1.Good International Environment of Henan University

Henan University is located in Kaifeng, a famous historic city which used to be the capital of China during eight different dynasties. Its former is the Preparatory School for Further Study in Europe and America which was founded in 1912. In the past 100 years since its founding, Henan University has developed into a comprehensive university with 12 branches of learning and more than 50,000 students. Through the unremitting efforts of the scholars, it has established a three-level training system for undergraduates, postgraduates, and doctors, and has become the talent training center in the Central Plains region. More than 400,000 talents from Henan University have become academic masters, national leaders, famous celebrities, successful entrepreneurs, and talented people from all walks of life.

In the past one hundred years, the scale of Henan University has been continuously expanding, and the education quality has been steadily increasing. In 2008, Henan University formally entered the list of the universities which are jointly developed by the provincial government and the ministry; in 2016, the University was selected in the “111 Plan”. These have opened a new chapter in the development of the university.

At the beginning of the founding of Henan University, it showed a remarkable outlook for opening up and facing the world. The school has extensively carried out international cooperation and exchanges, adhered to the internationalization of running schools, and built a bridge for the vast number of students reaching out the world. Henan University has established a friendly relationship with more than 40 countries and has become a member of the World Association of Universities and the Association of Universities of Asia and the Pacific. Since 1985, Henan University has started Chinese culture education for foreign students. So far, it has recruited over 3,000 international students from more than 30 counties, such as Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Germany, the United States, Australia, Russia, Vietnam, Nepal, Canada, Israel, Italy and France.

2.the Flourishing of the School of Physical Education of Henan University

The predecessor of the School of Physical Education of Henan University is the Department of Physical Education of Kaifeng Normal College which was founded in 1960. It is the earliest established physical education major for undergraduate, graduate and doctoral. The School of Physical Education is one of the first research institutes established by Henan University, the first-level key (subsidy) discipline of Henan Province, the current postdoctoral scientific research station for physical education, the doctoral degree for physical education and training, the first-level discipline of physical education, and physical health, the master degree in sports economics and in physical education. And there are four undergraduate majors including physical education, sports training, wushu and national traditional sports and sport dance.

The School of Physical Education has long attached importance to the training of teachers and has constantly strengthened the construction of teacher’s team. Currently there are 99 faculties and 87 full-time teachers including 20 professors, 40 associate professors and 19 recruited associate professors; 1 chair professor of Henan Province, 1 distinguished professor of Henan University; 5 doctoral supervisors, 72 master supervisors; 39 teachers with doctoral degree (included in reading), and many teachers play an important role in academic institutions and organizations.

Adhering to the teaching concept of “expanding students’ knowledge horizons, cultivating students’ sense of innovation, and improving students’ practical abilities”, it has made outstanding contributions to the rapid development of sports and cultivated a large number of high-level sports professionals. In 2012, in the third round of discipline evaluation of the Degree and Graduate Education Development Center of the Ministry of education, the discipline ranked 8th in the country (in parallel), and the level of the school physical education was among the advanced ranks of the National top universities and was in the leading level in Henan.

The Institute of Physical Education is one of the first research institutes established by Henan University. The school has been approved to build the training base for the training of physical education teachers of the Ministry of Education, the key research base for the sports and social sciences of the General Administration of Sport, the academic research base for the Sports Culture Development Center of the General Administration of Sport, and the central and local construction training bases for characteristic advantage subjects in colleges and universities, Henan Provincial Graduate Sports Education Union, Henan Province Campus Soccer Development Research Center, etc. Build educational practice bases in the Water Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport, Sports Culture Development Center and Henan Provincial Administration of Sport and other institutions.

In the past 10 years, supported by the platform, the teachers have obtained 10 National Social Science Fund projects, including 1 key project; more than 40 projects of the Ministry of Education and the General Administration of Sport; and more than 150 projects of Henan Social Science Planning Project, Henan Science and Technology Department and Henan Education Department; more than 1,000 academic papers have been published in academic journals at home and abroad, and a number of academic papers have been selected for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games Scientific Papers Conference and the 2012 London Olympic Games Scientific Papers Conference, and 2016 Rio Olympic Games Scientific Paper Report.

