Shanghai International Studies University, abbreviated as SISU, as one of the key universities of the national project “211”, is jointly administered by China’s Ministry of Education and Shanghai Municipal Government. Founded in 1949, SISU was one of the first key universities engaged in both foreign language teaching and cultural exchanges with foreign countries since the establishment of the PRC. Over the past 59 years, SISU has developed into a comprehensive and multi-disciplinary foreign language university, influential both at home and abroad. Apart from its unique features in foreign language teaching, the University also offers educational programs incorporating studies in literature, education, economics, management and law.
SISU puts an emphasis on the construction of disciplines and majors. The university offers 15 foreign language degree-programs and 12 non-linguistic degree programs. Setting the undergraduate education as its foundation and the construction of disciplines and majors as its pillars, SISU is striving for extension in both directions in an effort to find the best ways to strengthen China’s foreign language teaching and disciplinary construction. The University has established affiliated foreign language elementary and high schools, which are closely connected to the teaching of some of the University’s major foreign languages. This prepares high-quality students for college. SISU has also established the postgraduate education, doctoral education and postdoctoral education, all of which are intended to upgrade the general college education. These extensions have created new ways to train remarkably talented students. At present, the University is running 23 master’s degree programs, 10 doctoral programs and 1 postdoctoral station. In addition, it has 2 national key disciplines and 3 municipal key disciplines of Shanghai, 1 national research center of humanities & social sciences. Currently, SISU has a full-time enrolment of over 1400 postgraduate students, including more than 200 doctoral students.
SISU advocates the modern open educational ideas. As early as its birth in 1949, there were foreign experts working for the school. Thanks to China’s reform and policy of opening up to the outside world, international students’ education in SISU has grown rapidly in the past two decades. SISU regards opening-up and cultural exchanges with foreign countries as the basis of its further development. Its open-minded attitude allows it to fully draw on the excellent achievements and experiences of other countries in higher education. It encourages the faculty and students to raise their international awareness and strengthen their communicative abilities in order to fully show the appeal of international education of the University. SISU takes an active part in international academic exchanges. As an active advocator of international academic exchange and cooperation, SISU has entered into partnership with 119 renowned universities in 32 countries and regions. Every year, foreign experts and teachers are invited to teach or give lectures, and more than 100 Chinese teachers are sent abroad for advanced studies or academic visits. SISU has also set up one radio station and a TV station, broadcasting in foreign languages. Additionally, satellite reception was installed so that the students have free 24-hour access to more than 20 overseas channels which broadcast in many different languages, including English, Japanese, Russian, French, Arabic. Here, students of different nationalities gather together and live in harmony in this big international family.
International Students’ Education
In SISU, the International Students’ Education has always been an essential part of its international communication. Since it started to enroll oversea students in the late 1970s, SISU has gained invaluable experiences in the international education and the teaching of Chinese as a foreign language. It now offers various programs at different levels, ranging from short-term Chinese lessons, degree and non-degree Chinese language programs to the Master’s and doctoral programs in teaching Chinese as a foreign language. Over the past 30 years, these programs have benefited some 10,000 international students from over 60 countries and regions. Currently there are more than 1,200 fulltime international students studying for long-term programs and around 400 for short-term academic visits and training.
The high-quality language teaching in SISU has been a long-established tradition and its distinguishing feature. During the past 30 years, teaching Chinese as a foreign language has become a fast-developing discipline and currently has over 40 full-time teachers with academic prestige and educational experience, more than half of whom are professors and associate professors. In addition, a large majority of them are the holders of the Certificate for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language and have had experience teaching Chinese abroad. We also have a stable team of highly experienced part-time teachers, who, along with our competent full-time staff, are devoted to this discipline.
The international education programs in SISU always attach great importance to the good combination of teaching and personal experience of the language. Therefore, in terms of teaching content and approach, priority is given to the student’s practical application of their language skills. For this purpose, a large variety of extra-curricular activities are organized. For instance, international students are regularly provided with opportunities to watch acrobatic shows and traditional Chinese operas, pay visits to places of cultural and historical interest, and take field trips to the Chinese rural enterprises. In order to boost students’ enthusiasm for the study of Chinese, every year many competitions are held in areas such as recitation, speech, composition and songs in Chinese. Artistic performances by international students are also often staged. This not only enriches their Chinese study and improves their practical Chinese skills, but also helps them to better understand Chinese culture and society.
The main campus of SISU enjoys a favorable geographic location with convenient transportation. The commercial center is only minutes away. The school boasts advanced facilities for studying and living. It has modern labs for simultaneous interpretation, language training and educational technology. First-class facilities and services are easily available in SISU Guesthouse and Foreign Experts’ Building. Students can fully relax themselves in the school’s new multi-functional gym. SISU is indeed an ideal place for life and study.
We warmly welcome you to study and experience Chinese culture at SISU.
