Zhejiang University (ZJU) (Zheda)

In 1944, British sinologist Dr. Joseph Needham hailed Zhejiang University as “The Cambridge of the East.” Today, ZJU lives up to this reputation as one of China’s oldest, most prestigious, and most selective universities. Zhejiang University is known as one of the most international universities in China—boasting globally competitive rankings.

Zhejiang University was founded in the late Qing Dynasty in 1897 by the mayor of Hangzhou, Lin Qi. Lin applied his knowledge of Western academic models to the fledgling university and it soon became one of China’s most developed schools. In the 1950s and 60s ZJU was influential in the development of Chinese engineering, with the dean Li Shouheng being lauded as one of the founding fathers of China’s chemical engineering field. In 1958 scientists at ZJU developed China’s first dual inner water-cooled turbo generator. In 1964 ZJU scientists invented a high speed videography system capable of filming nuclear explosions.

ZJU’s legacy in engineering has continued into the present. In 2001, Zhejiang University Science Park was founded and became one of China’s first such sites. The Park has been instrumental in incubating high-tech start-ups and facilitating technology transfer. In 2008, ZJU scientists invented China’s first Polyshield Tunnel Boring Machine which was later used to construct the Tianjin Underground. In 2013, ZJU scientists synthesized the world’s lightest ever carbon aerogel. And, in 2016 Zhejiang University won more national science and technology awards than any other university in China. In the Essential Science Indicators (ESI) ZJU ranks in the top 1% globally in 15 disciplines and in the world’s top 100 universities in 4 disciplines.

International students are welcome at ZJU and in recent years the school’s international students have had many exciting opportunities such as interning at Alibaba and participating in lecture series. ZJU also has an international campus. Students doing a full-time degree at a partner university—such as the University of Edinburgh, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, or Imperial College London—can choose to add an extra year on to their degree to be completed on the international campus at Zhejiang University.

ZJU has seven beautiful campuses located in and around the picturesque city of Hangzhou. The Zijingang Campus is the main campus and is known for its striking mix of postmodern and traditional Chinese architecture.

International students looking for a world-class science and technology degree in China should consider attending Zhejiang University. Students at one of ZJU’s partner institutions worldwide will benefit from a year spent at ZJU’s international campus. As one of China’s oldest and most prestigious universities, Zhejiang University is an excellent place to begin a career in China and the world.