The Southampton Joint College of Marine Engineering -- the first Sino-British joint institution for shipping and marine research and teaching -- got the green light to be established in the city of Harbin from China’s Education Ministry, local officials said on May 6.
 
The new institution was jointly set up by Harbin Engineering University and the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom at the former’s campus in Harbin, capital city of China’s northernmost Heilongjiang province.
 
Officials said the new college will make use of the strong strengths of the two universities in the fields of marine equipment and science and technology. They said it would learn from each other's advanced education concepts, to build a first-class faculty and to innovate teaching models and management mechanisms.
 
The establishment of the college marks the beginning of education cooperation and technology exchanges between China and UK in shipping and in the marine field under a "Smart Ocean" comprehensive strategic cooperation partnership agreement signed by the two sides.
 
Officials said the college will train undergraduates and offer majors in Marine and Marine Engineering, Automation and Hydroacoustic Engineering.
 
The college will also adopt a "4 + 0" dual degree training model. Under it, students will be registered in both universities and have dual enrollment.
 
The students can obtain a undergraduate graduation certificate and a bachelor’s degree from Harbin Engineering University and obtain a bachelor’s degree from the University of Southampton.
 
Officials at Harbin Engineering University said the newly established college plans to start enrollment in September 2020.