In implementation of the Education Modernization in China 2035 launched by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, and in alignment with the Education Action Plan for the Belt and Road Initiative and the Guidelines on Accelerating and Expanding Educational Opening-Up in the New Era issued by the Ministry of Education (MoE) and seven other ministries in China, Xi'an Jiaotong University (XJTU) established the XJTU-POLIMI Joint School of Design and Innovation in 2022 with Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI) under the approval of the MoE. This non-independent legal entity Sino-foreign cooperative educational institution aims to develop high-level international collaboration in design and engineering education between XJTU and POLIMI.

To further deepen and broaden this partnership, and with approval from the MoE, the school was renamed as XJTU-POLIMI Joint School, Xi'an Jiaotong University in March 2025, retaining its abbreviation as the "Joint School".

I. Mission

The Joint School adheres to XJTU's founding mission of "Rooted in the West, Serving the Nation, Aspiring for Global Excellence", inheriting "XJTU's Westward Relocation Spirit". Utilizing the strengths, academic resources, and longstanding collaboration between the two universities, the Joint School is committed to an interdisciplinary development philosophy of "New Engineering, Grand Design, and Cross-Disciplinary Integration". It pioneers an innovative educational model that combines Sino-foreign collaboration, interdisciplinary synergy, and industry-academia integration, aiming to cultivate visionary talents with global perspectives and Chinese roots, capable of leading future industry advancements.

II. Academic Programs

The Joint School offers three undergraduate programs:

· Industrial Design (four years)

· Architecture (five years)

· Electrical Engineering and Automation (four years)

The Electrical Engineering Discipline in XJTU is rated an A+ by the MoE and is listed as a World-Class Discipline.

The Design Discipline in XJTU is given an A+ in the Shanghai Ranking.

All three programs are designated as National First-Class Majors.

POLIMI is globally renowned, with its Design program ranked 6th, Architecture 7th, and Electrical Engineering 23rd in the 2025 QS World University Rankings by Subject.

III. Features

1. Integration of Strengths

o Combines the disciplinary excellence and educational resources of both universities in the design and engineering field.

o Implements a jointly developed training plan delivered by a faculty team comprising POLIMI and XJTU professors.

o Curriculum strictly complies with the MoE "Four One-Thirds" policy for Sino-foreign joint programs.

2. Dual-Degree Model

o Adopts a "Dual Degree, Dual Enrollment, T+0" model:

§ Students receive both XJTU's bachelor's diploma/degree and POLIMI's bachelor's degree upon meeting graduation and degree requirements.

§ All coursework is completed at XJTU, with POLIMI faculty teaching on-site, offering a "study-abroad experience without leaving China".

3. Practice-Oriented Education

o 40% of courses are practice-based, emphasizing design and engineering applications.

o Fosters an industry-academia ecosystem ("XJTU + POLIMI + Enterprises") to bridge education and innovation.

o Courses like Architectural Design and Design Practice are co-taught by XJTU/POLIMI faculty and industry mentors, ensuring rapid translation of academic outcomes into real-world solutions.

IV. Faculty

The School's faculty is jointly selected by both universities:

· An Academic Committee composed of distinguished scholars from China and abroad oversees academic development.

· XJTU utilizes its talent pool in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, mathematics, physics, and more, appointing top-tier scholars across the university to teach in the joint school.

· POLIMI dispatches senior professors and a teaching assistant team to deliver over one-third of the core courses, ensuring adherence to global pedagogical standards.

V. iHarbour Campus

Located on XJTU's Innovation Harbour Campus with 18,000+ square meters of teaching space, the Joint School is:

· Culturally enriched by the millennia-old history of Xi'an and of XJTU's 120+ years of academic tradition.

· Innovation-driven, embedded in the Qinchuangyuan platform, Western China's premier sci-tech innovation ecosystem.

· Resource-advantaged, with access to:

o Eight interdisciplinary platforms

o 30 research institutes

o 400+ labs spanning STEM, medicine, and humanities, offering students unparalleled exposure to cutting-edge research, industry collaboration, and global innovation networks.

VI. Students' achievements

Students synthesize XJTU's rigorous theoretical training with POLIMI's design innovation methodologies. Through tripartite mentorship (XJTU-POLIMI-industry), they have earned:

· 120+ awards at the national/provincial levels (incl. 40+ national, 80+ provincial).

· Five wins at the iF Design Award and Red Dot Award (two of the world's top three design accolades).

· Five gold medals in the International Track of the China International College Students' Innovation Competition.

Website: http://jsdi.xjtu.edu.cn/en/