Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU)

Dr. Sun Yat-sen is revered throughout East Asia as a revolutionary, writer, and philosopher. He was the founder of the Republic of China and its first president. In both mainland China and Taiwan, he is still referred to as “the father of the nation.” His legacy in the mainland is carried on by the university he founded in Guangzhou—Sun Yat-sen University, or SYSU. SYSU offers amazing opportunities for students seeking medical or business degrees in China.

In 1924, Sun Yat-sen established the National Canton University in Guangzhou, Guangdong. After his death, the university’s name was changed to Sun Yat-sen University. The modern university was formed as the result of multiple mergers and restructurings, involving more than a dozen institutions. Two of the most important institutions merged into SYSU were the Sun Yat-sen University of Medical Sciences, founded in 1866, and the Lingnan University, founded in 1888. Both of these universities were outstanding medical colleges, and modern SYSU has carried on that legacy.

SYSU has the largest network of affiliated hospitals in modern China. The network includes the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, which has been a World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Center for Research since 1980. In 2004 the center established joint research facilities with Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet. SYSU has partnered with Johns Hopkins University to found the Medical Research Center for Clinical and Translational Research. The University publishes many respected medical journals, including the Chinese Journal of Cancer, New Medicine, and Modern Clinical Nursing.

SYSU’s business programs are also outstanding, and perfectly suited for international students. Sun Yat-sen University’s business education programs are accredited by EQUIS, AACSB, and AMBA. In fact, SYSU is one of only three universities in China to have this triple accreditation. SYSU’s MBA program offers some particularly notable opportunities. The Lingnan-MIT IMBA program is an English-taught, dual-degree program that is jointly supervised by SYSU and MIT Sloan School of Management. On completion of this program, students are awarded both an International MBA from SYSU and a master’s degree in management studies from MIT Sloan. Manager and Forbes have both ranked this program as one of the top ten MBA programs in China. MBA students at SYSU can also pursue dual-degree programs with other universities including ESCP Europe, Rotterdam School of Management, and Erasmus University.

Sun Yat-sen University has four campuses. Three are located in Guangzhou and one is in the nearby city of Zhuhai. The main campus is the original site in Haizhu District, often referred to as the “South Campus.” The University is the home of the world’s second fastest supercomputer, Tianhe-2. SYSU has one of the largest library collections in China, including the Hilles Library, which contains 158,000 volumes donated by Harvard University in 2005.

Sun Yat-sen University stands out for its medical science programs and business programs. The university boasts the largest affiliated hospital network in China and an English-taught MBA offering dual-degrees with MIT. International students in China will not be at a lack for exciting opportunities at SYSU.