Universities

Hangzhou City University (HZCU) is a full-time public university approved by China’s Ministry of Education and organized by the Hangzhou Municipal People’s Government. It was established in 1999, originally as Zhejiang University City College. HZCU is in Hangzhou, a historic cultural city and scenic destination, next to the Beijing–Hangzhou Grand Canal (a World Cultural Heritage site). The campus covers about 67 hectares with over 510,000 square meters of floor space. It has 13 schools and one Sino-foreign joint institute. It offers 36 undergraduate programs across 9 disciplines (economics, law, liberal arts, history, science, engineering, medicine, management, and art) and 3 professional master’s programs. There are more than 11,500 full-time undergraduates, about 100 full-time master’s students, and more than 330 postgraduate students jointly educated with partners such as Zhejiang University. HZCU has built a Sino-foreign joint institute with the University of Waikato (New Zealand) and cooperates with over 70 universities in the United States, Japan, Singapore, France, Germany, New Zealand, and elsewhere

Hangzhou Dianzi University (HDU) was founded in 1956 in Hangzhou. In 2015 Zhejiang Provincial Government listed it among 5 key universities in the province. Strengths include electronic science and technology, engineering and information technology, and management and economics. There are 57 undergraduate programs and 70 postgraduate programs across 21 academic schools, plus interdisciplinary offerings. HDU has over 28,000 full-time students and aims to train graduates with practical and innovative skills. Doctoral programs are offered in Control Science & Engineering, Electronics Science & Engineering, and Computer Science & Engineering. The university has completed many high-tech and state/provincial research projects. It partners with about 80 universities in the United States, Russia, Canada, Britain, France, Germany, Ireland, Sweden, Spain, Italy, Australia, Japan, Belarus, and elsewhere. English-taught bachelor’s programs: Business Management, International Economics and Trade, Telecommunication Engineering. English-taught master’s programs: Business Management, Automation, Telecommunication Engineering. More than 80 English-taught undergraduate and graduate courses are offered in management, economics, accounting, telecommunication engineering, electronic information, and computer science and technology.

Hangzhou Normal University traces its history to the Zhejiang Dual-Level Normal School founded in 1908. It took its present name in 2007 after mergers with Hangzhou College of Education and Hangzhou Senior School of Medicine beginning in 2000. It is a comprehensive university with 11 major branches of learning: literature, history, philosophy, economics, management, law, education, science, engineering, medicine, and arts. English-medium programs in Health Care Management, E-commerce, and Nursing were planned for international students. It has 2 faculties and 19 schools offering one doctoral program, over 80 master’s programs, and over 60 undergraduate programs to 22,698 full-time students (21,137 undergraduates and 1,561 master’s candidates)

Jiaxing University is a public university approved by the Ministry of Education of the PRC. Campus area is about 274 acres. Teaching and research equipment is valued at over USD 85 million. The library holds over 2.3 million print volumes and over 2.49 million electronic volumes. There are 17 teaching units, more than 16,300 full-time students, 8 affiliated hospitals, and 1 affiliated kindergarten. President Lu Jun is an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. Honorary president Professor Zhu Jingwu is a physicist and former president of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Faculty and staff: more than 1,660, including 3 full-time academicians, 10 part-time academicians, and national special experts. There are 2 provincial key innovation teams and 4 provincial teaching teams; 59 undergraduate programs; 2 majors in the national-level first-class undergraduate construction plan and 10 in the provincial-level plan; 11 national and provincial experimental teaching platforms. International cooperation includes more than 80 universities or institutions in 22 countries or regions; PhD research programs with Australian universities; Dual Bachelor’s–Master’s (DBDM) with German universities; and dual degree programs with partners in the United Kingdom, United States, Japan, South Korea, and elsewhere

Ningbo University was founded in 1986 with donations from Sir Yue-kong Pao. The main campus is in the northern part of Ningbo Higher Education Mega Center, beside the Yongjiang River, covering over 184 hectares with about 890,000 square meters of floor space. Libraries hold about 1.7 million books and 115,000 GB of digital resources, with a CNKI Network Service Center. There are eight affiliated hospitals and eight internship hospitals. Staff: about 2,400, including over 1,400 teaching and research staff (650 with PhDs). Programs include three postdoctoral research programs and 75 bachelor programs across economics, law, education, liberal arts, history, science, engineering, agronomy, medicine, management, and arts. Full-time undergraduates: 26,527; postgraduates: 5,118; part-time students: 17,247. International links: cooperation with more than 140 institutions in over 40 countries; joint programs such as China-Australia MBA, China-France Tourism Management, and China-USA Mathematics and Applied Mathematics. More than 2,300 international students and 1,055 degree seekers study at the university. Two Confucius Institutes were established with the University of Iceland and the University of Toamasina (Madagascar). Agreements also exist with multiple universities in Taiwan and Hong Kong

