History It is more than 40 years since SIFT was founded in 1960. From the difficult pioneering days to set up the university, its later suspension and re-establishment, to the current expansion in scale towards a new larger Songjiang campus, these are years full of twists and turns, ups and downs, bearing witness to the quest of SIFT to grow stronger and seek truth. 1960 • The Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China issued an official document, ratifying the establishment of SIFT, which was to be based on the Foreign Languages for Foreign Trade Department of the Shanghai Institute of Foreign Languages. • The Shanghai Higher Education Bureau approved the formal transference of the jurisdiction of the Foreign Languages for Foreign Trade Department of the Shanghai Institute of Foreign Languages to SIFT. 1962 • In accordance with the directive of the State Council, SIFT was terminated, its undergraduate programs merged into the Shanghai Institute of Foreign Languages and its preparatory courses incorporated into the Shanghai Junior College of Public Finance. 1964 • The State Council ratified the resumption of SIFT. 1972 • Because of the Cultural Revolution, SIFT was closed for the second time and merged into the Shanghai Institute of Foreign Languages. 1978 • Amid the nationwide celebration of the smashing of the scheme by the Gang of Four to usurp Party leadership and seize state power, SIFT was reopened once again. 1984-1987 • Based on the original four specialties, namely, Foreign Trade, English for Foreign Trade, Japanese for Foreign Trade, and French for Foreign Trade, and approved by the State Education Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations and Trade, five new specialties and two master's programs were added to SIFT in this time: five specialties 每 Business Administration and International Economic Law 每set up in 1987, International Economic Cooperation in 1986, Financial Accounting in 1987, and Second Bachelor's Degree in Foreign Trade in 1987.two master's programs in International Trade and English Language in 1985. 1990 • The ceremony to mark the 30 th anniversary of the founding of SIFT was held on October 11. Li Lanqing, Vice Minister of foreign economic relations and trade, and Xie Lijuan, Vice Mayor of Shanghai, among others, sent congratulatory telegrams or letters on the occasion. Attending the ceremony were Zhao Chongde, former Vice Minister of foreign economic relations and trade, Hu Luyi, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, Hua Yequan, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the Shanghai Municipal Foreign Economic and Trade Commission, and many others. • Upon the approval the State Education Commission, the Diploma program in Foreign Trade opened. 1993 • Li Lanqing, member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and Vice Minister of foreign economic relations and trade, wrote an dedication for the Maoyuan Bao ( SIFT Bulletin ) on the eve of the publication of its100 th issue. • In the implementation of the spirit of Document No. 112 issued by the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations and Trade, SIFT took concrete measures to speed up curriculum development for the specialty of International Business Administration. • Li Guohua, Assistant to the Minister of Foreign Economic Relations and Trade, as well as the Personnel, Education, and Labor Department in the same Ministry, sent a telex respectively in congratulation of the establishment of the SIFT Joint Development Education Fund on the 33 rd birthday of SIFT. 1994 • Following the review by the leaders of SIFT, Foreign Trade and Economics Department was renamed No. 1 International Trade Department; International Economic Cooperation Department was renamed No. 2 International Trade Department; Foreign Languages for Foreign Trade Department was renamed Foreign Languages for International Business Department; International Enterprise Management Department was renamed International Business Administration Department; Continuing Education Division was renamed Continuing Education Center; Social Sciences Education Division, Physical Education Division, and Chinese Language Division were incorporated into Integrated Social Sciences Education Faculty (which was later renamed Basic Education Faculty on May 5); Audio-Visual Studio and Computer Center were merged into Computer and Audio-Visual Education Center. • The memorandum on the hand-over of SIFT was signed by Li Guohua, Vice Minister of foreign economic relations and trade, and Xie Lijuan, Deputy Mayor of the Shanghai Municipality . As from September 1, while still under the supervision of the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations and Trade and the Shanghai Municipal Foreign Economic Relations and Trade Commission in its operational business, the jurisdiction of SIFT was transferred from the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations and Trade to the Shanghai Municipality. • The Shanghai Higher Education Bureau approved the establishment of Corporate Financing specialty; the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations and Trade approved the setup of Accounting and Marketing specialties. 