Wenzhou Kean
Contact information:
88 Daxue Rd, Ouhai, Wenzhou,
Zhejiang Province, China 325060
Phone: +86 577 5587 0000
Fax: +86 577 5587 0101
E-mail: wku@wku.edu.cn
Kean University is one of the only three American universities approved to develop and operate a full-scale campus in China. Set on approximately 500 acres in the rural mountainous region outside of Wenzhou, Wenzhou-Kean University is a thriving, growing campus. The University offers an authentic American educational experience and extensive opportunities for international exchange. The site is accredited through Kean University by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). Faculty of Wenzhou-Kean University is recruited internationally, and English is the medium of instruction. Students will earn degrees issued by Kean University and Wenzhou-Kean University.
The campus currently enrolls more than 2,900 students and anticipates an enrollment of about 7,000 full-time students by Fall 2025. All costs for developing and operating the campus are financed by the Chinese partners. Wenzhou-Kean University provides an exceptional model of China-US cooperation in education.
Wenzhou-Kean in Zhejiang Province, China, is now in its tenth year of full operation. Student numbers have grown from a class of 205 in Fall 2012 to more than 2,900 students in fall 2020. Wenzhou-Kean had its first commencement in May 2016 with over 180 students graduated. In May 2017, over 200 students graduated at its second commencement in Wenzhou, China. In June 2018, more than 380 students graduated at its third commencement in Wenzhou. In June 2019, 433 students graduated at its fourth commencement in Wenzhou-Kean University. In June 2020, 424 students graduated at its fifth commencement in Wenzhou-Kean University. The student body is currently comprised mostly of Chinese nationals, with visiting U.S. nationals from the main Kean campus and international students from Malaysia, Bangladesh, Venezuela, Bhutan and U.S. In the first year, recruitment was from Zhejiang Province. In subsequent years, recruitment has expanded to twenty additional provinces of China and Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan. All Chinese nationals are recruited through the Chinese National College Entrance Examination. Wenzhou-Kean admits Tier 1 (the top tier) from this examination. In addition, a very small number of students are admitted contingently from Tier 2. The rest of the students are recruited through an alternate admission process referred to as “3-in-1.”
The number of programs and opportunities for study has grown from an original four programs, in Accounting, Finance, English in a Global Setting and Computer Science, to 18 majors in Accounting, Finance, Management, Global Business, Marketing, Economics, Computer Science, Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, Mathematical Sciences, English, Communication, Psychology, Architectural Studies, Graphic Design, Industrial Design and Interior Design. Kean courses are offered either by faculty recruited by global search or by Kean faculty visiting from the U.S. campus.
All entering freshmen are required to participate in an English Intensive Preparatory Program prior to the start of classes. Wenzhou-Kean students may take up to five semesters at Kean’s Union campus starting in their sophomore year.
In the first year of operation (2012-2013), Kean held classes and housed students using space within Wenzhou University, as a collaboration between the two institutions. In the second year, Kean moved into its own campus with a general education building for all classes, administrative support offices and conference rooms, a dining hall and the first residence halls and faculty housing. This group of buildings constituted Phase 1 of the campus building project. Phase 2 was completed in Fall 2015 with new residence halls and dining halls for all incoming and current students. College of Business and Public Management Building and faculty housing were brought into operation in Jan. 2018. Athletics Center has opened in Spring 2018. The second student dormitory complex, the Architecture and Design Building and a science lab facility are completed in April 2021. The Student Learning and Activity (Library) and the Stadium will be completed in early 2022, and the College of Science and Technology building is expected to be completed in 2023. In 2013, the Middle States Commission for Higher Education affirmed Wenzhou-Kean as an additional instructional location of Kean University. In 2014, following the successful completion of the “in preparation” probationary period, the Chinese Ministry of Education announced the approval of the establishment of Wenzhou-Kean University, making it the first China-US cooperative university in Zhejiang province and the second in China. The Chinese Ministry of Education granted approval for Wenzhou-Kean graduates to receive dual bachelor degree certificates from Kean University and Wenzhou-Kean in addition to a Chinese graduation certificate from Wenzhou-Kean, thereby achieving compliance with relevant regulations in China. In 2018, the Bachelor Degree Conferral Evaluation Panel of Zhejiang Province concluded that Wenzhou-Kean University possesses the qualifications to confer Baccalaureate degrees.