Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics

What Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics does

Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics (ZUFE) is a public Chinese university founded in 1974 and headquartered in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. It operates across four campuses with 23 schools and institutes, delivering 77 educational programs in finance, economics, management, data science, artificial intelligence, and law. ZUFE serves more than 22,000 students, including over 500 international students, supported by 1,800+ faculty and staff.

ZUFE's core educational product is its degree-grading and joint-degree portfolio, delivered through Ministry of Education-approved Sino-foreign cooperative education institutions with Laurentian University (Canada, 2012), Auckland University of Technology (New Zealand, 2019), and Bangor University (UK, 2024). The institution differentiates itself through a globally unique asset: the only Nobel Prize special collections library formally authorized by the Nobel Foundation worldwide, supported by a workstation that has attracted three Nobel laureates. It also operates the RIKESS Belt and Road think tank and runs 13 cooperation agreements with Central Asian universities signed in 2024.

ZUFE's business model is a hybrid of government appropriations (provincial and Ministry of Education funding), tuition from domestic and international students (with international joint-program tuition materially higher), and research grants tied to its Belt and Road and securities-research activities. Revenue concentration is structurally diversified across disciplines and funding streams, but the institution is fundamentally policy-dependent: its growth and capital availability are constrained by Chinese public-sector higher-education funding cycles and Ministry of Education approval timelines for international programs.

Name

Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics

Legal name

Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics

Website

https://english.zufe.edu.cn

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics is a public Chinese university in Hangzhou specializing in finance, economics, management, data science, AI, and law. It serves 22,000+ students across four campuses and operates Ministry of Education-approved joint-degree programs with universities in Canada, New Zealand, and the UK.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education (Finance and Economics)

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Research Universities with Multi-Campus Systems (EDAHAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Management Research Institutes & Doctoral (PhD/DBA) Programs (EDAHAHAO), Public Research Universities with Comprehensive Graduate & Professional Schools (EDAHAAAF)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Finance and economics degrees
• International joint programs
• Academic research institutes
• Student exchange programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Hangzhou

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Domestic Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Core revenue from tuition and fees from enrolled domestic undergraduate and graduate students across 77 educational programs and 23 schools and institutes.
2. International Student Enrollment: Revenue from international students (500+ from over 40 countries/regions), including those from Central Asia, the US, Kazakhstan, and other nations enrolled in degree and exchange programs.
3. Joint Sino-Foreign Degree Programs: Revenue from approved joint programs including Accounting (Laurentian University, Canada - 13 years), Applied Finance (Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand - approved 2019), and other bilateral degree programs. Programs use the '2+1+1' double campus model and generate tuition from both domestic and international students.
4. Short-term Cultural Exchange Programs: Revenue from Chinese Bridge winter camps, Discover Zhejiang youth cultural exchange camps (US students), and other short-term international programs funded by the Ministry of Education and partner institutions.
5. Research and Consulting Services: Research institutes and think tanks (China Institute of Regulation Research, China Academy of Financial Research, RIKESS) generate funding through government contracts, Belt & Road think tank consulting, and policy research for provincial government bodies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ZUFE is a public higher education institution delivering undergraduate, master's, and doctoral degree programs across 77 programs and 23 schools/institutes, with a specialization in finance, economics, accounting, management, data science, artificial intelligence, law, and public administration. Beyond degree programs, ZUFE operates Ministry of Education-approved international joint degree programs (e.g., Accounting with Laurentian University, Applied Finance with AUT), short-term cultural exchange programs, and a portfolio of research institutes and platforms (RIKESS, China Institute of Regulation Research, China Academy of Financial Research, Nobel Prize in Economics Workstation, Center for Data Sciences and Big Data Analysis). Revenue is generated primarily from tuition and government/research funding supporting these academic and research offerings.

