Minzu University of China

Minzu University of China

中央民族大学
Former names	Central University for Nationalities
Motto	美美与共，知行合一
Type	National
Established	1941
Affiliation	State Ethnic Affairs Commission
Academic staff	1,083
Administrative staff	1,991 (including academic staff)
Students	15,800
Undergraduates	11,200
Postgraduates	4,600
Location	Beijing, Beijing Municipality, People's Republic of China 39°56′54″N 116°19′03″E / 39.94833°N 116.31750°E / 39.94833; 116.31750Coordinates: 39°56′54″N 116°19′03″E / 39.94833°N 116.31750°E / 39.94833; 116.31750
Campus	Urban
Website	www.muc.edu.cn

Minzu University of China (MUC, simplified Chinese: 中央民族大学; traditional Chinese: 中央民族大學; pinyin: Zhōngyāng Mínzú Dàxúe) is a national-level university in Haidian District, Beijing, China designated for ethnic minorities in China. Minzu University is the top university in China for ethnic minorities. It aims to be one of the best universities of its kind in the world. With the strong support of Chinese government, it has developed rapidly over the years. MUC is one of the most prestigious universities in China in ethnology, anthropology, ethnic economies, regional economics, religion studies, history, dance, and fine arts.

MUC was selected as one of 38 national key universities to directly receive funding from Project 211 and Project 985, aspiring to become a worldwide leading university. It is commonly regarded as one of the most respected institutes for higher learning in China. It is colloquially known as Míndà in Putonghua. It was formerly known in English as the Central University for Nationalities (CUN).

The Chinese name has the meaning "central ethnic university", suggesting a national-level university focused on serving minority ethnic groups. The old English name translated the ethnic term as "nationalities", based on the term used in German and Russian language Marxist texts. On 20 November 2008, the university changed its official English name, apparently citing concerns that "central" might imply a location in the geographical centre of China (as it does in South-Central University for Nationalities), and the old name did not sound good. The name change of Renmin University has been cited as a precedent. The new name obscures the university's ethnic character, although student opinion has focused more on the fact that it makes obsolete the university's nickname, "the village". The Chinese word for village (Chinese: 村; pinyin: cūn) has a Hanyu pinyin spelling similar to the English abbreviation "CUN". In mainland Chinese culture, villages have homely connotations.