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Branch Campuses in China 

China campus established as independent legal entities are Chinese institutions that are able to sign legally binding agreements in their own right. Currently there are dozens of Universities approved China campus of this type at the undergraduate and above levels  The most recent independent legal entity are Wenzhou-Kean University in Zhejiang province, The University of Nottingham－Ningbo，Xi’an Jiaotong- Liverpool University，Shanghai New York University，Kunshan Duke University，Wenzhou-Kean University，Guangdong Technion - Israel Institute of Technology，etc.

For these types of institution at undergraduate and above level, the Chinese partner submits an application to the provincial education department, who examines and makes initial comments on the application before submitting it to the provincial people’s government. The provincial people’s government also examines and makes comments on the application, before submitting it to the Ministry of Education (MOE). The MOE examines the application and makes its decision. If approved, the MOE issues a “Chinese-Foreign Cooperative Education License”. If the application is not approved, the MOE gives its reasons in writing.

HOW DO China Campus DIFFER FROM DOMESTIC CHINESE UNIVERSITIES?

Once approved by the Chinese MOE, China Campus function the same way as other independent universities in China. They recruit mainly local Chinese students who have graduated from high school and taken the Gaokao, China’s National Higher Education Entrance Examination. From a local student’s perspective, or the student’s parents’ perspective, what differentiates a China campus from a traditional local university?

A study abroad experience at your doorstep

Cohosted universities in China provide a foreign education experience for Chinese students right in their home countries. Here is how a China Campus delivers a foreign education system in China:

 Classes are taught in English or another foreign language instead of Mandarin. Because learning in an English-speaking environment can be a challenge for Chinese students, some cooperative universities require English language scores in addition to applicants’ Gaokao score. For example, UNNC requires a minimum Gaokao English test score of 1158 out of 150 for undergraduate admission.

China Campus use the same curriculum as that of their foreign host universities. All teaching faculty is recruited by the foreign host universities as well, to ensure that teaching quality meets international standards. Some programs have to adapt to local Chinese policies. A traditional Chinese undergraduate degree takes four years; however, a British undergraduate degree typically takes three years. UNNC and Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University both adopted a British curriculum, but they use the extra year for their freshmen to complete a year of English study before starting the degree program in the second year. Their students earn a degree after completing the fourth year of study. A year of English language study helps Chinese students ease into an English language learning environment and get familiar with British academic traditions.

China Campus also offer a more diverse student profile. Not only do the schools want a diverse student body, but students also want to study with their international peers. When foreign students are looking for opportunities to study abroad in China, Sino-foreign cooperative universities are often their first choice, especially since they teach in English. Among NYU Shanghai’s 300 freshmen every year, about half are international—the other half are domestic students. Diverse students bring different values and cultures together in the classroom, and provide a forum for students to discuss problems on an international level.

Besides offering a diverse learning experience right in China, cooperative universities usually offer more study abroad or exchange opportunities. Most China Campus offer an exchange program that allows students to spend from one semester to one year at their foreign host university. In addition, joint campus may offer 2+2 or 3+1 degree programs. Enrolled students can study on campus in China for the first two or three years, and then finish their academic study at their foreign host university. Students earn academic credit from both the cooperative university in China and the foreign institution. The exchange or study abroad experiences are a bonus for students, especially if they later decide to further their study in a foreign country.

In addition to providing a Western education in a Chinese cultural context, there are other ways that China Campus stand out from traditional Chinese universities.