Shanghai University was established in 1922 during the Great Revolution in China through a Kuomintang-Communist cooperation. With Mr Yu Youren as the president and Mr Qu Qiubai the academic dean, the university trained many outstanding people for both the parties. The university was closed in five years owing to the split between Kuomintang and the Communist Party of China.

   The present Shanghai University was merged, in May 1994, from four former institutions of higher education, namely, Shanghai University of Technology, Shanghai University of Science & Technology, Shanghai Institute of Science & Technology and the former Shanghai University. These institutions were established between the late 50s and the early 80s.

   At present, Shanghai University has 28 schools and 2 independent departments, with 68 undergraduate programs, 131 master programs, 17 engineering master programs, 35 Ph.D. programs, 13 post-doctoral programs and 1 MBA program. It also has 4 national key disciplines, 4 key and 5 special disciplines of municipal level.

   There are currently more than 2,700 full-time faculty members with 10 members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering. Among all faculty members, 428 are full professors. Its current student body includes 26,000 undergraduates and more than 8,000 post graduates. In addition, there are about 10,000 students receiving adult education in the university.

   Shanghai University is also known for its vigorous international exchanges. So far the University has established academic links and cooperation with tens of foreign universities where our faculty and students enjoy academic exchanges. Currently, over 2,700 international students study on Shanghai University campuses.

    Shanghai University has made a medium and long-term strategic plan which has set greater goals for the development of the university. The plan aims at constructing a green, safe and informatized campus and cultivating a university culture that is characteristic of persistent self-improvement, innovation, the spirit to pursue the best, an open and inclusive attitude to create a harmonious and active campus atmosphere. It also aims at creating a globalized campus to satisfy the needs of all kinds of students for their cultivation in sciences, culture, sports and arts. The university is striving to develop into a first-class comprehensive university in China with a high-level talents training system and a knowledge innovation system as well in proportion to the city’s position as a modern international metropolis.