Universities

East China Normal University (ECNU) is a key university under the Ministry of Education and was part of Project 211 and Project 985. Founded in October 1951 from the former Great China University and Kwang Hua University, with parts of Fudan and Tongji and others. It was among the first 16 National Key Universities in 1959 (reaffirmed 1978), among the first 33 institutions authorized to set up graduate schools in 1986, joined Project 211 in 1996, and entered Project 985 after a 2006 Ministry of Education–Shanghai co-sponsorship agreement. Faculty: over 4,500 staff, including 1,986 full-time teachers (over 1,100 professors or associate professors); 11 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences or Chinese Academy of Engineering (6 dual); 11 members of the State Council Academic Appraisal Committee; 8 Yangtze Scholar specially hired or lecture professors; 9 New-Century Talents Project state-level talents; 10 National Outstanding Youth Fund winners; 80 Zijiang Scholar specially hired or lecture professors; 105 tenured professors

Fudan University, established in 1905, is situated in Shanghai’s Yangpu District and forms part of China’s national key universities. Its campus hosts over 30,000 students and includes five national key laboratories alongside a library holding more than five million volumes. The university comprises multiple schools and colleges, offering undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programmes across disciplines. Teaching and research span the humanities, sciences, medicine, and social sciences. Its location in central Shanghai supports close ties with academic, cultural, and professional communities in the city. The university operates primarily in Mandarin, though some postgraduate programmes are delivered in English.

Founded in 1896, Shanghai Jiao Tong University is one of China’s oldest universities and is based in Shanghai’s Minhang and Xuhui districts. It comprises 28 schools and departments, offering 64 undergraduate programmes across nine disciplinary areas including engineering, medicine, science, and management. The university hosts over 44,000 students, including nearly 6,000 international learners, and employs more than 2,800 full-time academic staff. Its research infrastructure includes eight state key laboratories and multiple national engineering research centres. SJTU awards degrees at bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels across a broad range of disciplines, with particular depth in engineering and the natural sciences. The university operates several affiliated hospitals and maintains close ties with Shanghai’s municipal government and national education authorities.

Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (SHUTCM), established in 1956, was one of the first four TCM colleges in China. Its 35-hectare campus is in the Research and Education Section of Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park, Pudong New Area, and forms part of “Zhangjiang Pharmaceutical Valley” in Shanghai’s innovation strategy. The university offers doctorate programs across TCM disciplines. Leadership and faculty strengths cited include academicians Chen Kaixian (CAS) and Hu Zhibi (CAE), plus roles linked to the National Basic Research Program (973), One Thousand Talents Scheme, Cheung Kong Scholars, and the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars. The International Education College, also in the Zhangjiang Free Trade Zone context, supports research-oriented education with international outreach )

Tongji University is a leading university directly under the Ministry of Education and is included in Project 211. Its history dates to 1907, when German doctor Erich Paulun established Tongji German Medical School; it was officially named a university in 1923 and became a national university in 1927, with science, engineering, medicine, arts, and law. After the 1952 discipline restructure, Tongji became a major engineering university strong in civil engineering. From 1978 it developed into a multi-disciplinary university oriented toward engineering. Today it is a comprehensive research university covering sciences, engineering, medicine, literature, arts, law, economics, management, philosophy, and pedagogy. International cooperation includes partners in Germany, France, the UK, the USA, Japan, Canada, Italy, Spain, Finland, and elsewhere. Government-approved units include Sino-German College for Graduate Study and Sino-German College of Applied Sciences; Sino-Italian Campus; Sino-French Institute of Engineering and Management with Paris Tech; Tongji–UNEP Institute of Environment for Sustainable Development; and Tongji–Australian Institute of Technology, among other international programs