Address: 393 Huaxia Middle Road, Pudong New Area, 201210 Shanghai, Shanghai, China
Information Science & Technology, Physical Science & Technology, Life Science & Technology
ShanghaiTech University was established in 2013 as a joint undertaking of the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The main campus lies in the Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park in Pudong, where the university works in partnership with institutes of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Instruction is given in English and Chinese. The university is organised in schools of physical science and technology, life science and technology, information science and technology, entrepreneurship and management, and creative arts. Two research institutes, the Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies and the iHuman Institute, are part of the university.
Professors and adjunct professors include Nobel laureates, among them Roger Kornberg, Kurt Wüthrich and James Rothman. Bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees are offered in its schools. In the Shanghai Ranking’s 2026 edition the university sits in the 201-300 band of the Academic Ranking of World Universities, and current programme lists and admission rules are published on the official site.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Automation, Bioengineering, Bioinformatics, Chemistry, Computer Vision, Data Analytics, Ecology and Sustainability, Electrical and Electronics, Engineering, Fluid Dynamics, Life Sciences, Manufacturing, Materials, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Microbiology and Genetics, Nanotechnologies, Optics, Physics, Process Control, Robotics, Signal Processing, Software Engineering, Statistics, Structural Engineering, Telecommunications, Thermodynamics
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Strong links with CAS institutes in Shanghai. Focus on international collaboration and innovation.
Research:
AI & Data Science, Materials Science & Energy, Biomedical Engineering & Drug Discovery, Quantum Devices, Environmental Science.
Famous Alumnis:
N/A
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
600
Current students***:
5000
Foreign students***:
10%
Cumulative former students***:
N/A
Pros
New research university with strong funding and CAS backing, focus on cutting-edge research and innovation, international faculty.
Cons
Small and relatively new, still establishing its global presence and alumni base.
Best For
Young research university in Shanghai focused on science, technology, and innovation, with strong CAS links.
Southern University of Science and Technology is a public university in Shenzhen with materials science, computer science and physics as main fields.
Westlake University, a private research university in Hangzhou, concentrates on life sciences, science, engineering and medicine.
UCAS is a public university in Beijing with physics, mathematics and computer science as main fields.
USTC, a public university in Hefei, is strong in quantum physics, computer science and materials science.
Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen is a public university in Shenzhen with science, engineering, data science and artificial intelligence among its fields.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia is a public research university in science and engineering, with biological and environmental science and computer science among its fields.
Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology in South Korea is public and specialises in materials, engineering and nanotechnologies, a comparable technology institute.
Nanyang Technological University in Singapore is public and lists engineering, computing and data science among its main fields.
EPFL in Switzerland is a public technical university with engineering, computer science and life sciences, close to ShanghaiTech's three core science areas.
Aalto University in Finland is public and covers engineering, information and computer science, and materials science.
*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
Who established ShanghaiTech and when?
The university was established in 2013 by the Shanghai Municipal People's Government together with the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Where is the main campus?
The main campus is in the Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park in Pudong, Shanghai.
Which schools does it have?
There are schools of physical science and technology, life science and technology, information science and technology, and entrepreneurship and management, plus a school of creative arts. Research institutes include the iHuman Institute and the Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies.
In which language are courses taught?
Courses are given in English and Chinese. Language requirements for applicants depend on the programme and are listed on the official site.
What role do adjunct professors play?
Adjunct professors, some of them Nobel laureates, supplement the full-time faculty.
How is the university ranked?
The Shanghai Ranking places it in the 201-300 band of the Academic Ranking of World Universities 2026. Its subject rankings are strongest in telecommunication engineering and biomedical engineering.
Artificial Intelligence (AI), Environmental Engineering, Innovation, Machine Learning, Materials Science, Research and Development, Sustainability
*: 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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