New Oriental

Corporate brand

A Chinese education-services group that grew from English test preparation into a broad platform covering education, study-abroad services, culture and tourism, and knowledge-led consumer businesses.

Last updated November 4, 2026

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Overview

New Oriental is a Chinese education-services brand and the principal operating identity of New Oriental Education & Technology Group. It began in Beijing in 1993 as a school focused on English instruction for students preparing for overseas study, particularly examinations such as TOEFL and GRE. Its early reputation was built on intensive short-course teaching, charismatic instructors, practical test strategies, and a strong association with the aspirations of Chinese students seeking international education. Founder Yu Minhong became the best-known public face of the organization, while Xu Xiaoping and Wang Qiang were important early partners in the group’s teaching, counseling, and institutional development. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, New Oriental moved from a founder-centered and loosely coordinated school network toward a more formal corporate structure. The group broadened beyond overseas-test preparation into domestic English examinations, university and postgraduate entrance examinations, primary and secondary education, foreign-language programs, study-abroad consulting, educational publishing, online learning, and vocational development. Brands and business units associated with the group included services for children, secondary-school students, university students, overseas applicants, and adult learners. This diversification made New Oriental one of China’s most recognizable private education companies. The company’s public-market history began with its New York Stock Exchange listing in 2006. It later developed a substantial online education operation, New Oriental Online, which was separately listed in Hong Kong in 2019 and subsequently became associated with the Oriental Selection live-commerce business. The group’s Hong Kong secondary listing in 2020 strengthened its access to capital markets while retaining its New York listing. The listed parent’s American Depositary Receipt ticker is EDU; its Hong Kong-listed ordinary shares trade under 9901. New Oriental’s identity has historically combined premium instruction, examination expertise, teacher-led content, and an aspirational message about personal development. Its marketing evolved from lectures, leaflets, posters, and local learning centers toward search marketing, social media, teacher-led communities, mobile content, and private-domain customer operations. Campaigns such as Hundred-Day Action encouraged students and teachers to develop habits through sustained daily practice, while the 2016 Hong Ge’s Dream Journey live-streaming project presented founder Yu Minhong in a more informal and personal format. The company faced a major structural shock after China’s 2021 policy restrictions on for-profit tutoring in core school subjects. New Oriental closed or substantially reduced affected K-12 academic tutoring operations, reorganized its workforce and business portfolio, and shifted emphasis toward non-academic quality education, overseas test preparation, study-abroad services, adult and vocational learning, educational technology, cultural tourism, and other services. The transition was accompanied by substantial operational disruption, including layoffs and the winding down of certain online K-12 activities. In the consumer-business area, the group’s online affiliate launched Oriental Selection as a knowledge-oriented agricultural-products live-commerce platform in December 2021. The business gained broad attention in 2022 after teacher and presenter Dong Yuhui became known for bilingual, literary-style product explanations. This created a new public-facing growth story for the wider New Oriental ecosystem, while also exposing the organization to the management and governance pressures associated with creator-centered commerce. New Oriental therefore represents both a legacy education brand and a continually reconfigured service platform. Its present scope, according to company materials, includes education services, life services associ…

