Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine

What Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine does

Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (SHUTCM, 上海中医药大学) is a state-run public university founded in 1956 in Shanghai, China, operating under the Ministry of Education and Shanghai Municipal Government. SHUTCM is positioned as one of China's foundational TCM institutions and ranks highest nationally among TCM universities for international degree-student enrollment, with 1,200+ international degree students annually and a teaching reach spanning 40+ countries.

The university's International Education College (IEC) is the operational unit managing internationalization. It delivers a multi-tier product portfolio: English-taught undergraduate, master's, and doctoral degree programs in TCM, acupuncture, and integrated Chinese-Western medicine; short-term training programs including the flagship International Acupuncture Training Program (国针班, running since 1975 across 300+ sessions); Chinese language programs with TCM orientation; and Belt and Road medical professional workshops. Distribution operates through five channels: direct enrollment, overseas university partnerships in 14+ countries, Confucius Institutes at Augusta University and the University of Malta, MOOC delivery via Tsinghua's XuetangX into Thailand and Indonesia (2024 launch), and a clinical teaching base network of 26 affiliated hospitals. The IEC has held ISO 9001:2015 certification since 2004 and has received Higher Education International Student Quality Certification.

Revenue mechanics are a hybrid: government educational budget from MOE and Shanghai Municipal Government provides the institutional base; tuition and program fees from international students (degree and short-term) and MOOC licensing royalty revenue from XuetangX partnership form commercial streams. The institution also produces ancillary AI/ML outputs (an AI TCM Four Diagnosis Instrument capturing tongue/facial/pulse signals), operates Confucius Institutes, and runs annual events such as the Daosheng Cup academic forum. The institution is administered by Ministry of Education and Shanghai Municipal Government; corporate ownership transfers, venture funding, or M&A are not part of its structure.

Name

Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Legal name

Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Website

https://iec.shutcm.edu.cn

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education - Traditional Chinese Medicine

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691), Language Schools (611630)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Medical Schools (MD/DO Granting) (EDAHAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Healthcare Clinical Professions (CME/CE for Nurses, Allied Health, Pharmacy) (EDAAALAC), MOOC & Open Course Platforms (EDAFAIAA), Online Healthcare & Nursing Universities (Allied Health, RN-to-BSN, etc.) (EDAHALAF), Online International & Cross-Border Universities (Global/Transnational Providers) (EDAHALAL)

Keywords

• Traditional Chinese medicine education
• International degree programs
• Acupuncture training programs
• Medical professional training
• Chinese language instruction

Headquarters

HQ city

Shanghai

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. 国际学生学费收入: Tuition fees from international degree students (undergraduate, master's, doctoral programs) and short-term training programs for foreign students
2. 慕课课程出海服务: Revenue from exporting MOOC courses to Thailand and Indonesia national platforms via 学堂在线 partnership
3. 短期培训项目收费: Fees from short-term programs including summer schools, winter camps, acupuncture training classes, and Belt and Road medical seminars

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (SHUTCM) is a public government-run university delivering higher-education degree programs (undergraduate, master's, doctoral) and short-term training in Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture, tuina, and integrated Chinese-Western medicine for international students. Its International Education College also provides Chinese language programs (with TCM orientation), summer/winter schools, the 44-year-old International Acupuncture Training Program, Belt and Road medical professional workshops, and English-taught MOOC courses exported to Thailand and Indonesia national platforms. The offering is delivered through on-campus instruction, clinical practice at 26 affiliated hospitals and five international clinical teaching bases, online ZOOM classes, and partner-institution channels.

Product overview

Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine's International Education College offers a comprehensive portfolio of TCM education products for international students. The offering includes degree programs (undergraduate, master's, and doctoral levels in English or Chinese) in TCM, acupuncture, and integrated medicine, as well as short-term intensive training courses like the International Acupuncture Foundation/Advanced Courses. Non-degree programs include Chinese language courses (with TCM orientation), summer schools, and the annual Daosheng Cup academic competition. Programs utilize online platforms like ZOOM for remote learning and integrate with international MOOC platforms for course delivery to Indonesia and Thailand.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• TCM (Acupuncture) English Taught Undergraduate Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 69.8% caregiver workload reduction through intelligent bathing assistance system
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.