1995 • A program for long-term curriculum development was formulated, and the addition of new specialties was planned. The establishment of two undergraduate programs in International Finance and Financing Economics were approved, the enrolment of both started in 1996. • In cooperation with the U.S. EDC Corporation, SIFT Mao-De-Shen Finance School was initiated. On November 10, an agreement to set up SIFT-California School of English and Business School was signed between and among SIFT, the U.S. West Valley Community University, and the Singapore Jinghua Investment and Management Company. • To guarantee the implementation of the overall planning for the reform and development of the university, SIFT Party Committee decided after considerable deliberation on March 15 that based on the original five departments, one faculty, and one center, preparations were to be made for the setting up of Business School, Language School, Finance School, Law School, and Continuing Education School. The five schools were formally launched on October 11, amid the celebrations of the 35 th anniversary of the founding of SIFT. 1996 • Approved by the higher authorities, the newly established three undergraduate programs in International Finance, Investment Economics, and International Economic Law (focusing on service trade law) started recruitment, and the preparatory work prior to the enrolment for the International Tourist Guide and International Transport specialties was completed. The Shanghai Municipal Education Commission approved World Economy under the International Trade specialty and Business English under the International Business English specialty in SIFT to be placed in the third-phase of the Municipal Key Curriculum Development. The Shanghai Municipal Academic Degrees Committee approved Law (first-order discipline) and International Economic Law (second-order discipline) in SIFT to be master's programs. Preparations for the establishment of the Shanghai Collegiate Internship Center for International Business were basically completed. • Credit system was introduced to students admitted in 1996 to Diploma programs, bachelor's degree programs, and second bachelor's degree programs. 1997 • The inauguration ceremony of the Shanghai Collegiate Internship Center for International Business was held in SIFT. Zheng Ningde, director of Shanghai Municipal Commission of Education, announced the establishment of the Center, and together with Zhao Xiaoding, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the Shanghai Municipal Foreign Economic Relations and Trade, unveiled the commemorative plaque for the Center. 1998 • Upon the approval of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Education, SIFT-RMIT International Business School was established, the fruition of three years of academic cooperation and exchanges in the specialty of international business between SIFT and Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology , Australia (RMIT). • On October 20, the opening ceremony was held for students majoring in Finance and Corporate Financing, a joint program between SIFT and Douglas College, Canada, and also the first Sino-foreign cooperative undergraduate program in SIFT. 1999 • Accompanied by Chen Zhili, Minister of Education, and Gong Xueping, deputy secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, Li Lanqing, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and Vice Premier of the State Council, made an inspection visit to SIFT. • The attempt of SIFT to operate Sino-Australian cooperative programs came to fruition. On April 1, the commencement was held for the first graduates of SIFT-RMIT International Business School , which was jointly run by SIFT and Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology , Australia (RMIT). On December 14, the commencement for the second graduates of SIFT-RMIT International Business School and the signing ceremony of the cooperative agreement in sponsoring an undergraduate program in Transport and Logistics were held by SIFT and RMIT. 2000 • On June 5, two key research projects under the Municipal Social Sciences Program commissioned to SIFT by the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Education, ※Analysis of the Characteristics, Textbooks, and Pedagogics of International Business§ and ※Questionnaire Survey of Business English Proficiency of Shanghai's Foreign Economic and Trade Professionals,§ were evaluated to be up to the advanced level in China and accepted by the Appraisal Group appointed by the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Education. On July 24, two key specialities in SIFT conferred by the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Education 每 International Business and International Business English 每 were reviewed and accepted by the Key Discipline Assessment Panel of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Education. • On August 26, the ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of the new Songjiang Campus was held. With a total investment of 400 million RMB Yuan, the new campus covers an area of 669 mu , and the floor space of educational facilities amounts to 100,000 square meters. The new modern campus, featuring a harmony of buildings, greenery and