History

New Oriental originated in Beijing in 1993, when Yu Minhong established Beijing New Oriental School after obtaining a formal operating license. The school’s initial focus was English training for students preparing to study abroad. At a time when overseas examinations represented an important route to international education, New Oriental built demand through intensive courses for tests including TOEFL and GRE. Its early model depended heavily on high-energy classroom teaching, word-of-mouth referrals, temporary teaching venues, and the visibility of memorable instructors. The organization expanded its partnership base during the mid-1990s. Xu Xiaoping and Wang Qiang joined Yu Minhong and became associated with the group’s early teaching, counseling, and public identity. Their collaboration later became popularly described as the “three-pronged” founding leadership. New Oriental also absorbed or integrated other teaching resources and developed a broader instructor and campus network. By the middle of the decade, its student base had expanded beyond Beijing and its brand had become strongly associated with English learning and overseas aspirations. Growth created governance and ownership challenges. The early organization operated through arrangements that were more entrepreneurial and partnership-based than those of a conventional corporation. As different schools, teachers, and business lines expanded, disputes over control, income allocation, and institutional authority became difficult to manage. From roughly 2000 to 2003, New Oriental undertook a corporate and governance transition. Professional advisers helped establish a board, clearer management responsibilities, and a more formal company structure. In 2001, the group was organized around New Oriental Education & Technology Group, providing a corporate platform for subsequent expansion. The company then diversified its educational offer. Overseas test preparation remained central, but New Oriental added domestic English examinations, postgraduate entrance-examination preparation, primary and secondary education, children’s programs, other foreign languages, online learning, educational publishing, study-abroad counseling, and vocational services. The group also developed specialized brands and subsidiaries, including New Oriental Online and its study-abroad consulting operations. This portfolio allowed it to serve learners across age groups, from preschool and school-age children to university students, adults, and overseas applicants. In 2006, New Oriental listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker EDU. The listing placed a Chinese private education company in international public markets and supplied a prominent financing and governance milestone. The group continued expanding its physical learning-center network and international-study services while investing in educational content and technology. Its public profile was reinforced by the visibility of founder Yu Minhong and by the large number of teachers who served as local brand ambassadors. Online education became increasingly important during the 2010s. New Oriental Online developed digital courses for preschool, K-12, university, and professional learners. It used websites, apps, social platforms, free livestreams, enterprise-WeChat communities, and other digital channels to acquire and retain users. In 2019, New Oriental Online listed in Hong Kong. The wider group also experimented with more participatory brand communication. The Hundred-Day Action campaign asked teachers and learners to practice a daily habit over a sustained period, while Hong Ge’s Dream Journey used livestreaming to show Yu Minhong traveling and interacting with viewers in an informal setting. The operating environment changed sharply in 2021, when Chinese regulation imposed major restrictions on for-profit tutoring in core school subjects. New Oriental and other private tutoring companies had to discontinue or restructure much of their conventional K-12 academic business. New Oriental closed the K-12 operation of its online affiliate Oriental Youbo, stopped new enrollment for affected school-subject services, reduced its workforce, and reorganized around less-regulated areas. The transition emphasized overseas test preparation, study-abroad services, quality and素质-oriented education, adult and vocational learning, educational technology, and cultural-tourism products. The transformation also produced an unexpected consumer-business opportunity. In December 2021, New Oriental Online launched Oriental Selection as a live-commerce platform focused initially on agricultural products and knowledge-led selling. In 2022, presenter Dong Yuhui’s bilingual and culturally rich explanations generated a large audience and made Oriental Selection a highly visible part of the New Oriental ecosystem. The success demonstrated the transferability of teacher communication skills from classrooms to livestream commerce, but it also increased dependence on prominent individual presenters. That dependence contributed to a highly public management dispute in 2023 involving Dong Yuhui, former CEO Sun Dongxu, and the Oriental Selection team. Online criticism focused on internal communications, attribution, and the treatment of the presenter. Yu Minhong apologized for management failures, Sun Dongxu left the leadership role, and Yu temporarily assumed additional executive responsibility. The incident illustrated the reputational and governance risks of creator-centered businesses. New Oriental’s continuing strategy is therefore a hybrid one: preserve its education heritage while using technology, content, study-abroad expertise, consumer commerce, and cultural tourism to build a more diversified service group.

2023
Leadership changes follow Oriental Selection dispute
[4]New Oriental - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
A public internal-management controversy resulted in an apology, the departure of Sun Dongxu, and temporary expanded executive involvement by Yu Minhong.
2022
Oriental Selection becomes a major public-facing business
[4]New Oriental - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
Presenter Dong Yuhui’s bilingual livestream style brought significant attention to the platform and the wider group.
2021
Academic-tutoring business undergoes regulatory restructuring
[5]New Oriental Education & Technology Group Chinese reference articlezh.wikipedia.org
Policy changes led to the closure or contraction of affected K-12 academic tutoring services and a broad business reorientation.
2021
Oriental Selection launches
[4]New Oriental - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
New Oriental Online introduced a live-commerce platform centered on agricultural products and knowledge-led broadcasting.
2020
Hong Kong secondary listing of the group
[12]New York Stock Exchange listingneworiental.org
New Oriental added a Hong Kong listing while retaining its New York market presence.
2019
New Oriental Online lists in Hong Kong
[6]New Oriental Online IPO reportsohu.com
The group’s online education affiliate completed a Hong Kong listing after earlier restructuring of its capital-market plans.
2016
Teacher-led digital brand campaigns expand
[7]New Oriental digital-brand campaign analysisjiemian.com
The Hundred-Day Action and Hong Ge’s Dream Journey campaigns used teachers, social communities, and livestreaming to communicate the brand’s educational values.
2006
New York Stock Exchange listing
[12]New York Stock Exchange listingneworiental.org
New Oriental became publicly traded in the United States under the ticker EDU.
2001
New Oriental Education & Technology Group is organized
[4]New Oriental - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
The business adopted a more formal group structure around the original school network.
1995
Early partner group takes shape
[5]New Oriental Education & Technology Group Chinese reference articlezh.wikipedia.org
Xu Xiaoping and Wang Qiang joined the developing organization and became important early partners in counseling, teaching, and management.
1993
Beijing New Oriental School is established
[2]New Oriental management teamneworiental.org
Yu Minhong established the original Beijing school after obtaining a formal operating license, initially focusing on English and overseas-examination preparation.

