Representatives of the co-founding organizations of Lin-gang Special Area Industrial University sign an agreement at a ceremony held in Lin-gang Special Area of the China Shanghai Pilot Free Trade Zone on Jan 8. [Photo/gench.edu.cn]

The Lin-gang Special Area Industrial University was inaugurated on Jan 8, in the Lin-gang Special Area of the China Shanghai Pilot Free Trade Zone.

Eight organizations signed the agreement at Shanghai Jianqiao University, becoming initial co-founders of the university.

The university was initiated by the Lin-gang Group and Shanghai Jianqiao University, and was co-founded by Shanghai Platform for Smart Manufacturing Co Ltd, Chiway Edu Co Ltd, Shanghai Yueguanjia Network Technology Co Ltd, Shanghai Multiple Films & Laser Tech Co Ltd, Shanghai Oriental Fire Training School and the Chinese Mechanical Engineering Society.

The university was founded to meet the speical area's demand for high-caliber skilled workers. Lin-gang Special Area aims to surpass 1 trillion yuan ($14.51 billion) in its gross output value by 2035.

In the beginning, the university will develop five or six majors including optical engineering, intelligent manufacturing, internet automobiles, machine manufacturing and public security management.

The local government, companies and universities in Shanghai will join the efforts to develop the university.

According to Zhu Ruiting, president of Shanghai Jianqiao University, over the past three years, more than 70 percent of the university's students have chosen to stay and work in Shanghai upon graduation.

After the Lin-gang Special Area was founded in August 2019, more graduates are believed to have stayed in Lin-gang, he added. 

By 2023, the university aims to develop five key disciplines, establish cooperation projects with 50 leading companies in Lin-gang, organize a training team of more than 500 outstanding teachers, and train 5,000 skilled workers to meet the urgent needs of the special area.