Ningbo University of Technology, founded in 1983, is a full-time undergraduate university run by the Ningbo Municipal People’s Government. It has two campuses totaling about 374,992 square meters, with further East Campus construction underway. Faculty: 1,042 staff including 68 professors and 236 associate professors, with 243 doctoral degree holders. Full-time students: more than 13,200. Library: about 1.2986 million books. The university prioritizes engineering while developing multiple disciplines. It has 12 secondary schools, 35 specialties, 1 national key specialty, 4 provincial key specialties, and 6 provincial key disciplines. In 2010 it joined the Ministry of Education “outstanding engineering cultivation project.” International cooperation began with Aachen University of Applied Sciences in 1984 (one of four Sino-German cooperated universities nationwide). It is the only Zhejiang university in the Ministry of Education “1+2+1 Sino-US Talent Cultivation Program.” Partners include institutions in the USA, Germany, Australia, UK, Canada, Austria, France, Japan, and Ireland. More than 150 students have studied or exchanged at partners such as Aachen University of Applied Sciences, South Western Sydney Institute, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, and the University of Hertfordshire. Joint modes include 4+0, 2+2, 1+2+1, 2+1+1, and 2.5+1+0.5

Established in 2004 in Ningbo, University of Nottingham Ningbo China is the first Sino-foreign university approved by China’s Ministry of Education. It functions as an integral part of the University of Nottingham’s global structure, with all degrees awarded under UK validation. The campus houses three faculties—Social Sciences; Arts and Humanities; and Science and Engineering—as well as eight academic divisions, including Nottingham University Business School China and the Centre for English Language Education. Programmes span undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels in fields such as computer science, engineering, international studies and sustainable development. Graduates have received degrees since 2006, with bachelor’s awards beginning in 2008. Teaching and research follow the academic standards of the UK institution, with emphasis on globally informed perspectives.

Wenzhou Medical University (WMU) is a key provincial university under Zhejiang Provincial Government. It traces back to the former Zhejiang Specialized Medical School (1912) and is listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools (WHO). Enrollment cited: 18,239 full-time students, including 4,001 postgraduate and 302 doctoral students. Faculty and staff (including affiliated hospitals): more than 14,000, with over 1,800 holding senior professional titles; main campus about 1,609 full-time teachers. Five-year undergraduate programs began in 1958; master’s programs in 1978. WMU was among the early Chinese institutions authorized to confer master’s and doctoral degrees. Four national featured programs: clinical medicine, optometry & ophthalmology, medical laboratory, and pharmacy. Science-program admission scores ranked first among provincial universities in Zhejiang (as stated). ESI (2018): chemistry, pharmacology and toxicology, and biology and biochemistry in the world’s top 1%; clinical medicine in the top 0.2%. Graduates’ average scores and pass rates on the Chinese Doctor’s License Examination are described as consistently within the top 10% of Chinese medical programs

Wenzhou University, founded in 1933 in the coastal city of Wenzhou, occupies a campus surrounded by mountains and waterways in Zhejiang Province. It comprises six schools and delivers programmes across nine academic disciplines, including literature, engineering, law, education, and art. The university offers 57 undergraduate and 46 postgraduate programmes, with English-taught options available at both levels. Its teaching staff numbers 1,719, and the student body includes around 14,000 full-time undergraduates, 1,500 postgraduates, and 500 international students. WZU is one of the Chinese Ministry of Education’s designated institutes for Chinese language and culture education. It admits international students, including those from Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and overseas Chinese communities.

Westlake University is a private research university founded in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, offering undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programmes taught in English. It was established with approval from China’s Ministry of Education and admits students from both domestic and international backgrounds. The university comprises schools focused on science, engineering, and life sciences, and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio. Its campus lies near West Lake, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and integrates academic, residential, and research functions within a single sustainable precinct. All undergraduate students undertake at least one semester abroad as part of their degree requirements.

Founded in 1958, Zhejiang A&F University (ZAFU) is a comprehensive university with 54 undergraduate and 52 graduate programs across eight areas: agriculture, technology, science, literature, management, economics, law, and art. It is located on the outskirts of Hangzhou. Each year about 400 students from over 40 countries enroll in Chinese language and degree programs. The university also offers short-term tailored programs for international students to learn Mandarin and experience Chinese and southern China culture

Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (ZCMU) is a provincial university focused on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), with coordinated development across related disciplines. It began as Zhejiang Training School of TCM in July 1953, became Zhejiang College of TCM in June 1959, and was renamed Zhejiang Chinese Medical University in February 2006. It was among the first universities authorized to recruit and train postgraduate students. ZCMU has about 13,000 full-time students and more than 600 international students. It comprises 12 colleges, 1 independent college, 14 research institutes, 3 directly affiliated hospitals, and 20 indirectly affiliated hospitals. It offers 26 bachelor programs across Medicine, Science, Engineering, Management, and Arts; 3 post-doctoral stations; 14 doctoral programs; and 48 master’s programs. It was the first among provincial universities authorized to grant doctoral degrees, to host a TCM post-doctoral station, and to hold a key specialty at the state level. It is also a certification center for TCM doctor qualification. Disciplines include 1 key subject at state level and 42 at provincial level (including 2 top-priority first-level subjects and 1 top-priority specialty subject). The university reports cooperation with 62 education, research, and medical institutes in 28 countries and regions, and enrolls overseas students from over 50 countries and regions. It may employ overseas experts and has invited over 40 as guest professors

Zhejiang Gongshang University (ZJGSU) is jointly built by the People’s Government of Zhejiang Province, the Ministry of Commerce, and the Ministry of Education. It is in Hangzhou. Its predecessor, Hangzhou Secondary Commercial School, was founded in 1911 and is among China’s earliest specialized commercial schools. In 2017 it was named a key construction university in Zhejiang Province, with Statistics and Business Administration on the provincial advantageous and characteristic disciplines list. In 2023 it was selected for Zhejiang’s “Double First-Class Initiative (196 Project)”; Statistics was listed for provincial top-notch (“peak”) discipline construction, and Business Administration and Marxist Theory for provincial advantageous and characteristic disciplines. According to Wu Shulian’s 2025 Comprehensive Strength Ranking of Chinese Universities, ZJGSU ranked 6th among finance and economics universities. In the 2024 ShanghaiRanking Global Ranking of Academic Subjects, Food Science and Engineering ranked 15th and Tourism and Hospitality Management 48th worldwide (both in the world top 50); the number of top-50 disciplines ranked first among provincial universities. Business Administration ranked 14th in China.

In the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023, ZJNU ranked No. 1 among Zhejiang provincial universities, 25–34 in China, 89 in Asia, and 501–600 worldwide. More than 3,000 international students from over 150 countries study at ZJNU. Popular majors for internationals include Business Administration, International Economics & Trade, Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages, Comparative Education, and Computer Science and Technology. It is described as the only public university selected among the “Top 10 Foreign Cooperation Units in Zhejiang Province.” In 2019 it was the only university in China awarded “Advanced Chinese Cooperation Institution of Confucius Institutes” for five consecutive years. In 2020 it was selected as a Zhejiang International Cultural Exchange Base and among the first Zhejiang Internationalized Characteristic institutions

Zhejiang Ocean University (ZJOU) is established by the Ministry of Natural Resources and the People’s Government of Zhejiang Province and is one of Zhejiang’s key universities. It was founded in 1958 as Zhoushan Fishery College, renamed Zhejiang Fishery College in 1975, and became Zhejiang Ocean College in 1998 through merger with Zhoushan Normal College; further marine and fishery units joined after 2000. In 2016 it was officially named Zhejiang Ocean University. The school motto is “Embracing Diversity, Pursuing Excellence,” with an ocean-oriented focus. Campuses have moved several times over more than 60 years. Structure: 10 schools, 1 independent school, 2 teaching units, and 2 interdisciplinary research institutions. About 12,119 full-time students (excluding over 5,400 full-time students in the independent school) and 1,189 faculty members, of whom 846 are full-time teachers. There are 4 state-level and 27 provincial research platforms.