Products and positioning

A large, teacher-led and technology-enabled Chinese education-services platform with a historically premium position in language and examination training, now diversified across education, study-abroad, life services, and cultural tourism.

Language and test preparation · 1993
Overseas examination preparation
New Oriental’s original and historically defining business provides preparation for English-language and other examinations used in overseas study applications. Courses have included TOEFL, IELTS, GRE, GMAT, and related language skills. The offer typically combines classroom instruction, examination strategy, practice materials, and teacher-developed content. Although the group has diversified substantially, overseas test preparation remains closely tied to its reputation and brand heritage.
Education and test preparation
Domestic examination preparation
The group provides preparation for domestic learning and progression examinations, including English examinations for university students and postgraduate entrance examinations. These services extend New Oriental’s instructional expertise beyond overseas applicants and address the needs of students pursuing education and career pathways within China. Formats may include face-to-face courses, digital content, practice materials, and teacher-supported learning services.
Primary and secondary education
Quality education and children’s learning
New Oriental has operated children’s and school-age education programs covering English and broader academic or quality-oriented learning. Following the 2021 regulatory changes affecting academic tutoring, the group shifted emphasis away from restricted core-subject tutoring toward quality education, learning capabilities, arts, technology, and other permitted or less-regulated offerings. The precise mix varies by business unit and regulatory environment.
International education services
Study-abroad consulting
Through its study-abroad service operations, New Oriental supports students and families with overseas education planning, school selection, application preparation, documentation, and related consulting. The service complements the group’s test-preparation business by connecting language instruction with the broader application and enrollment journey. It has been one of the group’s major non-classroom education businesses.
Digital education · 2005
Online education and smart-learning services
New Oriental and its online affiliates provide digital courses, learning applications, educational content, livestream classes, learning materials, and technology-enabled services. The online model has served preschool children, school-age students, university learners, adults, and professional users. The group also uses digital platforms, mobile applications, social channels, and private-domain communities for customer engagement and learning support.
Knowledge-led live commerce · 2021
Oriental Selection
Oriental Selection is a live-commerce platform developed within New Oriental’s online ecosystem. It initially emphasized agricultural products and used teaching-style presentation, bilingual commentary, storytelling, and cultural content to differentiate product selling from conventional livestream commerce. Its rapid visibility in 2022 showed how the group’s teaching and content capabilities could be repurposed for consumer services.
Cultural tourism and study tours
New Oriental cultural tourism
The group’s cultural-tourism activities include international study tours, educational camps, research trips, cultural travel, and products for families, young people, and older consumers. These services extend New Oriental’s original international-education positioning into travel and experiential learning, combining educational content with organized itineraries and cultural experiences.

Controversies

2023
Oriental Selection management and Dong Yuhui dispute
A public dispute around presenter Dong Yuhui and the Oriental Selection management team triggered intense online criticism concerning internal communications, credit for content, and the treatment of a highly influential presenter. Yu Minhong apologized for management problems, while former CEO Sun Dongxu defended the company and criticized aggressive fan behavior. Sun subsequently left the leadership role, and Yu temporarily assumed additional executive responsibility. The episode highlighted the reputational, governance, and concentration risks of a creator-led commerce business.
Source

2021Private-domain learning acquisition activities
China
New Oriental Online used official accounts, apps, mini-programs, free livestreams, enterprise-WeChat contacts, learning-material offers, and referral mechanics to move prospective users into managed online communities.
Outcome. The approach reflected the education sector’s shift from high-cost mass advertising toward retention, community operation, and re-engagement of existing users.
Source
2016Hong Ge’s Dream Journey
China
New Oriental used livestreaming to follow founder Yu Minhong during a ten-day journey, presenting informal conversations, travel scenes, and encounters with viewers rather than relying on conventional advertising. The format emphasized authenticity and direct interaction.
Outcome. The project attracted attention from younger audiences and illustrated the company’s move from one-way promotion toward participatory digital storytelling.
Source
2015Hundred-Day Action
China
A teacher-led habit-building campaign encouraged participants to maintain a daily learning or personal-development practice for one hundred days. New Oriental used its instructors and social communities as distribution channels, turning teachers into visible role models and inviting students and followers to share progress online.
Outcome. The campaign generated substantial social-media discussion and strengthened New Oriental’s association with perseverance, self-improvement, and values-based education.
Source

