Sussex Artificial Intelligence Institute, Zhejiang Gongshang University
Study for a Sussex degree in your home country – our partnership with Zhejiang Gongshang University China, is training hundreds of students in artificial intelligence related courses.
About the partnership
In 2020, we were extremely proud to launch The Sussex Artificial Intelligence Institute, Zhejiang Gongshang University (ZJSU); the first of its kind in China. The Institute offers two undergraduate and two postgraduate degrees in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence.
With close to 1,000 students enrolled, our programmes are now operating at full capacity. The Institute offers an exciting new way to go beyond physical space, and considers broader global and societal needs. In 2022, the Institute was shortlisted as a finalist for Education Partnership of the Year at the British Business Awards of the British Chamber of Commerce in China.
The teaching, curriculum, regulations and student support have been designed so that students benefit from a combined ZJSU and Sussex experience. Their learning is shaped by UK teaching which influences their outlook once they graduate, opening up opportunities that they wouldn’t have without the programmes. This is especially important in our multi-cultural and rapidly changing world. Two cohorts of postgraduate students have now completed their studies, with a majority achieving the classification of distinction. These outstanding achievements were celebrated at a first in-person graduation ceremony in June 2023.
Sussex and ZJSU both benefit from our close collaboration, with teachers developing their experience, knowledge and industry links by working closely with their UK or Chinese counterparts. The joint Institute gives Sussex access to Chinese markets and industries enabling broader, stronger and intriguing collaboration opportunities while students benefit from a powerful combination of shared knowledge and perspectives, skills and resources.
PhD: Engineering, University of Sussex - Full CSC Scholarship
Teaching and student support
The Institute is supported by the Sussex Department of Language Studies who have provided co-designed pre-sessional English courses that have given students a detailed understanding of the English language, enabling them to make the most of their learning experience. We have also established the Joint Institute Ambassador scheme where Sussex students from the UK campus work with and support our Sussex students in China, helping them to adapt to new ways of working and sharing their perspectives.
We work with ZJSU on recruitment and promotion through facilitating workshops and meeting with prospective students.
The Institute opens up a wide range of opportunities, providing pathways to teacher training, research exchange, knowledge transfer and beyond.
In the Summer of 2023, we had:
- 31 students from ZJSU attended a Summer School at Sussex.
- eight students from the Institute have also taken part in the annual Sussex International Junior Research Associate programme
- seven students came from the Institute to start PhDs at Sussex in 2022/23 and 2023/24, supported by scholarships and fee waivers
- five students from Sussex travelled to ZJSU for a Summer School in 2023, supported by the Turing Programme
- 101 Sussex students have also taken part in a Chinese language and culture course delivered by the Foreign Language School at ZJSU in December 2022.
