Xi'an Fanyi University (XFU) was founded by the late president, Ding Zuyi, an outstanding educator and pioneer of private education in China . The University is located at the foot of Mt. Zhongnan in the southern outskirts of Xi’an . Its predecessor was Xi'an Translation Training Institute founded in 1987. In 2000, with the official approval of the Shaanxi Provincial government, the Institute became Xi’an Vocational College of Translation and started its full-time higher education program. XFU shed off its pejorative label and then started its undergraduate program and got a new name for it: Xi’an Fanyi University approved by the Ministry of Education of China in 2005. In 2009, XFU was fully accredited with the right to confer BA degrees. In 2013, XFU passed the Undergraduate Pedagogical Assessment administered by the Ministry of Education of China . In 2014, XFU received the patrol diagnose inspection initiated in Shaanxi Province on program of “One School One Tactic�and was selected as a pilot university for application-oriented transformation by the Education Bureau of Shaanxi Provincial Government.
Xi’an Fanyi University adheres to such educational guideline as: the “moral cultivation with an emphasis on practical skills training to achieve an all-round development� “faculty-centered management and student-oriented teaching� “quality education, advanced faculties, ideal amenities, pioneering academics and special programs� �non-profit education focusing on students�development� and “Noble Education�with “Knowledge, Integrity, Innovation, and Progress�as its motto. XFU designs its instructional framework as “a foreign language + professionalism + innovative skills�and / or “professionalism + a foreign language + innovative skills� to cultivate students�capability to serve the community in terms of society at large and economic development in Shaanxi province.
Xi’an Fanyi University offers 11 degree courses in different schools on campus: School of Asian-European Languages , School of English Language , School of Commerce , School of Education , School of Engineering & Technology, School of Humanities , School of Arts , School of Public Health , School of Translation Studies , School of Continuing Education , School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. In addition, there are also the pedagogical faculties of Ideology and the Physical Training in the University, the rt Education Center and the Department of National Defense Education. XFU has developed 36 BA degree programs and 24 vocational programs, covering 8 fields including liberal arts and history, economy, management, engineering, art and design, law, education, and medicine.
Devoted to excellence in teaching, learning and research, the University has instituted such organizations as the Shaanxi Zhongnan Academy , Institute of Interpreting and Translation Studies, Institute of Art and Painting, Electronic Commerce Research and Training Centre (ECRTC), and Center of Shaanxi Tourism Studies . At present, the University has 5 provincially accredited comprehensive educational reform projects, 6 provincially accredited key programs, 15 provincially accredited “Courses of Excellence,�6 provincially accredited teaching teams, 6 provincially accredited experimental programs of innovation on Educational mode, and 4 provincially accredited experimental teaching demonstration centers. The University has 5 course-books published and reaped 5 achievement awards on teaching and 13 awards on innovations in academic programs and services. XFU also has 9 projects of comprehensive academic reforms, 8 unique majors, 39 excellent courses, 7 experimental programs of innovation on educational mode, and 5 experimental teaching demonstration centers, 21 accredited teaching teams and 22 “Paragon Teachers�
With the XFU spirit, the University creates a culture-oriented education to actively promote the socialist core values. With the establishment of the Shaanxi Zhongnan Academy,XFU holds a series of Zhongnan Forum and sponsors the publication of academic journals likeSchool Journal of XFUandZhongnan Culture.XFU has published a series of books, such asXFU ArchiveandZhongnan Archive, etc. XFU adheres to the “trinity�educational model of “knowledge, ability and liberal-mindedness.�XFU also annually holds Spring and Autumn Poetry Recitals, the “Heaven & Earth�Arts Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival Party, and the New Year Gala. 50 students�organizations operate on a variety of cultural activities on campus to enliven the “second classroom�learning and comprehensively improve students�overall development. By beautifying the campus environment and creating a favorable cultural atmosphere, XFU encourages healthy competitions in various disciplines to enhance individual cultivation and paramilitary management, and builds a unique campus culture. Over the past years, students have won more than a thousand national, provincial and municipal awards for science & technology and sports competitions and other activities.
XFU persists in open management of the University and takes an active part in promoting inter-collegiate exchanges and cooperation. It maintains academic relations with Northwest University, Xi’an PLA Communications Institute, Yan’an University and other universities in Shaanxi province. XFU also runs communication-cooperation relationships with more than a dozen overseas universities, including the Fraser Valley University in Canada , the San Jose State University in the United States , and an international studies university in Japan . Until recently, more than 1,000 XFU students have studied in foreign countries for master degrees; 18 teachers and students were financed by the government to work or study in Eastern European countries and Australia as visiting scholars or for a refresher course. XFU has organized teachers and students to participate in the International Youth Development Summit Forum several times. Dr. Robert George Karthus, chief member of EU Parliament, and many other domestic and foreign experts and professors have been to the University and delivered lectures on campus. XFU’s effort for academic exchanges and cooperation greatly benefits its faculty and students. XFU has also nurtured a good cooperative relationship with the local governments concerning work and travel programs in USA . So far 1,200 XFU students have been to the United Stated for their major-related internship.
Xi’an Fanyi University is highly acclaimed by the society and government officials for both its unique educational mode and paramilitary management. XFU enjoys its good reputation as “the cradle of translators and interpreters.�For consecutive years, over 95% of students get their jobs after graduation. It is generally acknowledged among employers that these graduates are well equipped with not only good linguistic proficiency and comprehensive abilities, but also work-commitment and innovative awareness. For this, they deserve the eulogies of “working hard without complaint, observing discipline conscientiously and cooperating well with others� Leaders such as Li Lanqing, Li Jianguo,Chen Zhili, Jiang Zhenghua, Abdul’ahatAbdulrixit, Zhao Zhengyong and Zhuang Changxing at various governmental levels visited the University and highly praised it for its educational framework, administrative system and qualified graduates. XFU is honored as the “Campus of Harmony�of Shaanxi , “Campus of Safety� and �Advanced Grass-roots College Party Committee.�The Universityhas also won titles of “Model institution of Safety,�“Advanced Institution�and “Advanced Comprehensive Management Institution� The University has kept, for 8 years in succession, its titles of “Top 100 Advanced National Food Safety Institution�and “National Food Safety Demonstration Institution�awarded by six ministries of the country. XFU is rewarded with the titles of “Advanced Network Information Security Management Institution,�“Private University of Most Competitive strengths�and has won the “Best Employment Award.�Over all these years, four XFU students (Zheng Yue, Yang Xin, Ding Qianwen, and Gong Chen) selected through competitions of the “APEC Voices of the Future�got the chances to accompany China ’s top leaders Hu Jintao and Xi Jinping to the APEC Summit. The innovations in XFU’s education framework and development have been reported by such media as CCTV, Guangming Daily, Chinese Education, Shaanxi Daily, and Sohu, which has exerted huge influence on the society and won nation-wide recognition.