Founded in 1953, the continuing education of Northeast Normal University (NENU) began with China's first correspondence education for higher normal learning initiated by Cheng Fangwu, the proletariat revolutionist and educator as the president and Party secretary of NENU at that time. NENU has adjusted the continuing education management organization since the 21st century. In 2000, Continuing Education College was set up by integrating the former Northeast Education Management Cadres' Training Center of the Ministry of Education (MOE) and Northeast Higher Normal Education Teachers' Training Center of MOE with NENU Research Center of National Secondary & Primary School Teachers' Continuing Education and Adult Education College. In 2002, Network School of Teacher Education was founded and approved by the Ministry of Education in 2003 as its modern distance-education pilot. In 2005, Continuing Education College integrated with Network School into Distance-Continuing Education College to carry out the adult higher academic education and non-degree education such as training for various certificate tests.

More than 60-year development witnesses the expansion of NENU's continuing education from single correspondence education to adult higher academic education covering correspondence education, self-study exam and network education, and to non-degree education such as education management cadres' training, higher-education teachers' training, secondary and primary school teachers' and principals' training and various certificate tests.

The continuing education, as an important part of education and teaching of NENU, insists on the principles of serving basic education as well as economic and social development over the years. NENU has cultivated hundreds of thousands of good teachers and various specialized talents at various levels for China's modernization, including excellent graduates such as Ma Xianhua, the National Model Teacher and National Virtue Pacesetter, who win good reputations for NENU.