Recently, Singapore's Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) officially announced a collaboration to jointly establish the Zhangjiang International Institute of Technology.
The institute will enroll its first cohort of 750 undergraduate students and 2,000 students in foreign master's degree programs in 2026, with a total enrollment capacity of 5,000.
Source: Ministry of Education
The announcement quickly drew widespread attention.
With NTU as a top engineering powerhouse in Asia and SJTU as a leading C9 university in China, what does this "powerhouse collaboration" really mean? And what key signals does it send to students?
SJTU x NTU Joint Institute
Undergraduate Programs
The undergraduate programs will admit 750 students annually, included in the national higher education enrollment plan. Admission will be through the national college entrance examination (Gaokao), strictly following the national unified admission policies and meeting relevant regulations and requirements.
Information Engineering: 5 students per year
Computer Science and Technology: 200 students per year
Mechanical Engineering: 70 students per year
Electronic and Computer Engineering: 320 students per year
Materials Science and Engineering: 5 students per year
Data Science and Big Data Technology: 150 students per year
Source: Ministry of Education
Degrees Awarded
Chinese side: Shanghai Jiao Tong University undergraduate diploma and bachelor's degree certificate
Foreign side: Nanyang Technological University bachelor's degree certificate
Program Model
A "2+2" model: students will study at Shanghai Jiao Tong University for 2 years, then transfer to Nanyang Technological University for another 2 years.
Master's Programs
The foreign master's degree programs will enroll 2,000 students annually through independent admission (with admission standards not lower than those for equivalent programs at NTU in Singapore).
Data Science: 250 students per year
Applied Artificial Intelligence: 250 students per year
Computational and Financial Engineering: 250 students per year
Financial Technology: 250 students per year
Biomedical Engineering: 250 students per year
Intelligent Manufacturing: 250 students per year
Materials Science and Engineering: 250 students per year
Technopreneurship and Innovation: 250 students per year
Source: Ministry of Education
Degrees Awarded
Nanyang Technological University master's degree certificate
Program Model
Except for Computational and Financial Engineering, all other programs follow a "0.5+0.5" model: students will study at Shanghai Jiao Tong University for 0.5 years, then at Nanyang Technological University for 0.5 years. (For the Computational and Financial Engineering program, obtaining the foreign degree certificate does not require a period of overseas study.)
In addition to the powerhouse collaboration between NTU and SJTU, several other Sino-foreign joint institutes have recently been established by top universities, offering Chinese students more higher education opportunities.
HIT x PolyU Joint Institute
Harbin Institute of Technology has partnered with the Hong Kong Polytechnic University to co-establish the International Design Institute in Shenzhen, with plans to officially begin master's enrollment in 2026.
The institute's initial offerings include three master's programs in Intelligent Science and Technology, Design, and Urban and Rural Planning, each admitting 100 students per year, with a full-time duration of 3 years.
Source: Ministry of Education
Degrees Awarded
Harbin Institute of Technology master's diploma and degree certificate, and Hong Kong Polytechnic University master's degree certificate
Program Model
The entire program is completed in Shenzhen; students do not need to study in Hong Kong. Upon graduation, they will receive a degree certificate from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. This program is part of the national unified admission system, and enrollment quotas must be included in the university's annual master's enrollment plan.
TJU x Liverpool Joint Institute
After the successful partnership between the University of Liverpool and Xi'an Jiaotong University in establishing Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, the University of Liverpool has once again joined forces, this time with Tianjin University, a "Double First-Class" university, to establish the Tianjin University-Liverpool Fuzhou Joint Institute.
Located at the Tianjin University Fuzhou campus, the institute initially offers four foreign master's degree (single foreign certificate) programs in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Advanced Big Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, and Computer Science, and two master's programs (dual Chinese-foreign certificates) in Biology and Electronic Information (Computer Technology).
Source: Ministry of Education
Degrees Awarded
Nationally unified admission: Tianjin University diploma and degree certificate, plus University of Liverpool degree certificate
Independent admission: University of Liverpool degree certificate
Program Model
A "1.5+1.5" model: students will study at Tianjin University for 1.5 years, then transfer to the University of Liverpool for 1.5 years.
Against the backdrop of an ever-changing study-abroad landscape, overseas joint programs are gradually becoming a mainstream choice.
On one hand, the rising costs of international education and growing uncertainties in visas and policies have led more families to reassess the cost-effectiveness and risks of studying abroad.
On the other hand, in-depth collaborations between top universities enable students to receive curricula, teaching methods, and academic training closely aligned with international standards, even while staying in China.
CheersYou（清柚教育） would like to remind everyone that as the popularity of Sino-foreign cooperative education continues to rise, the market inevitably sees mixed information and vague concepts.
For students and parents considering joint institutions or programs, the most crucial point is to use the Chinese Ministry of Education's officially recognized Sino-foreign cooperative education institutions, schools, and programs as the benchmark, and verify the operating entities, degree awarding status, and whether they are under the MOE's supervision system.
Rely on official registration and accreditation to avoid unnecessary risks and costs.