Brand decisions

2023
Change leadership after the Oriental Selection controversyOther
Background
A public dispute involving Dong Yuhui and the Oriental Selection team damaged confidence in the platform’s management and generated widespread online criticism.
Action taken
Yu Minhong apologized for management failures, Sun Dongxu left the chief executive role, and Yu temporarily took on expanded executive responsibility.
Aftermath
The incident led to renewed attention to creator governance, internal communication, brand reputation, and the risks of relying heavily on individual presenters.
Source
2021
Reorient the business after tutoring regulationStrategy
Background
China’s policy changes sharply restricted for-profit tutoring in core school subjects, directly affecting New Oriental’s established K-12 academic operations.
Action taken
The group closed or reduced affected services, stopped new enrollment in restricted areas, reduced staffing, and redirected resources toward overseas testing, study abroad, quality education, adult learning, technology, and cultural tourism.
Aftermath
The company experienced a severe operating contraction but established a more diversified post-tutoring business portfolio.
Source
2021
Launch Oriental SelectionProduct launch
Background
After the contraction of conventional online K-12 tutoring, New Oriental Online needed new uses for its content, presenter, and digital-distribution capabilities.
Action taken
The affiliate launched a knowledge-oriented livestream commerce platform focused initially on agricultural products.
Aftermath
The platform became a major public-facing business after gaining momentum through teacher-style presentations and Dong Yuhui’s bilingual content.
Source
2006
List on the New York Stock ExchangeOther
Background
New Oriental sought external capital and a public-company structure after years of expansion in China’s private education market.
Action taken
The group completed its U.S. listing under ticker EDU.
Aftermath
The listing increased its international visibility and provided a public-market platform for continued investment and expansion.
Source
2001
Formalize the group structureStrategy
Background
Rapid growth and disputes within the earlier partnership-based organization created a need for clearer governance, ownership, and management responsibilities.
Action taken
New Oriental organized a formal education-technology group around the original Beijing school and developed a corporate management framework.
Aftermath
The change enabled broader geographic expansion, business diversification, and eventual public-market listing.
Source

Recent events

Unconfirmed
New Oriental reported to have launched a third round of layoffs in 2026[13]新东方被曝2026年启动第三轮人员调整（裁员）tech.ifeng.com
Reported: 2026-10-14
Multiple social media users claiming to be New Oriental employees reported that the company has started a new round of personnel cuts, which a former employee said is its third round of staffing adjustments in 2026, with optimization quotas across regional centers nationwide. The current round mainly targets functional positions, with a layoff ratio of about 20% in one city, and in the Guangdong region some executives were also demoted. Many employees attributed the cuts to the company's push into AI.
2022-02-01
New Oriental stops K9 training services[14]新东方全面停止K9培训业务epochtimes.com
Reported: 2022-02-02
New Oriental founder Yu Minhong said the company had stopped its in-person and online K9 training services.
2021-12-28
New Oriental announces the Oriental Selection live-commerce platform[15]新东方宣布上线“东方甄选”直播带货平台zaobao.com.sg
Reported: 2021-12-28
New Oriental announced that it would launch Oriental Selection, a live-commerce platform. The announcement said Yu Minhong would hold the platform’s first agricultural-products livestream that evening.
2021-09-17
New Oriental announces end of offline subject-course enrollment for primary and middle schools[16]新东方宣布停止小学和初中学科业务线下招生finance.sina.com.cn
Reported: 2021-09-25
At an executive meeting, New Oriental's founder and chairman announced that after the autumn courses end, the company would stop offline enrollment for primary- and middle-school subject courses, with teaching sites to close gradually across cities.
2021-01-18
New Oriental appoints Yang Zhihui as executive president[17]新东方任命杨志辉为执行总裁finance.sina.com.cn
Reported: 2021-01-18
New Oriental announced the appointment of Yang Zhihui as executive president; he would continue to serve as CFO.
2020-10-28
New Oriental announces planned Hong Kong listing[18]新东方宣布计划在香港上市finance.sina.com.cn
Reported: 2020-10-28
New Oriental announced that it plans to list on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and plans to issue 8.51 million ordinary shares, with an offer price of up to HK$1,399.
2020-06-28
New Oriental launches NOBEL 3.0 learning platform[19]新东方发布NOBEL 3.0学习平台tech.sina.com.cn
Reported: 2020-06-28
New Oriental formally released its independently developed blended teaching product and learning platform, NOBEL 3.0, at an online launch event.
2020-06-28
New Oriental launches integrated study-abroad exam product[20]新东方发布留学考试融合态产品finance.sina.com.cn
Reported: 2020-06-28
New Oriental launched an integrated online-and-offline learning product for study-abroad exams, covering 110 courses including TOEFL, IELTS, GRE and SAT.
2020-04-21
New Oriental reports fiscal third-quarter results[21]新东方公布2020财年第三季度业绩tech.sina.com.cn
Reported: 2020-04-21
New Oriental reported fiscal third-quarter net revenue of more than $923 million, up 15.9% year over year, and net profit attributable to the company of about $138 million, up 41.4%.
2020-02-01
Kuaishou launches a free learning section[22]快手上线免费学习专区tech.sina.com.cn
Reported: 2020-02-01
Kuaishou launched a “Study Without Stopping Classes” section in its app with more than 40 education companies, offering free educational content for students affected by delayed school openings.

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