scenery with nature, was scheduled for completion in 2003. • On October 11, the ceremony to mark the 40 th anniversary of SIFT was held. Shi Guangsheng, Minister of foreign economic relations and trade, Xu Kuangdi, Mayor of Shanghai, Gong Xueping, Deputy Secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, Zhou Muyao, Vice Mayor of Shanghai, among others, sent letters or messages of congratulation. Attending the ceremony were some 500 delegates from home and abroad, including Hu Zhengchang, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Shanghai Municipal People's Congress. • On November 3, the 1 st SIFT Congress of the Chinese Communist Party was convened. The Congress resolved to turn SIFT into an international socialist business university with distinct characteristics of its own. 2001 • On June 6, Li Lanqing, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and vice Premier of the State Council, accompanied by Huang Ju, member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and Secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee, and Xu Kuangdi, Mayor of Shanghai, made a tour inspecting the construction of the SIFT Songjiang campus. The leaders of SIFT briefed the inspection team on the project design and the construction progress of the new Songjiang Campus. • In October, 2,000 new students were admitted to the new Songjiang campus. • The agreement on expanding cooperative programs was signed between SIFT and the University of Central Lancashire, UK, and the International Business English program jointly run by the two sides became the first such program in China franchised and validated by the University of Central Lancashire. An exchange agreement on jointly carrying out research on WTO and a memorandum on strengthening cooperative educational programs were signed between SIFT and the Kokushikan University, Japan, and Douglas College, Canada, respectively. An agreement to set up a joint graduate program in law was signed between SIFT Law School and the Canberra University, Australia. 2002 • The construction of the Administrative Building , Riverside Hotel, and Students Center on Songjiang campus was completed. The enrollment of students in Songjiang campus reached 4,000, exceeding that of Gubei campus for the first time. Basic Education Faculty, Technical Service Section, Library, Students' Affairs Office,Logistic, and Security Section were moved to Songjiang Campus. • On the afternoon of June 18, the commencement for the first graduates of the SIFT-Canadian joint program was held in Rainbow Hotel. As a new step in international exchanges and cooperation, SIFT, for the first time, offered a study abroad opportunity for selected students to go to Australia , and credits awarded abroad were recognized by SIFT. • Gong Xueping, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Shanghai Municipal People's Congress, was invited to attend the opening ceremony for students admitted in 2002, and unveiled the plaque inscribed by him for the Siyuan Lake on Songjiang campus. • On October 18, the inaugural ceremony for the School of WTO Research and Education, the first of its kind in China , was held on Songjiang Campus. Qiang Weichang, Vice Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, unveiled the commemorative plaque of the School. Long Yongtu, Vice Minister of foreign economic relations and trade, and Jiang Yiren, Vice Mayor of Shanghai, attended the unveiling ceremony. • On October 21, the Experts' Panel of the Evaluation Committee of the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission made an all-round assessment of SIFT undergraduate programs. The Experts' Panel stated that the development objective of SIFT was properly targeted and distinct in its characteristics, the educational quality assurance system innovative, and the file management up to the standard. 2003 •On June 26, the commencement ceremony was held on Songjiang Campus for the first graduates (2000-2003) of the SIFT-UClan EIB(English for international Business) Joint Program. •The number of SIFT specialties increased from 19 to 26. The newly added seven specialties were Business Administration (focusing on Human Resources Management), Economics (focusing on International Business, a Sino-Australian program for a second bachelor's degree), English (focusing on Translation and Interpretation), English (focusing on International Economic News Reporting), Travel and Tourism (focusing on International Exposition Management), Finance (focusing on Insurance), and Law (focusing on Administrative Management). •SIFT was awarded the title of Shanghai Model Unit with a High Cultural and Ideological Level in early August. •Wen Jiabao, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and Premier of the State Council, accompanied by Chen Liangyu, secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee, and Han Zheng, mayor of Shanghai , made an inspection visit to SIFT on the morning of August 29. On behalf of nearly 10,000 teachers and students, Pi Nai'an, secretary of SIFT Party Committee, and Wang Xinkui, President of SIFT, accorded Premier Wen a warm welcome. •The history of over 40 years since the birth
of SIFT attests the development of SIFT from strength to strengh.
