Shanghai University, known as SHU, is a municipal university in Shanghai whose main site is in Baoshan District, at 99 Shangda Road. ShanghaiRanking and Times Higher Education both give 1922 as the year of its establishment. It is co-sponsored by the Ministry of Education and Shanghai Municipality and belongs to Project 211.
Its programmes range from philosophy, economics, law, education, literature and history to engineering and the natural sciences. The best-ranked fields belong to engineering: ShanghaiRanking Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2026 puts metallurgical engineering at 13th, instruments science and technology at 40th, nanoscience and nanotechnology at 43rd and mechanical engineering at 46th.
Several further fields, among them biomedical, civil and chemical engineering, marine and ocean engineering and transportation science and technology, are in the 51-75 band. Overall, the Academic Ranking of World Universities 2026 lists the university in the 301-400 band and the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2027 in the 501-550 band. Admission rules, colleges and programmes are published on the official website.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Automation, Bioengineering, Bioinformatics, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Computer Vision, Data Analytics, Ecology and Sustainability, Electrical and Electronics, Engineering, Fluid Dynamics, Industrial Design, Life Sciences, Manufacturing, Materials, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Microbiology and Genetics, Nanotechnologies, Optics, Physics, Process Control, Project Management, Robotics, Signal Processing, Software Engineering, Statistics, Structural Engineering, Telecommunications, Thermodynamics, Transportations
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Strong collaborations with local industries and research institutions in Shanghai. Growing international partnerships.
Research:
Advanced Materials & Nanotechnology, Intelligent Manufacturing & Robotics, AI & Big Data, Urban Studies & Smart Cities.
Famous Alumnis:
N/A
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
3200
Current students***:
37000
Foreign students***:
10%
Cumulative former students***:
N/A
Pros
Comprehensive university in Shanghai, strong in materials science and engineering, rapidly developing research capabilities.
Cons
Large university with multiple campuses, some programs are more research-oriented than others.
Best For
Comprehensive university with strong programs in materials science, mechanical engineering, and computer science.
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*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
When was Shanghai University established?
ShanghaiRanking and Times Higher Education both give 1922 as the year of establishment. The main site is in Baoshan District, Shanghai.
Who sponsors the university?
It is a municipal university of Shanghai, co-sponsored by the Ministry of Education and Shanghai Municipality. This differs from universities administered by the national ministries alone.
Where is it located?
The main site is in Baoshan District, Shanghai. The postal code of the university is 200444.
Which subjects does it rank highest in?
In ShanghaiRanking's 2026 subject table it is 13th in metallurgical engineering and 40th in instruments science and technology. Nanoscience and nanotechnology is 43rd and mechanical engineering 46th.
Where does it stand in world rankings?
The Academic Ranking of World Universities 2026 lists it in the 301-400 band. The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2027 place it in the 501-550 band.
How can an applicant learn about fees and programmes?
Entry rules and tuition differ between degrees and years. The international pages of the official website give the current conditions.
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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