Xianda College of Economics and Humanities, Shanghai International Studies University, was established in 2004 by Shanghai International Studies University and Shanghai Xianda Investment Co., Ltd., and was one of the first full-time independent institutions of higher education in Shanghai approved by the Ministry of Education. It now has two campuses: Hongkou and Chongming. Hongkou Campus is located in the heart of northeast downtown in Shanghai, adjacent to Shanghai International Studies University, whereas Chongming Campus is situated in Chenjia Town, Chongming District, with a beautiful neoclassical Tuscan style architecture and unique ecological environment complementing each other.
Benefiting from the support of the excellent teaching faculty and expertise in foreign language teaching and research of Shanghai International Studies University, Xianda has built a talent cultivation system. It lays a strong emphasis on language learning, economics subjects and coordinated development of other disciplines (professional learning and English). Currently, it offers22 undergraduate programs in six main fields of literature, law, economics, management, education and art, with approximately 8000 full-time undergraduate students.
Upholding its mission to cultivate students through the integration of humanities and economics studies, Xianda has been encouraging educational and teaching reform. In 2018, Xianda launched an innovative talent training program. A team of top-level professors is formed to assess and guide the selection process of the talent program. This new scheme is the latest initiative in the college’s mission to develop its own talent pool among undergraduates. Since 2020, Xianda has set up a student management and service center, consisting of student development department and student affairs department and adhering to the concept of “holistic education”, to promote all-round development of students’ moral, intellectual, physical, aesthetic and labour education.
Xianda values practical teaching and helps students to apply theory in practice. It has established a close relationship with prestigious organizations such as Orient International (Holding) Co., Ltd., East China Architectural Design (Group) Co., Ltd., Jin Jiang Travel, Seentao Technology Co., Ltd., Shangqing Industrial (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., Itochu Logistics, Panasonic, and Ctrip International Travel Service. Such relationship has provided numerous opportunities for practical work experience.
Adhering to the open mode of running the college, Xianda takes the path of globalization of higher education by introducing advanced educational concepts and management modes adopted in leading domestic and foreign universities. Xianda has introduced talented returnees, accounting for more than 50% of the teaching faculty, and established solid, friendly and cooperative partnerships with over 100 prestigious universities in 16 countries and regions, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, Spain, Switzerland, Japan, Korea, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Hong Kong, China and Taiwan, China. Through programs of credit transfer, co-operative internship, student exchange, government scholarship, dual bachelor’s degrees and combined bachelor’s and master’s degree programs, it offers students with a variety of overseas opportunities to involve them in different international contexts to develop their global outlook and to improve their cross-cultural communication skill. Over the past 3 years, an average of approximately 26% of students per annum have been enrolled in postgraduate studies at leading universities such as the University of California, Berkeley, New York University, Cambridge University, University College London(UCL) and Waseda University.
Xianda embraces students’ individuality and enhances their foreign language skills by offering a varied, wide selection of English or bilingual classes. At the same time, Xianda respects students’ desire for knowledge and is a member of the Northeast Shanghai University Cooperative Alliance , providing students with access to minor and selective courses in Fudan University, Shanghai Finance and Economics University, etc.
At present, with its brand-new education system, flexible mechanism, rich resources and inherent development potential, and having Shanghai as its foothold and recruiting students throughout the country, Xianda is trying hard to build itself into a high-level application-oriented university with distinctive characteristics.