Main Library Old Summer Palace
Airports	Beijing Xijiao Airport
Railway stations	Qinghe railway station
This list is incomplete.

v t e Universities and colleges in Beijing
Education, Higher education, and Universities in China
National	Beihang Electronic Science and Technology Foreign Studies Forestry Institute of Technology Jiaotong Language and Culture Normal People's Police Sport Chemical Technology Chinese Medicine Posts Central Drama Central Fine Arts Central Music Central Finance and Economics Agricultural Foreign Affairs Industrial Relations Geosciences Mining and Technology Petroleum Political Science and Law Women's Youth for Political Sciences Communication Minzu North China Electric Power Open Union Medical Peking People's Public Security Renmin Tsinghua Social Sciences Academy University International Business International Relations Science and Technology University of Academy Civil Affairs
Municipal	Dance Film Information Science and Technology Clothing Technology Machinery Petrochemical Technology International Studies Materials Technology and Business Agriculture Technology Capital Medical Capital Normal Capital Economics and Business College of Music North China Technology
Private	City
See also: List of universities in China

v t e Project 211
Higher education and universities in China
Beijing	Agricultural Beihang Beijing Jiaotong Central Music Central Finance and Economics Chemical Technology Communication Geosciences Chinese Medicine International Business and Economics Minzu Normal Union Medical Petroleum Peking Mining Political Science and Law Renmin Posts Science and Technology Technology Tsinghua Foreign Studies Forestry University of Technology
Tianjin	Medical Nankai Tianjin
Hebei	Technology
Shanxi	Taiyuan Technology
Inner Mongolia	Inner Mongolia
Liaoning	Dalian Maritime Dalian Technology Liaoning Northeastern
Jilin	Jilin Northeast Normal Yanbian
Heilongjiang	Harbin Engineering Harbin Technology Northeast Agricultural Northeast Forestry
Shanghai	Donghua East China Normal East China Science and Technology Fudan Naval Medical International Studies Shanghai Jiaotong Shanghai Finance and Economics Tongji
Jiangsu	Hohai Jiangnan Pharmaceutical Soochow Southeast Mining Nanjing Agricultural Nanjing Aeronautics and Astronautics Nanjing Normal Nanjing Science and Technology Nanjing
Zhejiang	Zhejiang
Anhui	Anhui Hefei Technology Science and Technology
Fujian	Xiamen Fuzhou
Jiangxi	Nanchang
Shandong	Petroleum Huadong Shandong Ocean
Henan	Zhengzhou
Hubei	Geosciences Wuhan Huazhong Science and Technology Huazhong Agricultural Huazhong Normal Wuhan Technology Wuhan Zhongnan Economics and Law
Hunan	Central South Normal Hunan Defense Technology
Guangdong	Jinan South China Normal South China Technology Sun Yat-sen
Guangxi	Guangxi
Hainan	Hainan
Chongqing	Chongqing Southwest
Sichuan	Agricultural Sichuan Southwest Jiaotong Southwestern Finance and Economics Electronic Science and Technology
Guizhou	Guizhou
Yunnan	Yunnan
Tibet	Tibet
Shaanxi	Air Force Medical Chang'an Northwest A&F Northwest Northwestern Poly Normal Xi'an Jiaotong Xidian
Gansu	Lanzhou
Qinghai	Qinghai
Ningxia	Ningxia
Xinjiang	Shihezi Xinjiang
See also: Project 985

v t e Beijing–Hong Kong Universities Alliance
Beijing	Tsinghua Peking Renmin University of Academy Beihang Foreign Studies Institute of Technology Beijing Normal University of Technology Capital Medical Capital Normal Capital Economics and Business
Hong Kong	Hong Kong Science and Technology City Baptist Lingnan Chinese Education Poly

Authority control databases
International	ISNI VIAF GND
National	United States France BnF data Vatican Israel
Other	Yale LUX

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