The School of Physical Education actively participates in social service work in various related fields. For example, it provides intelligence and talent support for major international and domestic sports games, conducts business consulting and professional services for related departments, undertakes various kinds of teacher training at all levels, and organizes and participates in large scale of cultural and sports performances and has far-reaching impact.

3.The Processes and Achievements of International Exchange

Henan University has a good tradition of valuing all-round development of students and attaches importance to the international exchanges in sports activities. In recent years, under the guidance of the international development strategy, the international exchange work of the School of Physical Education of Henan University has been rapidly advancing, and the exchanges of students and teachers with the        United States Sports Academy, the Russian National University of Sports and Tourism, the National Sports University of Belarus and other universities. There has been a substantial cooperation in exchanges, postgraduate training, and course introduction and the number of students studying abroad for a degree or short-term study has grown rapidly, and international students have gradually reached a scale.

(1) Enrich the International Experience of Teachers

The School of Physical Education mainly adopts the “going out and bringing in” approach to actively introduce advanced teaching resources and methods from abroad. Twelve teachers, funded by the China Scholarship Council (CSC), went to the United States for a year of study and training as visiting scholars, postdoctoral, and joint-training doctoral. Three teachers respectively went to France, the United States, and Singapore for three months training. In 2015, Dr. Lan Pacheco of the United States Sports Academy taught four courses such as “Training of Athletes” and “Development of Action Skills”; In April 2017, Natalia from Russian National Sports University introduced the sports dance to our students.

(2) Broaden the international perspective of personnel training

The School of Physical Education attaches great importance to the international exchange and training of students. The number of students studying abroad for a degree or short-term study has grown rapidly, and international students have gradually reached a scale. At present, there are 6 doctoral and graduate students; 3 students participate in the “China-U.S.A. 121” project and study for a master's degree in the United States; nearly 60 undergraduates go to Russia and Belarus to pursue a master's degree, and more than 10 students are studying for a doctorate. More than 10 students participated in exchange programs at universities such as the University of Arkansas and Taiwan Chung Yuan University.

(3) Improve the international level of scientific research

The school pays attention to the internationalization of scientific research platforms, establishes contacts with high-level universities, international sports organizations and institutions, and internationally renowned journals, which has laid the foundation for international renowned scholars and world-class achievements. In recent years, the school has successfully hosted the Tai Chi forum and the Tai Chi International Culture Exchange Conference to promote the internationalization of traditional Chinese martial arts Taijiquan. At the same time, the college pays attention to academic exchanges with foreign countries. It has invited well-known scholars from abroad to give lectures and guidance, and to promote the research literacy.

In recent years, scholars in our school have gradually expanded their influence in internationally renowned organizations and journals. From 2008 to the present, in three Olympic Scientific Conferences, the number of selected papers of scholars in our school is among the best in the country. In the United States Health and Sports Federation and the Global School Sports Forum, “the voice from Henan University” is becoming stronger. The frequency and citation rate of scientific research results by journals such as SSCI, SCI, and EI are gradually increased.

(4) Broaden the international stage of cultural exchange

The school has been actively promoting the internationalization of social services in many areas. Teachers undertake referees for major international competitions in Asia, Africa and other countries to improve the level of sports competition in the recipient countries, and carry out collaborative research with foreign countries to achieve health promotion. At the same time, to promote traditional Chinese culture and enhance international cultural exchanges, teachers and students in the school actively participate in cultural exchanges between China and South Korea, and between China and Africa.

4.Towards a realistic international development blueprint

The School of Physical Education will closely follow the international development strategic goals of Henan University, combine the actual conditions of the college and highlight the characteristics of the college. It will cultivate talents with a global perspective and improve the level of teaching and scientific research to transfer talents to European and American countries and introduce high-quality educational resources. And countries such as Asia and Africa will attract talents to enhance the training level. In the teacher team construction, personnel training, teaching reform, academic research, laboratory construction and other spots, we need the comprehensive cooperation with foreign well-known sports schools and focus on the following projects to promote the level of internationalization and realize international education.