As US universities retreat from China partnerships, who is filling the academic void?

South China Morning PostEN 1 min read 100% complete by Alyssa ChenMarch 7, 2026 at 11:00 PM

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In 1978, academic ties between the US and China were established, leading to partnerships like the joint institute between Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) and the University of Michigan (UM) in 2006. This institute, offering engineering degrees, was considered a model for transnational education. However, UM ended the partnership in early 2025 due to funding, political, and security concerns. SJTU responded by transforming the institute into SJTU Global College and seeking new international collaborations, including with Singapore's Nanyang Technological University (NTU). This closure reflects a broader trend of US universities retreating from partnerships in China amid rising geopolitical tensions. SJTU also plans to establish Zhangjiang International College of Technology this year.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Zhangjiang International College of Technology 30% Singapore 30% Nanyang Technological University (NTU) 40% SJTU Global College 50% Deng Xiaoping 60% United States ×370% China ×270% University of Michigan (UM) ×480% Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) ×590%

Keywords

us-china relations 90% academic partnerships 90% transnational education 80% shanghai jiao tong university 70% geopolitical tensions 70% university collaborations 70% university of michigan 60% political concerns 50% security concerns 50% funding 50%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.20

Source Transparency

Source

South China Morning Post

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

China

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis.

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us-china relations academic partnerships transnational education shanghai jiao tong university geopolitical tensions university collaborations university of michigan political concerns security concerns funding

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