Duke Kunshan starts search for bachelor’s degree students

Duke Kunshan University, a joint venture between Duke University in the US and China’s Wuhan University, has started to enroll its first class of undergraduate students.

The university — based in Kunshan, Jiangsu province — will launch its inaugural bachelor’s degree program in August, according to Li Hui, assistant to the university’s president, Liu Jingnan.

She said Duke Kunshan plans to enroll 175 students from 15 provincial areas, including Beijing and Shanghai, “with the total number including international students reaching 225”.

The four-year degree is based on liberal arts and sciences, and will allow students to explore a variety of subjects and build a broad base of knowledge in the first two years before selecting a major, Li said on Sunday.

“Designed by faculty from Duke University with input from Chinese higher-education experts, our curriculum develops deep subject matter expertise while integrating coursework from multiple disciplines, ensuring that graduates are well prepared for employment or advanced studies in their chosen field,” she said.

“Studying at Duke Kunshan will be much like doing so overseas. After spending years studying overseas, students may find it hard to stay there after graduation or find it hard to adapt to the rapid developments in their homeland.

“Yet studying at a university like Duke Kunshan will enable students to keep up to date with China’s development and gain an international perspective.”

Li added that courses will be taught in English and will be primarily conducted in small, discussion-based classes with a ratio of one teacher to 11 students.