China’s joint-venture (Sino-foreign) universities are popular with international students because many programs are taught in English, degrees are globally recognized, and the campuses sit in fast-growing tech and business hubs. This guide summarizes the Alumni Association (CUAA) 2025 China Cooperative University Rankings and gives quick notes to help you shortlist schools. Use it to compare options, check timelines, and plan your application.
What is a “joint-venture / cooperatively-run” university?
These are universities established in China by a Chinese institution in partnership with an overseas university. They usually:
- offer English-taught bachelor’s and master’s programs, grant Chinese degrees, foreign partner degrees, or both (varies by school),
- emphasize international curricula, small classes, and strong industry ties.
Top Joint-Venture Universities in China: 2025 CUAA Ranking
10) Wenzhou-Kean University
Founded: 2014
Location: Wenzhou
Wenzhou-Kean University (WKU) is China’s only full American–style campus jointly run by Kean University (USA) and the Zhejiang provincial government. All teaching is in English across 18 bachelor’s and 9 master’s programs, and graduates receive a dual Kean University degree plus a Chinese-accredited diploma.
The university has grown rapidly—from 4,500 students in 2023 to about 5,100 students in Fall 2024, with new cohorts drawn from 23 Chinese provinces and more than a dozen overseas countries. Over 1,700 WKU students have already spent a semester or more on Kean’s main campus in New Jersey, underscoring the strong U.S.–China exchange pathway.
9) Guangdong Technion-Israel Institute of Technology
Founded: 2025
Location: Shantou
Guangdong Technion–Israel Institute of Technology (GTIIT) in Shantou is China’s only Sino-Israeli university, established by Technion–Israel Institute of Technology and Shantou University. All six bachelor’s majors—including Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, and Mechanical Engineering & Robotics—are taught entirely in English and confer a dual Technion degree plus a Chinese-accredited diploma. By 2024 the campus already hosts over 1,000 undergraduates and roughly 3,000 students overall, with a long-term plan to grow to 5,000.
GTIIT is also scholarship-friendly: international and domestic students are automatically considered for the Chancellor’s Scholarship, Science Competition Awards, and tiered Academic Excellence Scholarships worth up to ¥50,000 per year for the top 15 % of each cohort
8) The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou)
Founded: 2022
Location: Guangzhou
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou) — HKUST (GZ) is the Greater Bay Area’s trail-blazing “HKUST 2.0.” Unlike a traditional school-department model, the new campus runs on a cross-disciplinary “Hub + Thrust” structure that clusters programs in Function, Information, Systems and Society Hubs to spur boundary-breaking research and teaching.
Courses are delivered in English on a cutting-edge waterfront campus in Nansha District, roughly an hour from Hong Kong by high-speed rail.
HKUST (GZ) admitted its first undergraduates in 2023 and now aims for 4,000 postgraduates by 2027/28 and a combined student body of 10,000 by 2032/33. International interest is rising sharply—in the most recent cycle, overseas applications jumped 200 percent year-on-year, with candidates from Italy, South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia and beyond.
7) Duke Kunshan University
Founded: 2013
Location: Suzhou
Duke Kunshan University (DKU) is a Sino-U.S. partnership between Duke University and Wuhan University. Situated in Kunshan—20 minutes by high-speed rail from Shanghai—the campus delivers an English-medium, interdisciplinary liberal-arts curriculum across 18 undergraduate majors and a growing portfolio of master’s programs, all leading to a Duke diploma plus a Chinese-accredited DKU degree.
In the latest cycle DKU drew 11,884 applications for just 550 first-year places, including 5,882 international files from 150 + countries, underscoring its global pull. The Class of 2029 alone counts 490 undergraduates—141 of them international—representing 38 nations, bringing total enrollment to roughly 2,500 students from 70 + countries.
6) Shenzhen University of Science and Technology of China and Moscow State University
Founded: 2016
Location: Hefei, Anhui province
Shenzhen MSU-BIT University (SMBU) is China’s flagship Sino-Russian university, jointly founded by the Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government, Lomonosov Moscow State University and Beijing Institute of Technology.
With a long-term capacity target of 5,000 students and a 1:1 undergraduate/graduate balance, SMBU delivers trilingual teaching (Chinese, Russian, English) across 11 undergraduate majors plus master’s and PhD tracks.
5) New York University Shanghai (NYUSH)
Founded: 2012
Location: Shanghai
New York University Shanghai (NYU Shanghai) is China’s first Sino-US research university and the third degree-granting campus in the NYU Global Network, awarding the same NYU-branded bachelor’s diploma plus a Chinese certificate, with all coursework delivered in English.
For the Class of 2029, the school plans to enroll ~500 first-year students—about 249 international students drawn from 150 + countries—keeping its hallmark 50/50 mix of Chinese and non-Chinese undergraduates. Overall, NYU Shanghai hosts more than 1,800 students from 70 + nations across its undergraduate and graduate programs.
NYU Shanghai is also financial-aid friendly for internationals: every admitted student may apply for need-based NYU grants, and merit packages such as the Dean’s Scholarships offer quarter- and half-tuition awards. U.S. citizens remain eligible for federal aid as well, making study in Shanghai more affordable than many assume.
4) The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen
Founded: 2012
Location: Shenzhen
The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen (CUHK-Shenzhen) is one of China’s leading Sino-foreign universities. Backed by CUHK in Hong Kong and located in the heart of Shenzhen’s innovation hub, the campus spans six specialised schools—Management & Economics, Science & Engineering, Humanities & Social Science, Medicine, Data Science and Music—offering fully English-taught degrees that blend liberal-arts learning with cutting-edge research.
In 2024 the university welcomed a record-breaking 240 new international undergraduates from 16 countries, pushing overseas students to almost 10% of the incoming class. Overall enrolment now exceeds 10,000 students across undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
CUHK-Shenzhen is also among the most generous scholarship providers for internationals.
3) University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC)
Founded: 2004
Location: Ningbo
The University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC) was the first Sino-foreign university to open its doors in China. Established in 2004, with the full approval of the Chinese Ministry of Education, run by The University of Nottingham with cooperation from Zhejiang Wanli Education Group, a key player in the education sector in China.
The University of Nottingham is in the top one percent of more than 7,500 higher education institutions worldwide and league tables consistently rank the University highly. With campuses in the UK, China and Malaysia, Nottingham is a world-class university with a truly global perspective.
2) Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU)
Founded: 2006
Location: Suzhou, China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) is the leading international joint venture university in China, founded in 2006 through a unique partnership between Xi’an Jiaotong University and the University of Liverpool.
XJTLU prepares students to become global citizens by providing a wide range of study opportunities that enhance their employability and personal growth. Studying at XJTLU often leads to improved academic performance and inspires future career and study choices.
Large English-speaking student body, more than 100 bachelor’s & master’s programs, direct pathways to a University of Liverpool degree. The Suzhou Industrial Park offers abundant tech-internship opportunities.
1) Beijing Normal-Hong Kong Baptist University (BNBU)
BNBU is formerly known as Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University United International College (UIC), they recently renamed to BNBU.
Founded: 2005
Location: Zhuhai, China
Beijing Normal-Hong Kong Baptist University (BNBU) is an exceptional international liberal arts college located in Zhuhai, southern China.
Students at Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University United International College are among the world’s best. Ambitious, hardworking, and creative, BNBU alumni go on to excellent careers in their chosen field and some have even been featured in Forbes 30 Under 30.
More than 72% of the graduates from the Class of 2020 chose postgraduate studies home and abroad, 74.4% of which were admitted to the world’s top 100 universities. Faculty and students come from at least 30 countries and regions.
BNBU has partnerships with 61 international partner institutions, so there are plenty of global study abroad opportunities for students.
Source: CUAA 2025 “China Cooperative University Rankings”
Related Guides:
– Top 16 Chinese Universities for International Students
– Top 20 Universities to study Chinese
– Top 100 Universities with the most International Students
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