Product overview

Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics is a higher education institution offering a diverse portfolio of academic programs and research institutes. Its product portfolio includes international joint degree programs (Accounting with Laurentian University, Applied Finance with Auckland University of Technology, and new programs with Bangor University in AI and data science), specialized research institutes (China Institute of Regulation Research, China Academy of Financial Research, RIKESS for Kazakhstan studies), research platforms (Center for Data Sciences and Big Data Analysis), and the Nobel Prize in Economics Workstation. The university also operates Wenhua College for cultural education and the Hehe Family multicultural student hub. The institution implements a New Finance and Economics Strategy focusing on Finance × Digital Intelligence and Finance × Technology interdisciplinary education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hehe Family (Harmony Family): A multicultural hub fostering exchanges between Chinese and international students, located in Dormitory 24 (international students), Taoli Complex, spanning 275 square meters.
• Discover Zhejiang China-U.S. Youth Cultural Exchange Camp
• Joint Program in Accounting
• Applied Finance Master Program
• Wenhua Academy

Products and services

• Joint Program in Accounting (with Laurentian University, Canada)
• Joint Master Program in Applied Finance (with Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand)
• China Institute of Regulation Research

Quantifiable outcome

• 3 Nobel Prize in Economics laureates have joined ZUFE's Nobel Prize Workstation
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered major, internal, core and flagship.

