CN
ABOUT ZISU
ABOUT ZISU
INTRODUCING ZISU
History
Zhejiang International Studies University (ZISU) is an institution of higher learning in Zhejiang province that specializes in the studies of foreign languages and literatures, international and regional studies, and a range of other academic disciplines. It was established formerly as a training college of education in 1955, and engaged in regular undergraduate teaching in 1994. In 2010, with the approval of the State Ministry of Education, it was restructured as a full-time college offering undergraduate programs. In 2018, the college received accreditation for undergraduate education from the Ministry, marking the beginning of its new development. In 2024, it obtained its status as a master’s degree conferring entity offering master’s programs. The school’s motto is “Virtue, Perseverance, Erudition, Practicality”.
Education Programs
ZISU currently has 13 teaching schools offering 36 programs, with 16 foreign language programs (English, Business English, Translation, Japanese, Spanish, French, Arabic, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Korean, German, Czech, Turkish, Polish, and Vietnamese) and 3 newly established master’s programs (International and Regional Studies, Pedagogy, and Translation). Seven undergraduate programs (English, Primary Education, Arabic, Translation, Tourism Management, Business English, and Russian) are accredited as national first-class programs, and 7 others (TCSOL, International Business, Chinese Language and Literature, International Economics and Trade, Korean, Spanish, Convention & Exhibition Economy and Management) as provincial first-class programs. Six academic disciplines—Foreign Languages and Literatures, International and Regional Studies, Chinese Language and Literature, Pedagogy, Business Administration (Tourism Management) and Applied Economics—are rated as first-class of the province.It offers graduate programs in Regional and Country Studies, two professional master's programs in Education and Translation.
-
13
Schools
-
3
Master's Degree Programs
-
36
Undergraduate Programs
-
9800
Student Population
-
160
Programs
Students
Recruiting students from 17 provinces and autonomous regions in China, ZISU now has a student population of over 9,800. It aims to cultivate high-end application-oriented talents with patriotism and a global vision, proficient in foreign languages, strong in digital intelligence capabilities, and capable of fulfilling the mission of cultural exchange and mutual learning among civilizations, and communicating Chinese and Zhejiang culture worldwide. As a pilot school for fostering applied talents on the undergraduate level, a leading school in classroom teaching innovation, a demonstration center for faculty teaching development, and a practice base of the China Center for International People-to-People Exchange under the Ministry of Education for cultivating high-level international talents, ZISU has created many innovative programs, such as the “Foreign Language Plus”, the “Dual Campuses” and the “Innovative Experimental Classes”. All this has enabled the school to fulfil its unique mission of cultivating international talents in languages and cultures, business, tourism and education. One of the cases in point is the international volunteer services offered by ZISU students and faculty, a prestigious hallmark in promoting the internationalization of Zhejiang. The school has provided over 21,000 volunteers for major events such as the Hangzhou Asian Games (and Paralympics), the G20 Hangzhou Summit, the World Internet Conference, and the Liangzhu Forum, rendering services for guests from over 100 countries and regions and earning more than 600 honors. Also, students from ZISU have won numerous awards in A-level academic competitions, such as the National Grand Prize in the “FLTRP Cup” English Writing Competition, and the First Prize in the “Challenge Cup” National College Student Extracurricular Academic and Technological Works Competition. The quality of its students has been recognized by the public, with a high average employment rate of undergraduates in recent years.
Faculty
ZISU has over 800 faculty and staff members, more than 40% of them holding senior professional titles, over 60% with doctoral degrees, and over 50% with research experience overseas. Over 80% of the foreign language faculty have studied abroad. Currently, the school has 18 national-level leading talents, 9 faculty members who receive special government allowances from the State Council, and 1 recipient of the “National May 1st Labor Medal”. Two teachers are selected as provincial and ministerial-level talents for their outstanding contributions, and 2 others have been selected for provincial youth talent projects. The school also has 32 participants in the provincial “151 Talent Project,” 4 Zhejiang Young Scholars in Social Sciences, and 11 members in the Provincial Higher Education Leading Talent Cultivation Program. Nine faculty members serve on the Ministry of Education’s Higher Education Teaching Steering Committee (including 3 as vice chairpersons), and 15 more are on the Provincial Higher Education Undergraduate Teaching Steering Committee (including 2 as chairpersons and 2 as vice chairpersons). In addition, ZISU has appointed over 30 senior professors, full-time distinguished professors, and part-time professors.
