The venture is a joint enterprise between UniSA and Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, and will offer both bachelor and master’s degrees in engineering and IT. The new facility will be known as XAUAT UniSA An De College.

“Working together, UniSA and XAUAT can explore the synergies and differences in Chinese and Australian engineering”

The new college is part of a wider ten-year agreement which will allow Chinese students to spend part of their degree in Australia, as well as allowing Australian students to travel to Xi’an.

Simon Beecham, UniSA’s pro-vice chancellor of IT, engineering and environment, said the project will benefit both Australian and Chinese students who choose to spend part of their degree program at the partner institution.

“Working together, UniSA and XAUAT can explore the synergies and differences in Chinese and Australian engineering practices and that gives students broader perspectives that are highly relevant in our region,” Beecham said.

The new college, which will be housed in a purpose-built facility on the XAUAT campus, will offer six academic programs – four bachelor’s and two master’s.

In addition to being the second Australian-Chinese joint college approved by the Chinese Ministry of Education, An De College is the first to be given permission to run both undergraduate and master’s programs.

Chinese students completing part of their degree at UniSA’s Adelaide campuses will be awarded dual degree certification.

To English speakers the reasons behind the name of the new college (An De) may not be immediately obvious, but it is derived from the Mandarin names of the cities involved in the agreement.

‘An’ comes from Xi’an, and translates to ‘security’ or ‘peace’, while ‘De’ was chosen as the most appropriate part of the Mandarin script for ‘Adelaide’. It translates to ‘good morals’ or ‘good character’.

XAUAT UniSA An De is an addition to strong existing links between the University of South Australia and Asian HEIs.

UniSA already has partnerships with four universities in China, including Beijing Normal University and Shandong University, alongside four partner institutions in Hong Kong and a further five partnerships with Japanese universities.