Beijing Foreign Studies University, or BFSU, is a prestigious university in China under the direct leadership of the Chinese Ministry of Education. It is one of China’s top universities listed under the Project 985 and Project 211, both comprising top universities in China. At present, BFSU is one of China’s oldest language universities，teaching the biggest number of languages and offering education at different levels. Located in the Haidian District of Beijing，BFSU is divided into two campuses – the West Campus and the East Campus.
In 1941, BFSU started as the Russian Language Team in the Third Branch of Chinese People’s Anti-Japanese Military and Political College. It was later renamed as Yan’an Foreign Languages School under the direct leadership of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the school was put under the leadership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It was renamed as Beijing Foreign Languages Institute in 1954 and merged with Beijing Russian Institute in 1959. Since 1980, the Institute was put under the direct leadership of the Ministry of Education. In 1994, it took on its current name Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU). Today, BFSU teaches 67 foreign languages and offers education programs at different levels, including doctoral programs in foreign languages and literature, Chinese language and literature, journalism and communication, political science, law, management science and engineering, etc.
In the past 74 years, over 90,000 people have graduated from BFSU. BFSU now serves as an important education base for qualified professionals with language competence who, after graduation, work as diplomats, translators/interpreters, businessmen, journalists, lawyers, bankers, etc. For example, among BFSU alumni who work or have worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we have over 400 ambassadors and over 1000 counselors. BFSU is thus known as the “Cradle of Diplomats”.