华东师范大学成立于1951 年 10 月 16 日，是以大夏大学（ 1924 年）、光华大学（ 1925 年）为基础，同时调进复旦大学、同济大学、浙江大学和圣约翰大学等高校的部分系科，在大夏大学原址上创办的。
1959 年学校被中共中央确定为全国 16 所重点院校之一。1972 年与上海师范学院、上海体育学院等院校合并，改名上海师范大学。1978 年学校再次被确认为全国重点大学。1980 年恢复华东师范大学校名。1986 年学校被国务院批准成为设立研究生院的 33 所高等院校之一。1996 年被列入“ 211工程”国家重点建设大学行列。1997 、1998 年，上海幼儿师范高等专科学校、上海教育学院和上海第二教育学院先后并入。2002年根据上海市高校布局结构调整的战略部署，启动闵行校区规划建设，2006年学校主体搬迁到闵行校区，形成了“一校两区、联动发展”的办学格局。 2006年教育部和上海市决定重点共建华东师范大学，学校进入国家“ 985 工程”高校行列。
Founded in Shanghai in October 1951, East China Normal University (ECNU) is one of the most prestigious universities in China and is sponsored by the national programs “Project 211” and “Project 985”.
With two campuses located in Minhang and Putuo District, and with a total area of over 207 hectares, ECNU has long been reputed as a "Garden University" for its beautiful campus scenes.
Since China opened up to the world in 1978, ECNU has developed at a breathtaking pace into a comprehensive research university. At present, the University has 21 schools and colleges, and 5 advanced research institutes, with 58 departments offering 70 undergraduate programs in humanities, education, science, engineering, economics, management, philosophy, psychology, law, history and art. Besides that, the University also offers 26 doctoral programs of the State Primary Disciplines, 38 master's programs of the State Primary Disciplines, one professional doctoral program, 17 professional master's programs and 18 post-doctoral mobile research stations.