Founded in 1959, Shanghai College of Science and Technology (SCST) is a public full-time higher vocational college approved by the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government and registered with the Ministry of Education of China. Located in Jiading District, one of Shanghai’s “Five Major New Cities” and renowned as the “International Auto City,” the college has been recognized as a “Civilized Unit,” “Safe and Civilized Campus,” “Green School,” and “Garden Unit” by the Shanghai Municipal Government. In 2016, SCST passed the acceptance evaluation for Shanghai’s Distinctive Higher Vocational Colleges with an “excellent” rating. It is also among the first batch of Shanghai’s demonstration institutions for deepening innovation and entrepreneurship education reform and a nationally recognized model for innovation and entrepreneurship education reform. In 2021 and 2024, SCST was consecutively selected as a Shanghai High-Level Higher Vocational College and a Construction Unit of High-Level Vocational Program Cluster. In the 2024 Shanghai Higher Education Classification Evaluation, it ranked 5th among application-skills-oriented universities, significantly enhancing its social influence.

Adhering to its educational philosophy of “Leading with Technology, Rooted in Engineering,” the college implements a development strategy centered on “building distinctive strengths, empowering talent, fostering open collaboration, and driving innovation.” Its academic programs are closely aligned with Shanghai’s socio-economic demands, strategically covering emerging industries, advanced manufacturing, public welfare sectors, and modern services, thereby forming a discipline structure dominated by engineering program clusters, with business and arts clusters as complementary pillars. The college offers 25 programs, including 4 Shanghai High-Level Program Clusters, 5 Shanghai Key Programs, and 4 Ministry- and Provincial-Level Industry-Education Integrated Programs. It boasts 1 National-Level Elite Online Course, 24 Shanghai Elite (Online Open) Courses, 10 Shanghai Teaching Achievement Awards, and multiple municipal awards for educational research. Additionally, the institution has been recognized for its excellence with 1 “New Era Master Craftsmen Studio” designated by the Ministry of Education, 1 Shanghai Vocational Education Distinguished Faculty Studio, 2 Shanghai Skill Master Studios, and a cohort of renowned faculty members and innovative teaching teams.

Guided by the motto “Virtue, Erudition, Practicality, and Action. ”, the college has, over more than 60 years, nurtured high-quality technical and skilled talents with global vision, humanistic spirit, practical competence, and the ability to tackle future challenges. Currently, it hosts a full-time student population of over 7,300. Graduates from the college have been highly sought-after by employers, with its graduate employment rate consistently exceeding 98% for consecutive years, a testament to its strong alignment with industry needs and educational quality.

In recent years, the college has dedicated itself to building a distinctive application-skills-oriented higher vocational institution, partnering with world-leading enterprises to advance “Industry-Education Integration and University-Enterprise Cooperation.” It has been selected for key national and international initiatives, including the Schneider Electric Green and Low-Carbon Industry-Education Integration Project (under China’s Ministry of Education), the Sino-German Advanced Vocational Education Cooperation Program, and the Bosch Germany Pilot Program for Applied and Technical Skills Talent Development. The college has also established landmark projects such as the Tencent Cloud Artificial Intelligence Industry College, Baidu Apollo Intelligent Connected Vehicle Industry College, Modern Service Industry College, German Priminer Numerical Control Technology Industry-Education Integration Practice Center, NIO New Energy Vehicle Industry-Education Integration Practice Center, CITIC Telecom Industry Innovation Center Industry-Education Integration Digital Intelligent Manufacturing Technology Center, and the Shanghai International Auto City Industry-Education Consortium, among others.

