A Legacy of Educational Excellence at Shanghai Jiao Tong University

The discipline of education at Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) traces its origins to the late 19th century. In 1897, Nanyang Public School, SJTU's predecessor, established China's first Normal School, producing the country's earliest cohort of modern-trained educators. Among its distinguished graduates were Shen Xingong, known as the "Father of School Songs"; Wang Peisheng, an influential educator; Bai Yukun, a revolutionary martyr; Zhang Xiangwen, a pioneer of geography; and Meng Sen, an early scholar of Qing history. Their groundbreaking contributions helped shape modern education in China.

Building on this rich legacy, SJTU's commitment to education studies has continued to evolve. A Higher Education Research Office was established in 1985, which grew into the Institute of Higher Education in 1993, was reorganized as the Graduate School of Education in 2007, and finally became the School of Education in 2020.

The School of Education remains deeply committed to its founding mission: "Education is the first foundation." Guided by the philosophy of "building strong foundations with strong foundations, nurturing excellence with excellence," the school adheres to four core principles: valuing inquiry, emphasizing practice, embracing interdisciplinarity, and cultivating dedication. It has developed a comprehensive training system that includes undergraduate minor programs, a Master of Education (M.Ed.), a Master of Arts in Education, a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), a Ph.D. in Education, and international dual-degree programs. The goal is to cultivate future-ready, exceptional teachers, educational administrators, and researchers who possess a deep passion for education, interdisciplinary and global perspectives, and solid professional foundations.

Leveraging the strengths of a world-class comprehensive research university, and with university-wide support, the school has established an innovative "3+3+X" talent development framework. This model integrates three key forces—the School of Education, academic departments, and practice sites—and harnesses the expertise of three types of mentors: education faculty, subject-area specialists, and practicing teachers. Together, they create a diverse and integrated training environment.

Benchmarking against the world's top education schools and aligning with China's national education development strategies, the school focuses on cutting-edge fields such as AI in education, STEM education, and science and engineering education, building out a "9+3+3" disciplinary system. Committed to both recruiting and nurturing top talent, the school reports that 80% of its full-time faculty hold doctoral degrees from prestigious overseas universities, many from the world's leading education schools. The result is a forward-looking, dynamic, and highly accomplished faculty.

The school is also dedicated to building a strong academic brand and global presence. It has published the first Chinese-language and first English-language books on world-class university research, released the world's first multi-indicator global university ranking, and edited the first academic library series focused on the theme of world-class universities. The school has also hosted the International Symposium on World-Class Universities and the International Conference on Excellence in Education, steadily expanding its influence at home and abroad.

Actively serving national strategies and local needs, the school translates its research into expert policy recommendations, special reports, and consultations for government bodies including the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Finance, and the Shanghai Municipal Government. Its contributions have earned it a place on the "China Core Think Tank List." The school supports the development of basic education nationwide, undertakes various teacher training programs, and has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Chinese Academy of Educational Sciences to establish a Center for Excellence in Teacher Professional Development. It has launched a micro-major in "Artificial Intelligence and Digital Education." Working in tandem with the university's K-12 school administration office, the school supports the specialized development of affiliated schools, develops collaborative teaching and research projects, and provides professional research support.

The school is deeply involved in the Ministry of Education's program to support county-level high schools. It has established the "Ziwu Lianxin" Education Base at Eryuan No. 1 High School in Yunnan Province and maintains a "hand-in-hand" educational partnership with Ding'an Middle School in Hainan Province. Faculty and students travel great distances to conduct volunteer teaching activities, providing crucial support that helped SJTU earn recognition from the Ministry of Education as a model project for targeted poverty alleviation through education.

With unwavering spirit and determination, the School of Education will continue to seize opportunities and strive relentlessly for high-quality development. Committed to forging an innovative path forward, it aims to build a world-class school of education with Chinese characteristics and write a new chapter of innovation and growth for educational studies at Shanghai Jiao Tong University.