• 清华大学学堂在线 (Tsinghua XuetangX)majorTechnology or Integration · 23 April 2024MOOC export partnership to deliver 7 TCM courses to Thailand and Indonesia national MOOC platforms. Platform has 132 million global learners.
• 新加坡同济医药研究院 (Singapore Tongji Medical Research Institute)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 July 2020Agreement signed for specialized TCM lectures by Shanghai experts for Singapore TCM practitioners to enhance their clinical skills.
• 德国汉堡大学汉萨美安中医中心 (UKE Hansa-Mian Center)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 September 2018Joint master's program in TCM launched in 2018 - EU's first TCM graduate degree program for Western medicine doctors. Partnership dating back to 2004 with 2010 establishment of the joint center.
• 日本吴竹学园 (Kuretake Gakuen)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 201830-year partnership celebrated in 2018 with student exchange agreements and mutual international education cooperation center establishment.
• 日本大阪滋庆学园 (Osaka Juryuku Gakuen)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 201815-year partnership in rehabilitation, nursing, acupuncture and tuina. Exchange program for Japanese students for anatomy and clinical practice training.
• 加州大学洛杉矶分校 (UCLA)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 June 2018Annual summer medical-global health study abroad program at Shanghai campus with 27+ students from USA, Malaysia, Iran. Joint program with Fudan University School of Public Health.
• 美国纽约中医学院 (New York College of TCM)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 April 2018Student exchange MOU signed in 2018 for mutual student派遣, faculty visits, and resource sharing in TCM international education.
• 希腊西阿提卡大学 (University of West Attica, Greece)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Acupuncture training program for Greek students and rehabilitation therapists. Partnership includes establishing Taiji Health Greece branch.
• 法国中医学院 (École de Médecine Chinoise)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 April 2017International education cooperation center established in France. French school sends 1-2 groups annually for training at Shanghai campus. Founded in 1988, it is the largest TCM training institution in France with ~460 students.
• 巴西中医学院 (Brazilian College of TCM)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 March 2017Strategic cooperation memorandum signed in 2017 for TCM education collaboration between the two institutions.
• 法国里昂大学、加拿大渥太华大学、上海交通大学医学院 (Three Nations Four Universities)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2016Medical humanities summer school program signed in 2016 with annual rotations among the four universities. Fifth anniversary in 2020.
• 泰国华侨崇圣大学 (Thailand Huaqiao Chongsheng University)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Cooperative education program since 2009, with students completing basic studies in Thailand then clinical practice in Shanghai. Partnership has been running for over 15 years with 2019-class having 37 students in clinical practice at Kunshan TCM Hospital.
• 马来西亚国际医药大学 (International Medical University, IMU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 20161+4 undergraduate TCM program for Malaysian students. Partnership established 10 years ago with ongoing student exchanges and clinical practice coordination.
• 马耳他大学 (University of Malta)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2015TCM Center established in 2015 at University of Malta. TCM techniques course approved as required course for physiotherapy students from 2019. Joint master's program in TCM.
• 美国奥古斯塔大学孔子学院 (Augusta University Confucius Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2014TCM-focused Confucius Institute established in 2014, offering Chinese language and TCM courses. Four Chinese language courses listed as undergraduate core courses. Over 350 students annually learning Chinese.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• New York College of Traditional Chinese Medicine: US-based TCM college offering acupuncture and Oriental medicine degrees; existing SHUTCM partner (MOU signed 2018 for student exchange). Competes for international students seeking Western-recognized TCM credentials.
• Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine: Government-backed TCM university with international education programs, particularly strong ties to Russia and Northeast Asia. Competes in the same international TCM education market.
• Beijing University of Chinese Medicine: Top-tier Chinese TCM university under the same Ministry of Education administration, offering parallel TCM degree programs (undergraduate through doctoral) in English and Chinese, with significant international student recruitment. Direct competitor for the same pool of international TCM students.
• Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine: Top-tier TCM university with international student recruitment and English-taught programs. Direct competitor for international TCM and acupuncture training students.
• Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine: Another government-backed TCM university with comparable international education programs and Confucius Institute partnerships. Competes directly for international TCM students and Belt and Road program participants.
• Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine: Established TCM university in western China with international education programs and partnerships across Southeast Asia. Operates a similar international acupuncture training portfolio.
• École de Médecine Chinoique (French TCM College): France's largest TCM training institution (~460 students), established 1988 with International Education Cooperation Center partnered with SHUTCM since 2017. Direct downstream partner that feeds French-speaking students into SHUTCM programs.
• Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine: Major TCM university and government-designated Double First-Class institution, operating parallel international TCM degree programs and acupuncture training. Directly competes for international students and global TCM partnerships.
• Hunan University of Chinese Medicine: TCM university operating international TCM education programs including English-taught degrees and acupuncture training. Comparable scope and target student profile.

Others

• Tsinghua University (XuetangX): China's leading MOOC platform operator (XuetangX, 132M learners) and SHUTCM's distribution partner for exporting TCM courses to Thailand and Indonesia. Enables SHUTCM's international content scale and provides a benchmark for Chinese university digital education strategy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine