Fudan University: Leveraging Comprehensively Advanced Curriculum to Foster Educational Expansion

Jin Li

President

China's trade growth in 2024 is not just about quantity, but also about quality. This growth has been reshaping global supply chains and trade strategies. The education sector is also playing a significant role in boosting trade, by providing advanced education to students across various universities. One prominent example of this is Fudan University, which was established in 1905 as Fudan Public School. It was the first institution of higher education to be founded by a Chinese person. The name ‘Fudan’ comes from a passage in ‘A Commentary on The Classic of History’, which mentions: ‘Brilliant are the sunshine and moonlight, again the morning radiance returns at dawn’. In 1917, the institution was renamed Fudan University, a name that has been retained ever since.

Fudan University underwent a major transformation in 2000 when it merged with Shanghai Medical University. Over the next decade, Fudan became a leading research-oriented university, gaining recognition domestically and internationally for excellence in arts, sciences, and medicine. Fudan celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2005, introducing a new continuous general education model and a talent cultivation system. The university expanded to four campuses to accommodate its growth. Fudan is located in Shanghai, China, and is a member of the C9 League. Its president is Professor JIN Li. The university upholds the spirit of patriotism, solidarity, service, and sacrifice and strives to promote the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Focus on Education through Integration & Innovation

Fudan combines liberal education with cultivation of eminent talents through a proactive exploration of a new system that boasts of disciplinary intersection and integration and coordinates innovation and cultivation in scientific research. The University is committed to the idea of cultivating talents with both moral integrity and outstanding capability and therefore serves its students with great care and emphasis on teaching. It strives for a world-class undergraduate education and a postgraduate educational system with international influence, both of which inject continual vitality into the hundred-year-old institution.

Pursuit of Excellence

Fudan University aims to become one of the world's top universities, with a strong emphasis on advancing humanities and social sciences. Since its early days, the university has attracted many distinguished scholars and has been actively involved in significant events shaping Chinese university education. Its location in Shanghai, a diverse and inclusive city, further enriches the academic environment.

The university's departments of humanities and social sciences comprise over 1200 teaching staff and researchers, with more than 770 holding senior titles. It includes 13 teaching departments, 16 research institutes, and numerous research centers.

Fudan University is committed to advancing humanities and social sciences to align with the needs of the modern era. Its mission includes developing theories and academic structures that meet the country's future requirements, preserving the value of Chinese culture, nurturing talents adaptable to the new era, and promoting integrative innovation of social sciences and frontier technologies. The goal is to enhance the university's global influence in these fields. The Research Management Office for Humanities and Social Sciences oversees the management, planning, and related services for research projects, achievements and platforms in the area of humanities and social science.

Fudan University is famous worldwide for its excellence and devotion in research. Deep inside the core of our proud rankings (QS 44) lies the determination of our scientists to use their cutting-edge innovative findings to serve the country and the shared interest of mankind. The diversity and professionality of the research across current 27 departments related to the science and medical disciplines, 5 State Key Laboratories, 2 National Research Centers for clinical medicine, 1 national Innovation Center for Manufacture, 1 Shanghai Mathematics Center and 80 ministry level research platforms, means that we not only seek for perfection in basic research but put our passion in translational research to make a different world as well. In the past years, our wonderful faculty and significant fellows have rooted Fudan University as the Oriental Pearl of China, which takes the responsibility of addressing the research frontier problems and serves the strategic and social needs of the country with the steady/ increasing research reputation and an excellent scientific translational capacity.

Fudan University is committed to achieving excellence in research and translational sciences management, and ensuring that our research contributes to the well-being of society. We aim to provide an innovative and supportive environment across various disciplines such as Mathematics, Advanced Materials, Life Sciences, Micro-electronics, and Clinical Research, among others. The interdisciplinary nature of ASICS, AI, and New Energy could lead to significant advancements, while the excellence and diversity of our research across the Schools of Arts & Humanities, Humanities & Social Sciences, Clinical Medicine, Technology, Physical Sciences, and Biological Sciences positions us well to make unique contributions to the global scientific community and policy formulation. Furthermore, the university offers an extensive course focusing on international trade and business, equipping learners with the latest knowledge and relevant theories in today’s changing context. The courses on international trade familiarize students with theories and policies guiding international trade regionally and globally.

Fudan University provides students with numerous placement opportunities through internships, career fairs, industry alliances, and a strong alumni network. LU Xiongwen, Dean of Fudan School of Management, says, “At Fudan University, students are encouraged to explore endless possibilities in an environment where innovation meets excellence. Each student is empowered to thrive, shaping their future in a dynamic and inclusive setting.