SUES is among the first universities in Shanghai to launch Sino-foreign cooperative education programs. We have established eleven joint programs with institutions from France, the United States, South Korea, and Switzerland over the years. These programs span disciplines including engineering, art, and management, forming a comprehensive and multidisciplinary framework for internationalized tertiary education. At its peak, over 2,300 students enrolled in the programs annually, getting access to international education without the need to studying abroad. All the programs have been reviewed and approved by the Ministry of Education and accredited by the Shanghai Municipal Government, earning SUES widespread recognition from both the government and the broader part of the society.

In April 2022, the Ministry of Education formally approved the founding of International Institute of Creative Design, a non-independent-legal-entity jointly proposed by SUES , Kongju National University (South Korea) and Dongseo University (South Korea), which marks a new stage in the development of SUES’ international education initiatives.

International Institute of Creative Design integrates the best educational resources and strengths of the three partner universities to build a top-class, internationally oriented design institute. It aims to explore an art education model and talent development mechanism that manifest both Chinese and Korean characteristics, helping to cater for the national G60 Science and Technology Innovation Corridor strategy and to fulfill the regional goal of expanding educational openness in the Yangtze River Delta. The newly found Institute is committed to cultivating talent that will bolster China—especially Shanghai—in becoming a global hub for creative design and cultural and creative industries with far-reaching influence.