Aligned with Shanghai’s “Five Centers” and “Four Brands” strategic goals, the college pioneers a modern apprenticeship system centered on its “Five Dual” talent cultivation model, striving to create a Shanghai model of modern apprenticeship with Chinese characteristics. Closely aligning with Shanghai’s strategic emerging industries and pioneer industry development system, SCST prioritizes the development of programs and program clusters in artificial intelligence, intelligent manufacturing technology, IoT, new energy vehicles, and 6th generation mobile communication technology, precisely aligning with the industrial layout development of key regional areas to form domestic leading advantages. Leveraging its role as a Ministry of Education-designated high-level internationalized institution, the college has expanded its global footprint through initiatives like the Belt and Road Technical Skills Training Center, the Maldivian “Chinese + Vocational Skills” Overseas Training Center, and the Kuala Lumpur Overseas Campus, creating a “golden brand” for vocational education going global. In 2022, its efforts were further acknowledged with the “China Industry-University-Research Collaboration Promotion Award,” marking its accelerated transition into a fast track of high-quality development.

In both 2021 and 2024, the institute was selected as a key construction unit for high-level vocational colleges and high-level professional groups in Shanghai. In the 2024 Shanghai university classification ranking, it was ranked 5th among application- and skills-oriented institutions, with significantly enhanced public recognition.

SPI upholds its educational philosophy of “technology-driven, engineering-rooted development” and pursues a strategic approach of “distinctive characteristics, talent empowerment, open education, and innovation-driven growth.” Its programs are closely aligned with Shanghai’s economic and social development needs, focusing on strategic emerging industries, advanced manufacturing, public well-being, and modern services. The academic structure features engineering disciplines as the core, with business and arts as complementary wings. The institute currently offers 25 majors, including 4 high-level professional groups and 5 key majors in Shanghai, as well as 4 provincial/ministerial-level majors integrating industry and education.

SPI has developed 1 national-level high-quality online course, 24 Shanghai-level excellent (online open) courses, 10 Shanghai Teaching Achievement Awards, and multiple educational research awards. The institute is home to a Ministry of Education “Master Studio for the New Era,” a Shanghai “Famous Teacher Studio,” two “Skill Master Studios,” and several acclaimed teachers and innovative teaching teams.

With the motto “Virtue, Knowledge, Practicality, and Action,” SPI has, over more than six decades, cultivated highly skilled professionals with global vision, humanistic values, and strong practical abilities to meet the challenges of the future. The institute currently enrolls over 7,300 full-time students, and its graduates have consistently enjoyed strong employer recognition, with employment rates exceeding 98% for consecutive years.

In recent years, SPI has focused on building a distinctively applied and skilled higher education institution, establishing deep collaborations with leading global enterprises and actively promoting “industry-education integration and school-enterprise cooperation.” The institute participates in national projects such as the Ministry of Education–Schneider Electric Green and Low-Carbon Industry-Education Integration Program, the Sino-German Advanced Vocational Education Program, and the Bosch Talent Training Pilot Project. Major initiatives include the Tencent Cloud AI Industry Academy, Baidu Apollo Intelligent Connected Vehicle Academy, Modern Service Industry Academy, the German Prazimiller CNC Technology Integration Center, the NIO NEV Industry-Education Center, CITIC Digital Manufacturing Center, and the Shanghai International Auto City Industry-Education Consortium.

Aligned with Shanghai’s strategic development priorities—including the “Five Centers” and the “Four Brands”—SPI has developed the “Five Duals” modern apprenticeship model, striving to create a “Shanghai Model” for China’s modern apprenticeship system. The institute focuses on key emerging and pioneering industries such as artificial intelligence, intelligent manufacturing, IoT, new energy vehicles, and 6G mobile communication technology to achieve strong alignment with regional industrial priorities and maintain a leading position nationwide.

Leveraging its status as a Ministry of Education-designated internationally focused institution, SPI has launched initiatives like the Belt and Road Technical and Skills Training Center, the Maldives “Chinese + Vocational Skills” Overseas Training Center, and the Kuala Lumpur Overseas College, establishing a strong global presence in vocational education. In 2022, SPI received the “China Industry-Education Integration Promotion Award” and is now entering a fast track of high-quality development.