The Institute of African Studies of Zhejiang Normal University (hereinafter referred to as IASZNU) commemorated its 15th anniversary on September 1, 2022.

Under the auspices of Ministry of Education (MOE) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), IASZNU was established in 2007 as the first comprehensive institute specially for African studies. After 15 years of development, it has become a highly influential African studies institution and a think tank on African affairs in China. It is also the first academic institution with "Chang Jiang Scholar" of African studies.

Over the past 15 years, under the leadership of Prof. Liu Hongwu, the founder and Director of IASZNU, IASZNU has been carrying out basic theory and practical strategy researches in all-out way with focus on the dual aspects of contemporary African development and Sino-African cooperation in the new era. These efforts have made important contributions to promoting China-Africa friendship.

The China-Africa Think Tanks Forum (CATTF) was founded by IASZNU, with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2011. Over the past 11 years, under the guidance of the Secretariat of Chinese Follow-up Committee of the FOCAC, 11 conferences have been held in China and other African countries, effectively promoting exchanges between China-Africa ideological and think tanks circles and narrowing the gap of knowledge and thought between China and Africa. Among China's higher-learning institutions, IASZNU is the first institute that founded the first African Museum, Translation Center for African Studies, African Literature Library and Professional Database for African Studies.