Research and Community Service
ZISU focuses on enhancing its capabilities in research and social service. In recent years, the number of high-level research projects, papers and awards has significantly increased. Its construction of specialized think tanks has shown remarkable results, with 9 provincial and ministerial-level research institutes, including a research base under the Zhejiang Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, as well as 3 international research collaboration platforms. The university has established 2 joint research institutes with the China Center for International People-to-People Exchange under the Ministry of Education, and a cross-border e-commerce research institute in cooperation with Zhejiang Provincial Department of Commerce and Pujiang County Government. Moreover, the university has set up a number of elite research entities, such as the Collaborative Innovation Center for Promoting Zhejiang Culture Abroad, the International and Regional Studies Institute, the Education Governance Research Center, the Foreign Language Education Research Center, the Urban Internationalization Research Institute, and the Mediterranean Studies Institute. Their research outcomes have multiplied and received attention and directives from central and provincial leadership. The Journal of Zhejiang International Studies University is accredited as one of the elite social science journals of higher education institutions nationwide.
ZISU serves as a demonstration trainer for the Ministry of Education’s “National Training Program”, a principal training base for the Ministry’s “Leadership Project”, a key base for teacher education in Zhejiang, and an international service outsourcing talent training base in the province. The university is entrusted by the Provincial Department of Education to run the Provincial Training Center for Teachers and Administrators and the Sino-German Cooperation Project Office for Teacher Training. Since its establishment, the university has trained over 350,000 individuals. It also publishes three teaching magazines: Teaching Monthly (Middle School and Primary School Editions), and New World of Composition, along with an educational newspaper titled Children’s World.
International Exchange and Cooperation
As the Provincial Base for International People-to-People Exchange, ZISU has signed educational exchange agreements with over 150 universities and institutions in more than 50 countries and regions. It has over 160 educational exchange programs, including 10 government scholarship programs, more than 10 overseas internship programs, over 20 dual-degree or bachelor-master’s programs, and more than 80 inter-university exchange programs. In 2024, over 526 students participated in overseas exchange programs, and the university hosted over 100 international students in both degree and non-degree programs. The university places great emphasis on TCSOL and has established Confucius Institutes at the National University of Equatorial Guinea and in Antigua and Barbuda. Moreover, through organizing forums, dialogues, themed exchanges, cultural performances and experiences, the university has been actively building platforms for international youth and cultural exchange for better communication of Chinese culture worldwide and mutual learning among civilizations.
Location and Facilities
ZISU is located in the Xiaoheshan Higher Education Park, and adjacent to the Xixi National Wetland. Its campus is beautifully designed, with well-maintained and continually improving infrastructure. The university boasts fully equipped modern teaching facilities, including a number of key experimental teaching demonstration centers of the province. It houses a variety of advanced and specialized labs for language learning, simultaneous interpretation, international communication, teacher education, tourism management, e-commerce, and digital humanities. Its library is well-stocked with a rich collection of resources.
Prospect
In recent years, ZISU has closely aligned itself with national and provincial development priorities, focusing on high-quality development, strengthening its unique characteristics, and enhancing its core competitiveness. Following the new mission of building itself into an “internationally renowned foreign language university distinguished by its service to the development of new international relations”, the university aims to optimize and upgrade its key disciplines and programs, and transform itself into a major base for cultivating international talents, a strategic think tank supporting Zhejiang’s openness, and an important platform for international cultural and educational exchanges in Zhejiang, making its due contribution to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
With the collaborative initiatives of Zhejiang province with Peking University to support ZISU’s development, the university is striving to further enhance its capabilities, thus making greater contribution to Zhejiang’s efforts of creating an important window for achieving socialist common prosperity and provincial-level modernization.
(Data as of June 2025)