• California State University, Northridge (USA)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 December 202412 faculty and students participated in the 2nd 'Discover Zhejiang' China-U.S. Youth Cultural Exchange Camp from December 18-26, 2024, experiencing Chinese culture, calligraphy, martial arts, and visits to Geely and Master Kong.
• Office of Student Affairs, ZUFEinternalOthers · 3 December 2024Collaborative management of 'Hehe Family' multicultural hub alongside the School of International Education and Studies, for cross-cultural exchange between Chinese and international students.
• Bangor University (UK)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2024Signed framework agreement on November 1-3, 2024 during ZUFE's 50th anniversary to jointly establish a Sino-foreign cooperative education institution. Focus areas: AI, data science, business data analytics, and financial technology at undergraduate and graduate levels. Also unveiled Sino-British Joint Center on Securities Research and Training at the School of Finance.
• University of Notre Dame (USA)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 October 202411 students from Notre Dame participated in the 'Discover Zhejiang' China-U.S. Youth Cultural Exchange Camp from October 20-26, 2024, part of Xi Jinping's '50,000 People in 5 Years' initiative. ZUFE is the first Chinese university facilitating the Young Envoys Scholarship (YES) program.
• Tulane University (Astana, Kazakhstan)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 October 2024Signed during the 7th Central Asian Economic and Social Research Forum. Part of ZUFE's expanded Central Asian partnership network alongside institutions in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
• University of Tourism and Cultural Heritage of the Silk Road (Uzbekistan)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 October 2024Collaboration agreement signed during 7th Central Asian Economic and Social Research Forum, expanding ZUFE's Belt & Road educational cooperation to Uzbekistan's tourism and cultural heritage sector.
• National University of Finance and Economics (Tajikistan)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 October 2024Collaboration agreement signed to expand Central Asia cooperation to Tajikistan's finance and economics education sector, building on existing Kazakhstan institute partnerships.
• Consulate General of Kazakhstan in ShanghaiflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 March 2021Co-founder of RIKESS (Research Institute for Kazakhstan Economic and Social Studies) alongside ZUFE and the Center for International Planning of Kazakhstan's Ministry of Education and Science. Focused on Belt & Road initiative think tank consulting for China-Kazakhstan-Central Asia cooperation.
• Kazakhstan National Eurasian UniversityflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 March 2021Part of the 5-university consortium supporting RIKESS. Contributes academic resources and finance industry expertise to the institute focused on China-Kazakhstan economic cooperation and Belt & Road research.
• Tulane University (Karaganda, Kazakhstan)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 March 2021Part of the RIKESS consortium alongside ZUFE, Kazakhstan National Eurasian University, Karaganda Economics University, Shakarim University, and Astana International Financial Center. Contributes integrated academic resources from Central Asia and US.
• Karaganda Economics University (Kazakhstan)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 March 2021Part of RIKESS consortium providing academic and finance industry resources for China-Kazakhstan and Central Asian economic cooperation research.
• Astana International Financial Center (Kazakhstan)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 March 2021Part of the RIKESS consortium, contributing finance industry resources and serving as a key node for Belt & Road financial cooperation between China and Kazakhstan.
• Ruhr-Universität Bochum (Germany)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 January 2021Video conference to discuss cooperation in economics, management, data science, AI, and joint training programs including summer schools. Ruhr-Universität Bochum has 43,000+ students and ranks 201st globally (Times).
• Deakin University (Australia)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2020Video conference discussions on cooperation in statistics, AI, law, and business. Deakin is a world leader in sports science, law, IT, and AI (ranked 231st globally, QS). Both sides explored joint training and Sino-foreign cooperative schooling in undergraduate and master programs.
• Finn Kydland (Nobel Prize in Economics Laureate)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2019Nobel Laureate in Economics (Carnegie Mellon & UC Santa Barbara) joined ZUFE's Nobel Prize in Economics Workstation and was awarded an honorary professorship. Second Nobel laureate to join the workstation; will visit regularly for research cooperation and academic exchange.
• Auckland University of Technology (AUT University, New Zealand)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Joint Master Program in Applied Finance approved by Ministry of Education in 2019. Integrates AUT's Applied Finance curriculum with ZUFE's economics and management strengths. Prepares students for global finance careers in digital economy contexts.
• Laurentian University (Canada)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Joint Accounting Program (Chinese-foreign Cooperative Program) approved by Ministry of Education in 2012. Features '2+1+1' double campus model: 3 years at ZUFE, 1 year at Laurentian for dual degrees. Students can be exempted from 13 CPA Canada courses. The program has been running for 13 consecutive years with steady development and excellent student outcomes.
• University of CambridgeflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSent congratulatory letter and video message for ZUFE's 50th anniversary celebration in November 2024, indicating an established relationship among ZUFE's 100+ counterpart university network.
• University of Nottingham Ningbo ChinamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-training program for PhD students in Business, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Science and Engineering, with co-supervisor training and exchange programs.
• North-West University (South Africa)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiscussions on joint building of Confucius Institute, scientific research cooperation, and teacher exchanges. Part of ZUFE's BRICS and Global South partnership strategy.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Shanghai University of Finance and Economics: Leading Chinese public university specializing in finance and economics, located in Shanghai. Direct competitor with similar program portfolio (finance, accounting, economics) and similar Shanghai Rankings positioning among Chinese finance/economics universities.
• Tianjin University of Finance and Economics: Public Chinese university specializing in finance, economics, and management in Tianjin. Direct peer with similar enrollment scale, program portfolio, and position among specialized finance/economics universities in China.
• Nanjing University of Finance and Economics: Public Chinese university focused on finance, economics, food science, and management. Closely comparable to ZUFE in scale, specialization, and the segment of Chinese finance/economics universities it competes within.
• Dongbei University of Finance and Economics: Public Chinese university specializing in finance, economics, and management, located in Dalian. Directly comparable to ZUFE in scale (~20,000+ students), specialization, and ranking tier among Chinese finance/economics institutions.
• Southwestern University of Finance and Economics: Major Chinese public university specializing in finance, economics, and business administration. Comparable institutional structure with multiple campuses, doctoral programs, and a similar national ranking tier in finance/economics.
• Zhongnan University of Economics and Law: Major Chinese public university combining economics, finance, and law disciplines. Comparable to ZUFE in economics/finance specialization and similar institutional scale, with overlapping international program offerings.
• Central University of Finance and Economics: Top-tier Chinese public university specializing in finance, economics, and management. Both institutions are public finance/economics-focused universities competing for the same domestic and international student pool and government research funding.
• Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics: Public Chinese university specializing in finance, economics, accounting, and management. Direct peer with similar institutional focus, regional public-university structure, and competition for the same student segments.

Regional players

• Hangzhou Dianzi University: Regional Chinese public university in Hangzhou focused on electronics, information technology, and engineering with economics programs. Competes with ZUFE for Zhejiang Province students and shares the same geographic market and Belt & Road international recruitment channels.

Broad incumbents

• Zhejiang University: Tier-1 comprehensive Chinese public research university located in Hangzhou. Competes with ZUFE for the same Hangzhou/Zhejiang student pool, has far stronger global rankings, and offers overlapping economics/finance programs as part of a much broader portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics