Shanghai University

For universities and colleges in Shanghai, see List of universities and colleges in Shanghai.

Shanghai University

上海大学
Motto	Unremitting Self-Improvement, Serving the World with Virtue.
Type	Public land-grant research university
Established	1922 (1922)
President	Liu Changsheng
Students	56,753
Location	Shanghai , 200444 , China
Campus	Urban
Colors	Shangda Blue
Nickname	Shangda (上大)
Affiliations	NAHLU
Website	shu.edu.cn en.shu.edu.cn

Shanghai University
Simplified Chinese	上海大学
Traditional Chinese	上海大學
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Shànghǎi Dàxué Wade–Giles Shang-hai ta-hsüeh

Shanghai University (SHU) is a public land-grant research university in Shanghai, China. The university is part of Project 211 and the Double First-Class Construction. Shanghai University was founded in 1922, and has been developed into a university with profound academic traditions and outstanding research facilities, embracing students from various countries with its global outlook.

Just like the city of Shanghai, Shanghai University has undergone dramatic changes in the past few decades, turning into a multicultural community with tremendous opportunities and resources. As one of the fastest growing universities, Shanghai University is ranked as the 22th best university in China and is placed in the top 300 universities around the world. It is also supported by the Double First-Class Construction. The University has 14 disciplines entering the top 1% of the ESI global rankings; while material science, chemistry and engineering have already reached the top 1‰.

Shanghai University maintains four campuses: Baoshan Campus, Jiading Campus, Yanchang Campus (in Jing'an), Xinzha Campus, and Tokyo Campus. The university has a wide range of disciplines, covering philosophy, economics, law, education, literature, history, natural science, engineering, medical science, management, art, and multi-disciplines.SHU totally has 32 schools.

University rankings

BCUR National	Domestic	48
Wu Shulian National	Domestic	37
CUAA National	Alumni	71
QS National	General	=30
THE National	General	30–33
QS Asia (Asia version)	General	=84
THE Asia (Asia version)	General	95
ARWU World	Research	201–300
QS World	General	=489
THE World	General	401–500
USNWR World	General	=421

History

Shanghai University, founded on October 23, 1922, was jointly established by the Chinese Communist Party and is recognized as the first comprehensive university under the leadership of the Party. In 1927, it was forcibly shut down by the Kuomintang government during the “Shanghai massacre.”

In May 1983, the Shanghai Municipal Government decided to reestablish Shanghai University by merging several institutions, including the Fudan University Branch, the Shanghai International Studies University Branch, the East China Normal University Instrumentation and Electronics Branch, the Shanghai University of Science and Technology Branch, the Shanghai Institute of Mechanical Engineering Light Industry Branch, and the Shanghai Art School.

On May 27, 1994, a new Shanghai University was officially established through the merger of Shanghai University of Technology (founded in 1960), Shanghai University of Science and Technology (founded in 1958), the former Shanghai University (founded in 1983), and Shanghai Science and Technology College (founded in 1959).

In 2017 and 2022, Shanghai University was selected for inclusion in the national Double First-Class Construction.

Campuses

Baoshan Campus (Main Campus)

The Baoshan Campus is located at 99 Shangda Road, Baoshan District, is the university's main campus and headquarters.

It houses several schools and colleges, including the School of Marxism, School of Sociology, School of Law, College of Foreign Languages, School of Economics, School of Management, and the Community College.

• 
  Baoshan Campus
• 
  Main Library
• 
  Baoshan Campus (East Section)
• 
  College of Communication and Information Engineering
• 
  Qian Weichang Library
• 
  Suyuan Garden (University Museum)

Yanchang Campus

The Yanchang Campus is situated at 149 Yanchang Road, Jing'an District. As of 2021, the campus covers an area of 240,700 square meters, with building space totaling approximately 270,000 square meters.

The campus is home to key schools and research institutions, such as the Shanghai Film Academy, College of International Education, MBA Center, College of Continuing Education (Yanchang Branch), Shanghai Vancouver Film School, Shanghai Institute of Applied Mathematics and Mechanics, and the Shanghai Academy.

• 
  Yanchang Campus
• 
  University Park (Yanchang Campus)
• 
  Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts (Yanchang Campus)
• 
  Shanghai Film Academy, Yanchang Campus

Jiading Campus

The Jiading Campus is located at 20 Chengzhong Road, Jiading District. In 2021, the campus spanned 28 hectares, with a building area of 204,800 square meters.

The campus primarily focuses on Sino-foreign cooperative education and hosts institutions such as the Sydney Institute of Language and Commerce (SILC), the School of Digital Arts, the School of Microelectronics, the College of Continuing Education (Jiading Branch), and research institutes like the Shanghai University Optical Fiber Research Institute, Shanghai Institute of Electronic Physics, Shanghai Radiation Application Research Institute, Materials Genome Institute, and the Sino-Swiss Technology Center. As of 2020, the campus had 1,802 full-time undergraduate students, 1,163 SILC and international undergraduate program students, 170 international degree students, 2,813 master's and doctoral students, and 2,266 adult students in the College of Continuing Education.

Xinzha Campus

The Xinzha Campus of Shanghai University is located at 1220 Xinzha Road, Jing'an District.

The campus primarily focuses on adult degree education and non-degree training programs. It currently hosts institutions such as the College of Continuing Education and the Paris International Fashion Art Institute.

International Cooperation

Shanghai University actively promotes openness and international collaboration, with steadily expanding partnerships and joint educational programs. The university currently operates four distinct Sino-foreign cooperative institutions:

1. Sydney Institute of Language and Commerce (SILC)

Founded in 1994, SILC is one of China’s earliest Sino-foreign business schools, operated in partnership with the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Australia. SILC aims to become a top-tier, internationally recognized business school in China, with a mission to train globally minded professionals and contribute to national development through applied business research.

