The gate of Beijing Foreign Studies University [Photo/File]

As a major university under the direct leadership of the Chinese Ministry of Education, BFSU is not only the oldest, but also the one that offers more foreign language programs than any other in China. It serves as a national centre for teaching and research on foreign languages, foreign literature, and international studies, and as a major training centre for foreign language personnel, especially senior interpreters and translators.

It also houses a leading press that publishes books, periodicals, dictionaries, and audio-visual and digital products related to foreign language teaching and research.

The campus occupies 304,553 square meters, with a student dormitory area of 40,000 m² and a library of 9997 m², and is divided in two by Beijing's Third Ring Road. Other facilities on campus include an audiovisual center, dining halls, and tennis courts. The university is popularly known as Běiwài in Mandarin and BFSU in English.

The predecessor of Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) was Yan'an Foreign Languages School, which emerged from the Russian Language Section of the Third Branch of the Chinese People's Anti-Japanese Military and Political College.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, Yan'an Foreign Languages School merged with the School of Foreign Affairs to become Beijing Foreign Languages Institute.

In 1959, Beijing Russian Institute was assimilated into Beijing Foreign Languages Institute.

In 1994, with the approval of the then State Education Commission, the Institute changed its name to Beijing Foreign Studies University.