The National Research Center for Language Norms and Standards was established in December 2012 as a research base under the State Language Commission, jointly founded by the Department of Language Information Management of the Ministry of Education and Beijing Language and Culture University. The center has long been engaged in research, service, and coordination efforts addressing major issues related to the standardization and normalization of contemporary language and writing.
The center has a total of 5 researchers, including one with a senior professional title, three with associate senior titles, and one with an intermediate title. The center is headed by the renowned linguist Professor Li Yuming. It has undertaken two major projects funded by the National Social Science Fund: "Research on Language Standardization Issues in the New Era" and "Research on the Form, Pronunciation, Meaning, and Origin of the 8,105 Characters in the 'General Standard Chinese Character Table.'" The center has also conducted a series of research activities to support decision-making by national language authorities, such as investigations into the development of language standards. It led the formulation of China’s first specialized plan for language standardization, the "Plan for the Construction of a Language Standard System Under Informatization," developed the Language Standard Service System for the National Language Resource Service Platform, and established the Textbook and Dictionary Language Standard Coordination Platform in collaboration with the People's Education Press and the China Lexicographical Society. The work carried out by the center has not only gained widespread recognition in academia but has also played a significant role in advancing the development of national language initiatives and promoting the standardized use of language in society. Additionally, the center is responsible for developing the self-established secondary discipline "Language Policy and Language Planning" at Beijing Language and Culture University, enrolling both master’s and doctoral students in this field. The center’s professional journal, "Studies in Language Planning," exhibits distinct characteristics in research on language standardization and has considerable influence in academic circles.
