Universities

Asia Europe Business School (AEBS) was founded in 2015 by East China Normal University and emlyon business school, with partners including Minhang District and Shanghai Zizhu Hi-Tech Zone. Based in Zizhu International Education Park in Minhang, Shanghai, it focuses on cross-border business education and draws teaching support from emlyon, ECNU, and AEBS faculty.

CEIBS in Shanghai, established in 1994 through government-level China–Europe cooperation, focuses on responsible global leaders with strong China insight. It holds EQUIS and AACSB accreditation and features regularly in major international business-school rankings.

Donghua University (DHU) in Shanghai, founded in 1951, is a Ministry of Education university known for fashion design, textile engineering, and information technology. It has long hosted international students from many countries. Degree pathways span design, textiles, materials, and related engineering and management fields.

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

Founded in 1952 in Shanghai, East China University of Science and Technology began as the nation’s first university dedicated to chemical engineering. It now operates across three campuses in Xuhui, Jinshan, and Fengxian districts. The university comprises 15 academic schools and five colleges, offering programmes across eleven disciplinary areas—from science and engineering to law, education, and the arts. It awards bachelor’s degrees in 61 fields, master’s degrees in 121, and doctoral degrees in 73, alongside professional master’s qualifications in business, public administration, law, and social work. With over 28,300 full-time students and more than 1,000 academic staff holding professorial or associate professorial rank, ECUST maintains a strong emphasis on research and multidisciplinary integration. Its academic identity remains rooted in its original specialisation while expanding into broader scientific and humanistic domains.

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.

Shanghai Business School (SBS), formerly the East China Branch of the Tax Administration School of the Central Government, is described as a roughly 60-year-old institution under Shanghai Municipal Government. Faculty: more than 400 full-time instructors — about 37.9% with master’s or PhD degrees and 34.7% associate professors, professors, or researchers — plus over 100 visiting professors drawn from senior business leaders. More than 10,000 full-time students across twelve divisions: Management; Economics; Finance and Accounting; Ecology and Tourism; Art and Design; Foreign Languages and International Exchange; Computer and Electronic Information; Food Science; Media and Journalism; Law and Politics; College of Social Science and Foundation Courses; and Adult Education. Offerings: 20 undergraduate programs, 45 advanced vocational programs, and seven Sino-foreign cooperation programs (two national educational-reform experimental programs and one municipality-level). Graduate employment rate cited as remaining over 95%

Shanghai DianJi University (SDJU) traces its history to 1953. It is a public university oriented toward advanced manufacturing and modern service industries, with engineering as its main focus and coordinated development of economics, management, literature, art, and science. SDJU has two campuses, Lingang and Minhang, totaling nearly 200 acres, and more than 13,000 full-time graduate and undergraduate students. Graduate programs include energy power, international business, electronic information, machinery, materials and chemicals, and control science and engineering (6 programs). There are 43 undergraduate specialties: engineering about 61%, management and economics about 33.4%, and arts and fine arts about 5.6%. SDJU was among the first nationwide CDIO pilot universities and among the first model universities in Shanghai for innovation and entrepreneurship education reform

Shanghai International Studies University (SHISU / SISU), founded in 1949, is a key university under the Ministry of Education. It is a foreign language university offering applied programs that prepare graduates for international affairs with expertise in more than one specialty. It runs 36 bachelor’s, 33 master’s, and 12 doctoral programs, plus 1 postdoctoral station; 3 national key disciplines, 2 Shanghai municipal key disciplines, and 1 national research center of humanities and social sciences. Full-time enrollment: over 6,000 undergraduates, 1,500 postgraduates, and 800 college students. International student education has grown since China’s reform and opening-up. The university partners with 197 universities in 43 countries and regions; foreign experts teach or lecture each year, and more than 100 Chinese teachers go abroad for study or academic visits )

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 Lixin University of Accounting and Finance (SLU) is a public full-time university specializing in accounting and finance. It was formed in June 2016 by merging Shanghai Lixin University of Commerce and Shanghai Finance University. Its roots go back to Lixin education founded in 1928 by Dr. Pan Xulun, a leading accounting educator. After nearly a century it is regarded as a birthplace of modern accounting education in China. In 2022 the School of Business and Administration received full AACSB accreditation for five years. Three campuses in Pudong, Songjiang, and Xuhui cover more than 1,200 mu (about 800,000 square meters). More than 19,000 full-time students, including over 370 graduate students; 3 master’s programs and 40 undergraduate majors. Faculty and staff: more than 1,630, including over 1,240 full-time teachers; more than 460 with senior titles and over 700 with doctoral degrees

Shanghai Maritime University, established in 1909, is situated in Shanghai and focuses on maritime education and research. It offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes across engineering, management, and science disciplines, with particular emphasis on shipping, logistics, and ocean-related fields. The university operates specialised training vessels and maintains dedicated facilities for marine engineering instruction. Its campus supports a student body engaged in both theoretical study and applied maritime practice. SHMTU’s academic structure includes several schools covering navigation, shipping management, information engineering, and marine sciences.

Shanghai Normal University (SHNU) is a key comprehensive local university in Shanghai with a strong tradition in teacher training and liberal arts. It confers doctorates in 6 first-level, 42 second-level, and 2 self-owned disciplines; runs 6 post-doctoral stations; and grants master’s degrees in 29 first-level, 154 second-level, 2 self-owned, and 10 professional disciplines. Bachelor’s degrees are offered in 84 disciplines across Philosophy, Economics, Law, Education, Literature, History, Science, Engineering, Management, Agronomy, and Art. Full-time faculty: over 1,713, including more than 260 professors, more than 533 associate professors, and 567 with doctorates. Part-time faculty: about 580, including 5 academician-level distinguished professors and more than 100 foreign teachers. Research and discipline platforms cited include one national key discipline, one MOE key research base of humanities in local universities, one municipal key laboratory, 3 E-research institutes, 13 municipal key disciplines, 15 key disciplines under the Shanghai Education Commission, 3 local-university humanities research bases, 2 key Shanghai laboratories, and one Shanghai Education Commission key laboratory. Chinese Linguistics and Literature is part of a National Social Discipline and Scientific Research Base cultivation program )

Shanghai Ocean University, founded in 1952, is a public university situated in Shanghai. It began as Shanghai Fisheries University and now organises teaching and research across nine colleges, with core strengths in fishery, oceanology, food science, and ecology. The university offers undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programmes, and is designated as a Double First-Class Discipline University by China’s Ministry of Education. Its campus supports focused study of marine and aquatic systems, with academic activity centred on scientific understanding of oceans, ecosystems, and sustainable resource use. Student numbers and faculty reflect its role as a specialist institution within China’s higher education landscape.

Shanghai Polytechnic University, founded in 1960, is located in the Jinqiao Industry Park of Pudong New Area, adjacent to the Shanghai Pilot Free Trade Zone. It offers bachelor’s degrees in 37 fields and higher vocational diplomas in 30 fields, with instruction primarily in Chinese. The university has approximately 12,000 full-time students and around 1,100 faculty and staff. Since 2011, it has enrolled international students from Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. Its facilities include 44 standard laboratories and an Experimental Teaching and Practical Training Center covering 40,000 square metres. Degree programmes are delivered across six academic disciplines, including engineering, economics, management, humanities, science, and art.

Shanghai Theatre Academy (STA) is a performing-arts university in Shanghai focused on theatre training and studies, co-sponsored by national and municipal authorities.

Shanghai University is a research-intensive comprehensive university in Shanghai and a member of China’s national Project 211. It combines academic programs with courses linked to the city’s science, technology, and culture. The university emphasizes all-around development, a global perspective, and creative awareness. It maintains extensive international exchanges with dozens of foreign universities, including faculty and student exchanges. More than 3,000 international students study on its campuses. A medium- and long-term plan aims at a green, safe, informationalized campus and a globalized campus environment for sciences, culture, sports, and arts. Founded in 1922 )

Shanghai University of Finance and Economics (SUFE), dating to 1917 in Shanghai, specialises in applied economics, finance, and management, with related strengths in law and accounting. It is a major finance-and-economics university for undergraduate and postgraduate study, including pathways for international students.

Shanghai University of Political Science and Law (SHUPL) was established in 1984 in the Sheshan Hill national scenic area of Shanghai. The campus covers about 1,000 mu (67 hectares) and is sometimes called a “garden university” at the northern foot of Sheshan Mountain. Enrollment exceeds 11,000 full-time postgraduate, undergraduate, vocational, and overseas students. Facilities include nearly 200 off-campus placement bases; the legal practice placement base is a national-level off-campus base for university students. Awards cited include National Civilized Unit (2011, 2015), Shanghai Civilized Unit (nine times), Shanghai Safe and Civilized Campus (four years in a row), and Ministry of Education recognition for national-defense-related education. Undergraduate majors (more than 40) include law, Business Administration, International Economics and Trade, Economics and Finance, E-commerce and Law, Political Science and Administration, International Politics, Chinese Language and Literature, Journalism, Radio and Television Studies, Radio and Television Writing and Directing, and Chinese Language and International Education. Rankings cited: 4th in the 2020 China Political and Legal University Ranking (Software Science); 156th of 1,200 in the 2020 Quality Ranking of Chinese University Freshmen. On 13 September 2013, at the SCO Bishkek Summit, it was announced that the China National Institute for SCO on International Exchanges and Judicial Cooperation (CNISCO) would be established at SHUPL.

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 )

SILC Business School at Shanghai University, established in 1994, is a cooperative business school linking Shanghai University and the University of Technology Sydney.

Sino-British College (SBC), part of the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, opened as a licensed university college on 1 September 2006. It delivers full undergraduate degree programmes taught entirely in English, validated by multiple UK partner universities. Students study either wholly at SBC’s historic campus in central Shanghai or follow a split-campus model including study abroad. The campus occupies a century-old site featuring European architectural elements from German, French, and British traditions, with gardens blending Chinese and European design sensibilities. Around 1,400 full-time undergraduates and approximately 30 international students from over ten countries are enrolled, supported by around 80 international academic staff from twenty countries and more than 100 bilingual administrative staff.

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

Founded in 1906, the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology is located in Shanghai and offers undergraduate, master’s and doctoral programmes across engineering, science, management, economics, literature and medicine. It comprises multiple schools including Optical-Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Environmental and Architecture Engineering. The university has a student population of over 24,000 and has awarded degrees to more than 100,000 graduates since its establishment. Its academic focus centres on applied science and technology, with longstanding strengths in instrumentation, thermal engineering, and optical systems. Campuses are situated across urban and suburban areas of Shanghai, supporting both teaching and industry-linked research activities. The institution maintains a tradition of integrating technical education with broader disciplinary perspectives.