At present, SIFT is at the height of its third phase of development.
Committed to cultivating more future business leader and to building
a world-class business-oriented university, both teachers and students
of SIFT are making concerted and relentless efforts to fulfillment
this great ambition in the near future. •The University Party Committee convened the enlarged meeting, making sure the establishment and implementation of SIFT Development Blueprint 2004-2010 is the key to receive the Undergraduate Assessment from the Ministry of Education. Under the instructional principles, the university will improve the overall education quality, and make great efforts to tackle down the major setback that would undermine the quality assurance for undergraduate education. The university has confirmed its major efforts in 2004 based on the appropriate understanding of three major relations: mainstream and characteristics, improving academic standard and teaching quality , and faculty and administrative staffs . The chief objectives to achieve in 2004 would be: •The successful establishment of Zuoyue Manufacturing Asia Pacific Training Center through the joint efforts of Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade, Douglas College Canada and Levco International Holdings Company Limited. The signing ceremony was held at Longbo Hotel. The training center will actively promote healthy development of small to medium sized enterprises and focus its efforts on providing various certificate training such as seminar and conference, subjects and degree training services for manufacturing industry, students on-campus and other individual who are interested in manufacturing industry. •The Graduate Careers Promoting Fair 2005 was successfully held at the small auditorium in Jinjiang Hotel. The university unified the relevant data of all graduate students into categories and CDs for the use of potential employers. This is an effective innovation of our university to promote the brand of SIFT Talents . 2005 •The university convened middle-level staff meeting, discussing SIFT Development Blueprint 2004-2010 (draft). This meeting is a turning point to establish implement blueprint and prepare for the Undergraduate Assessment as well as launch the connotation development for our university. The university leaders request all the meeting attendees to unify thought and put forward thorough implementation based on the explicit understanding of the plan and future mission. •The university convened the research working conference, indicating the overall target of developing scientific research personnel: take the WTO studies as a keystone to form research special features; take the research team organization as opportunity to construct research platform; take project management as a keystone to perfect the research management system; enforce the functions and roles of all levels of research committees; constitute the Management on Academic Research in SIFT and Management on Scientific Research Highland Building in SIFT. The holding of this meeting has motivated all the university faculties to actively set up research teams and research projects therefore develop a positive environment for academic research. •SIFT students won the first prize of the 1 st China Case Analysis Contest held by IVEY Business School Canada (IVEY Business School is a subordinate school of The University of West Ontario which is a prestigious business school in Canada as well as the second global business case analysis center after Harvard University. The School is well known for its unique teaching methodology). This is the very achievement that SIFT values much on the classroom case analysis for many years. •SIFT established the first Professional Development Center in China 每 SIFT PDC. Yan Junqi, the Vice Mayor of Shanghai, attended the Inauguration ceremony. The SIFT PDC is dedicated as a platform for student's career development. By establishing the training linkage for students through certificate, degree and career development training, students could enhance their competence in the job market. SIFT PDC introduced advanced educational principles and resources to improve students' professional development training and career consultation. Moreover, SIFT PDC facilitate internationally approbated and cooperated various professional development training designed for middle and advanced talents to adapt to the demand of the current service. •At the SIFT 45 th anniversary, Students Service Center , Students Motivating Center and Students Venture Center are founded in SIFT. Li Xuanhai, the Party Committee Secretary of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, Zhang Weijiang, the director of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission held the inauguration ceremony. The establishment of three Centers motivated the innovation of college education mode, truly represented the orientation of Student-centered principle. |