In 2020, SILC earned five-year accreditation from AACSB International, joining an elite group of accredited business schools worldwide. It also made Shanghai University the first local “211 Project” university in China to gain AACSB accreditation. That same year, SILC’s International Economics and Trade program was selected as a national-level “First-Class Undergraduate Major.”

SILC offers four undergraduate majors—Business Administration, Information Management and Information Systems, Finance, and International Economics and Trade—all developed under national “First-Class” and English-medium education standards. The school primarily offers undergraduate education, complemented by postgraduate and international student programs, including dual-degree and offshore programs with UTS.

2. UTSEUS – Shanghai University and French UTs Engineering Institute

Established in 2005, UTSEUS is a joint institute between Shanghai University and the French Université de Technologie network (UTs), and it was among the first major collaborations between China and the European Union in engineering education. It integrates elite engineering education from France with the strengths of a modern comprehensive university in China, aiming to serve industry and society with globally trained engineers.

The institute offers undergraduate programs in Information Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Materials Engineering, and a master's program in Electronic Information. In 2020, a dual master’s degree program was approved, enabling students to earn both Chinese and French graduate degrees in engineering. UTSEUS combines localized education with a “dual-campus” model across China and France, and in 2022 began the accreditation process with the French CTI (Commission des Titres d’Ingénieur) to align with international standards for engineering institutions.

3. Shanghai Vancouver Film School (SHVFS)

Founded in 2014 in partnership with Vancouver Film School, Canada’s leading institution for entertainment arts, SHVFS is a key initiative of the Shanghai Municipal Government to support the city's film industry. The school introduces North American-style film and media education tailored to China’s creative economy and offers seven professional programs, including film production.

SHVFS is a secondary college within Shanghai University, while also operating independently as a private educational entity approved by the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission. It offers one-year intensive programs, short-term courses, and master classes. The school also partners with over ten institutions in the UK, USA, and Australia to offer 2+2 undergraduate programs and aims to build a talent hub for film education and post-production in Shanghai.

4. Lisbon College of Shanghai University

Approved in 2022, this joint institute between Shanghai University and the University of Lisbon is the first Sino-Portuguese higher education institution. Founded in 1288, the University of Lisbon is Portugal’s largest and most prestigious comprehensive research university.

The college leverages both universities’ strengths to offer interdisciplinary programs and research in Electrical Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Environmental Engineering. It offers integrated bachelor’s and master’s education and collaborative research, aiming to train bilingual (Portuguese-English) engineering professionals who can contribute to Shanghai’s global development and serve Chinese-Portuguese economic and cultural exchanges. The college is a flagship outcome of Sino-Portuguese cooperation in higher education and supports China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

Joint Degree Program

Shanghai University runs one approved joint degree program in partnership with Jean Moulin Lyon 3 University in France, offering a master’s degree in Sociology with a concentration in Sustainable Development. The university has also established its first overseas branch, the Shanghai University Tokyo College, marking a new stage in its global outreach. These partnerships have become a vital component of Shanghai University’s internationalization strategy and support its mission to become a Double First-Class university in China.Joint Degree Program

Sociology (Sustainable Development) Master’s Program – with Jean Moulin Lyon 3 University

This master’s program, launched in 2015 in collaboration with Jean Moulin Lyon 3 University (France), focuses on sustainable development issues in Shanghai and the Yangtze Delta region. It offers an elite, small-class teaching model that emphasizes practice and applied skills. The two-year program culminates in the awarding of a French national master’s degree and postgraduate credentials.

Shanghai University Tokyo College

The Shanghai University Tokyo Campus (上海大学東京校) was established in April 2019 as part of Shanghai University’s internationalization strategy and to promote friendship and exchange between China and Japan. It serves as the Tokyo branch of the School of International Education at Shanghai University and is one of the university’s officially recognized overseas educational institutions. Located in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward, the campus is within walking distance (approximately 10 minutes) from major transportation hubs, including Shinjuku Station.

Shanghai University Tokyo Campus

The Tokyo Campus focuses on Chinese language and cultural education, aiming to cultivate students with strong reading, listening, speaking, and writing skills in Chinese. Beyond language proficiency, the curriculum emphasizes cross-cultural understanding, critical thinking, and interdisciplinary knowledge in areas such as literature, economics, society, and politics.

The Tokyo Campus follows the same curriculum as the main campus in Shanghai. Courses are primarily conducted in Chinese, and instruction is delivered by native Chinese-speaking faculty. The curriculum is divided into four categories: 1) General Foundation Courses – covering Chinese language skills (reading, listening, speaking, writing) and introductory courses on Chinese society and culture; 2) Disciplinary Foundation Courses – exploring areas such as classical Chinese, Chinese folklore, and human geography; 3) Elective Courses – including subjects such as trade-related business communication, poetry appreciation, Chinese character culture, and Chinese arts; 4) Practical Courses – including supervised research and thesis writing for graduation.

The program is designed to enable students to develop both linguistic proficiency and deep cultural insight. Students may also pursue internal study abroad opportunities by transferring to Shanghai University’s main campus to continue their studies, with access to student housing and immersion in a native Chinese-speaking environment.

Upon successful completion of the program and required credits, students are awarded a graduation certificate from the main campus of Shanghai University in China.

See also

• List of universities in China
• High School Affiliated to Shanghai University
• Japan Campus of Foreign Universities

External links

• Official website (in English)
• Shanghai University Alumni Association
• Shanghai University Library
• Shanghai University e-Learning