Zhejiang Sci-Tech University (ZSTU) is a key provincial university in Hangzhou. It has 17 affiliated colleges (including teaching departments), 63 undergraduate programs, 65 master’s programs, and 12 doctoral programs. About 27,000 full-time students are enrolled, including around 3,500 postgraduate students. ZSTU is a host institute under Chinese Government Scholarship Programs. It began enrolling international students in 2003 and has accepted students from more than 60 countries and regions in Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America

Zhejiang University, founded in 1897 in Hangzhou, is one of China’s leading comprehensive research universities. Teaching and research span science, engineering, medicine, humanities, and social sciences. International students study across a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.

Zhejiang University International Business School (ZIBS) is located on the International Campus in Haining, a city of over 800,000 people situated between Shanghai and Hangzhou. The campus opened in 2017 on a 200-acre site north of Juanhu Park and serves as ZIBS’s primary base for international business education. ZIBS launched in 2018 and delivers its International Master of Business Administration (iMBA) and Master of China Studies programmes in English, with specialisations in Fin-Tech Industry Management, International Management, and China Business Studies. Instruction takes place across campuses in Haining, Hangzhou, Shanghai, and internationally. The school draws on Zhejiang University’s interdisciplinary resources and collaborates with the Academy of Internet Finance and the Institute of China Studies. All programmes are taught in English.

Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics (ZUFE) is in Hangzhou. It emphasizes economics-related disciplines with coordinated development of Economics, Management, Humanities, Law, Science, Engineering, and Arts. Founded in 1974, it has three campuses — Xiasha (main), Wenhua, and Chang’an — on about 153 hectares. Structure: 14 schools, 2 teaching centers, 1 independent college, 51 research institutes and centers. It confers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees and enrolls international students and students from Hong Kong and Macao SARs. More than 25,000 full-time undergraduates and postgraduates. Library: more than 2.5 million volumes, 2,035 academic journals, 4.67 million e-books, and 30,000 e-journals, plus a featured sub-library for Nobel Economics Prize laureates’ works, ZUFE faculty works, and Zhejiang Businessman-related works. Nearly 50 undergraduate programs; over 50 postgraduate and professional master’s programs in Applied Economics, Theoretical Economics, Business Administration, Public Administration, Law, and Statistics; and a doctoral program under the “National Special Needs Services Personnel Training Project.” Faculty and staff: 1,326, including 155 professors and 324 associate professors, plus national talent-program experts

Zhejiang University of Science and Technology (ZUST) is a multi-disciplinary university with an engineering emphasis, also covering science, arts, economics, management, and education. It combines experience from German universities of applied sciences with its own practice to train career-focused international talent. Two campuses: Xiaoheshan Campus in Hangzhou (at the foot of Xiaohe Mountain, with a campus lake and surrounding hills; about 30 minutes from West Lake and 20 minutes from Alibaba headquarters) and Anji Campus in Anji County (UN Habitat Scroll of Honor Award locality). More than 21,000 full-time students; about 1,300 faculty, including over 340 professors and associate professors; 14 schools; 56 undergraduate programs and 11 English-taught graduate programs. Designations include 3 state-level key majors, 9 provincial-level key majors, 3 provincial-level key labs, and 8 provincial-level key disciplines. ZUST is a Chinese Government pilot for Chinese–German cooperation in high-level career-focused graduates, standing organizer of the “Chinese–German Education Forum,” and one of the first ten provincial pilot universities for “Cultivating Excellent Engineers.” International collaboration has been central since foundation

Zhejiang University of Technology (ZJUT) is a comprehensive key university of Zhejiang Province, co-established by the Zhejiang Provincial government and the Ministry of Education. It offers programs in engineering, science, liberal arts, law, economics, pharmaceutics, management, education, and related fields. Located in Hangzhou, it has three campuses — Zhaohui, Pingfeng, and Moganshan — covering about 213 hectares. There are over 3,000 staff; 28 colleges and 1 department; 70 undergraduate programs, 34 master’s programs, and 10 doctoral programs. It recruits international students and students from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan. Among about 3,000 staff there are 497 professors, 988 associate professors, and over 1,497 teachers with doctoral degrees. The university has three CAE academicians of its own and four CAE/CAS academicians shared with other institutions; 43 “National Excellent Teacher” and 47 “Provincial Excellent Teacher” title holders. About 43,092 full-time students; 18,965 graduate students including 8,822 postgraduate students and 825 PhD candidates; and about 1,500 international students. It has cooperative relationships with about 180 colleges and universities in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, Belgium, Australia, Russia, Korea, the Netherlands, Sweden, Austria, and elsewhere, plus more than 10 partners in Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan.