Overview

Guangdong University of Foreign Studies (GDUFS) is designated as a High-level University with Major Development Support in Guangdong Province. Today, GDUFS has evolved into a leading hub in South China for international talent development, research in foreign languages and cultures, global economic governance, foreign-related rule of law, and international communication of Chinese culture. The university was formed through the merger of Guangzhou Institute of Foreign Languages (GIFL) and Guangzhou Institute of Foreign Trade (GIFT). GIFL was established in November 1964 and officially began enrolling students in July 1965. It was one of the 36 universities directly administered by the then National Education Commission, now the Ministry of Education (MOE). GIFT was founded in December 1980 and was directly administered by the then Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation, now the Ministry of Commerce (MOC). In 1995, the two ministerial institutions merged to form Guangdong University of Foreign Studies. In 2008, Guangdong College of Finance and Economics was integrated into GDUFS.

Located in Guangzhou, the capital city of Guangdong Province, a national central city and a core city of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), GDUFS operates three campuses: Baiyun Mountain Campus, University Town Campus, and Da Lang Campus. The University currently houses four academic divisions, 28 schools, and one independent college, South China Business College. It is home to 21,264 full-time undergraduates, 6,720 master’s and doctoral candidates, 1,656 international students from 99 countries, and 2,145 faculty and staff members.

GDUFS upholds the motto “Pursuit of Integrity, Practice, and Cross-cultural Learning,” practices the GDUFS values of “Excellence, Integrity, Inclusiveness, and Self-confidence,” nurtures the academic ethos of “Virtue, Diligence, Practicality, and Noble Ambitions,” carries forward the GDUFS spirit of “With the Nation in Mind and the World in View; Pioneering with Innovation and Advancing through Practice,” and fosters a campus culture that is “Diverse, Open, Dynamic, and Refined.” GDUFS has remained committed to cultivating students with a forward-looking vision to meet the evolving needs of the world, the nation, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), making active contributions to major national strategies and to Guangdong's economic and social development.

GDUFS has developed an academic structure in which foreign-language studies are integrated with and reinforced by a broad range of disciplines. The university is authorized to offer doctoral programs in three first-level disciplines, namely, Foreign Languages and Literature, Applied Economics, and Law, as well as two professional doctoral degree programs in Translation and Law, and 27 doctoral programs in second-level disciplines. It also offers 13 master's programs in first-level disciplines, 60 master's programs in second-level disciplines, including three interdisciplinary programs, and 21 professional master's degree programs.

The University continues to strengthen disciplinary development in foreign-related rule of law, global and area studies, and international communication of Chinese culture. In recent years, its overall disciplinary strength has continued to grow. GDUFS has been included in the U.S. News Best Global Universities Rankings for three consecutive years. It has been recognized as an A-category university in ShanghaiRanking's assessment of the humanities and social sciences among Chinese universities, consistently ranking among the top 50 nationwide. Finance, Education, and Economics have been included in ShanghaiRanking's Global Ranking of Academic Subjects. According to Essential Science Indicators (ESI), Social Sciences, General sits among the global top 5‰ , while Engineering, Environment/Ecology, and Economics & Business rank among the global top 1%. Twelve disciplines at GDUFS are included in ShanghaiRanking's Best Chinese Subjects Ranking. Foreign Languages and Literature has been rated as Top Disciplines in China by ShanghaiRanking for multiple consecutive years, consistently ranking among the top three nationwide. Applied Economics and Law have also been recognized among the leading disciplines in ShanghaiRanking's Best Chinese Subjects Ranking for multiple consecutive years.

GDUFS continues to strengthen its distinctive international profile by implementing the PRIME Plan for International Exchange and Cooperation and further expanding educational openness. The University is a member of the UN MoU network. It is also the only foreign-language university selected for CAMPUS Asia, an initiative endorsed by the leaders of China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, and has been selected for the China-Arab Universities 10+10 Cooperation Plan and the China-Africa 100 Universities Cooperation Plan.

The University has established cooperative partnerships with 536 universities and institutions in 71 countries and regions. It has been approved by the MOE to establish the Mickiewicz Innovation Institute, GDUFS, a Chinese-foreign cooperatively run educational institution. GDUFS also offers jointly delivered education programs with overseas partner universities, including the University of Leeds, the University of Reading, and Macao Polytechnic University. The University offers eight international programs and took the initiative in establishing the GBA Campus and the GBA Portuguese Language Education Alliance.

GDUFS actively promotes the development of international Chinese language education. The University has established seven overseas Confucius Institutes and Classrooms across five continents, the largest number among universities in Guangdong. Through its Study at GDUFS brand, the University has attracted students from more than 100 countries and regions and has educated nearly 40,000 international students to date.