Founded in 1896 as Nanyang College, Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) is one of China’s most prestigious and time-honored institutions of higher education. Directly administered by the Ministry of Education and co-sponsored by the Shanghai Municipal Government, SJTU celebrated its 130th anniversary in 2026. It has grown into a comprehensive, innovative, and globally oriented university committed to excellence in education, research, and service to society. SJTU has campuses in Xuhui, Minhang, Huangpu, Changning, Pudong, and Chongming, covering a total area of more than three million square metres.

SJTU has 18 disciplines included in China’s Double First-Class initiative and 12 disciplines designated as Shanghai Peak Disciplines. Its postgraduate education system comprises 56 first-level doctoral degree programmes, 60 first-level master’s degree programmes, 15 professional doctoral programmes, 35 professional master’s programmes, and 45 postdoctoral research stations. The University’s broad academic profile spans the sciences, engineering, medicine, economics, management, law, the humanities, agriculture, education, the arts, and interdisciplinary studies. According to the indicators currently published on the University’s homepage, 23 subjects rank among the global top 50 and 38 among the global top 100 in the QS subject rankings.

The University comprises 40 schools and directly affiliated academic departments, along with 13 affiliated hospitals and a wide range of high-level research and innovation platforms. It has 11,620 faculty and staff members, including 4,257 full-time faculty, and brings together members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering as well as more than 1,000 appointments and recognitions under national-level talent programmes. Its student community includes 19,298 undergraduates, 15,662 full-time master’s students, 16,662 full-time doctoral students, and 1,898 degree-seeking international students.

Talent development has always been central to SJTU’s mission. Building on its founding aspiration to cultivate first-class talent, the University integrates value guidance, knowledge exploration, capacity building, and character development throughout education. It places strong emphasis on broad foundations, interdisciplinary learning, research innovation, and practical competence. Through its leading disciplines, affiliated hospitals, major research platforms, and university-industry partnerships, SJTU brings frontier research, engineering practice, clinical training, innovation and entrepreneurship, and service to society into the learning experience.

SJTU recruits international students from around the world and offers over 100 graduate programs taught in Chinese and English. Joint education, student exchange, global summer schools, research internships, and the Global Virtual Classroom provide students with diverse opportunities for cross-cultural and interdisciplinary learning. SJTU maintains partnerships with more than 200 universities and institutions worldwide, and around 45 per cent of its undergraduates participate in short-term study-abroad programmes.

Over its long history, SJTU has educated more than 400,000 outstanding graduates. More than 200 alumni have become members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences or the Chinese Academy of Engineering. With a mission to preserve knowledge, pursue truth, contribute to national development, and benefit humanity, SJTU continues to advance towards its goal of becoming a world-class university with Chinese characteristics.