Universities in Shanghai

[tang2190]

Is there a difference between Shanghai Normal University and East China Normal University? Is one better than the other and do you know where they are located. Thanks.

[woliveri]

Shanghai East Normal University is not far from ZhongShan Park and line 2 and line 3 subway access thus making it easy to get to other locations around Shanghai.

Shanghai Normal University is in the Southwest area of Shanghai and rather far from downtown Shanghai (if I remember correctly)

For Chinese Language instruction I have looked at Shanghai East Normal University and would take that course over other universities in Shanghai. I have not looked at Shanghai Normal University.

HTH,

[saiyo]

IMHO, East China Normal University is considered a national key university, while Shanghai Normal Univ. is a city university and considered a second-tier school.

[shanghaikai]

ECNU is a teacher's university, meaning their history and emphasis is on training educators. While "education" norms are certainly one thing in Asia and another thing in the West, I tend to think that their Chinese language program would be quite good compared to other universities. Fudan has the reputation and prestige but it doesn't mean it has a better program or its teachers are better educators.

That said, you can get a good teacher or a bad teacher at any of the universities. For a beginner, I'd worry less about the programs themselves, focus on being a good student, and considering the other aspects of life in Shanghai while you're here.