TU Dublin has reinforced its position as one of Ireland’s most internationally connected universities following a wide-ranging programme of engagements across China, led by University President Dr Deirdre Lillis. The visit marked significant milestones in the University’s education partnerships, celebrated two decades of collaboration with Nanjing Tech University, strengthened ties with the Shanghai Institute of Technology, and advanced a thriving transnational education programme with Hainan University. For prospective students, academics, and education stakeholders, the trip offers a clear picture of how Irish higher education is building meaningful global connections that translate into real opportunities.
From classroom partnerships to world-class skills competitions, the programme demonstrated how sustained international engagement creates pathways for students, researchers, and institutions alike. Here is a closer look at what happened, why it matters, and what it means for anyone considering study or collaboration with TU Dublin.
Why International Engagement Matters for Irish Higher Education
Ireland’s universities compete globally for students, research funding, and industry partnerships. Institutions that invest in long-term relationships abroad consistently deliver more value to their students than those that treat internationalisation as a box-ticking exercise. TU Dublin’s approach in China illustrates the difference.
Rather than pursuing short-term recruitment drives, the University has spent years, and in some cases decades, building education partnerships rooted in joint teaching, staff mobility, and shared research agendas. These relationships now support thousands of students across two continents and position TU Dublin within global conversations about the future of skills, technology, and higher education.
For students weighing up where to study, this matters. A university’s international network shapes the curriculum, the calibre of research projects on offer, and the doors that open after graduation. Explore TU Dublin’s international study options to see how these partnerships connect directly to programmes available to students today.
Twenty Years of Education Partnerships with Nanjing Tech University
The visit’s most significant milestone took place in Nanjing, where Dr Lillis met counterparts at Nanjing Tech University to mark 20 years of collaboration. Few international education partnerships endure that long, and the numbers behind this one explain why it has lasted.
- Approximately 48 academics travel between Ireland and Nanjing every year to deliver joint programmes in Science and Engineering.
- More than 5,000 students from Nanjing have enrolled on TU Dublin programmes over the two decades.
- The partnership has recently expanded into postgraduate education and research.
The research dimension offers perhaps the most exciting glimpse of where this relationship is heading. TU Dublin PhD student Alexander Mutiso recently spent a semester at Nanjing Tech’s College of Artificial Intelligence, working with researchers on the application of quantum machine learning to transportation systems. It is exactly the kind of project that benefits from the combined expertise of two institutions with complementary strengths.
A Joint Institute on the Horizon
Discussions during the visit explored the potential establishment of a Joint Institute between the two universities. Areas under consideration include mechanical, civil, and electronic engineering, along with pharmaceutical science. Such an institute could provide a permanent platform for joint programmes, doctoral supervision, research collaboration, student and staff mobility, innovation, and industry engagement.
For prospective postgraduate students and researchers, a Joint Institute would represent a substantial expansion of opportunities to work across both institutions, drawing on facilities, supervisors, and industry links in Ireland and China simultaneously.
Deepening a Decade-Long Partnership in Shanghai
In Shanghai, Dr Lillis met colleagues at the Shanghai Institute of Technology (SIT) to plan the next stage of a partnership that has run for more than a decade. The relationship has particular strength in electronic engineering and has built a proven mobility model: SIT students travel to Dublin to complete the final stages of their degrees, while TU Dublin electronic engineering students spend time at SIT working on projects with industry partners, gaining direct exposure to China’s technology and industrial environment.
Those industry placements deserve emphasis. Students who complete project work inside a foreign industrial ecosystem return with experience that is difficult to replicate in a classroom: an understanding of different engineering standards, workplace cultures, and market dynamics. In an electronics sector that operates across borders by default, that experience carries real weight with employers.
Proposals now under consideration aim to build on this success, including new undergraduate pathways, postgraduate opportunities in Electronic Information Engineering, and joint doctoral training. Browse TU Dublin’s full course catalogue to see current programmes in engineering and related disciplines.
Transnational Education at Hainan University: A Model That Delivers
The visit also spotlighted TU Dublin’s transnational education partnership with Hainan University, one of the University’s longest-standing relationships in China. The centrepiece is a Dual BSc in Event Management delivered through a four-plus-zero model, meaning students complete their degree entirely in China while TU Dublin staff deliver years three and four in English.
The results speak for themselves:
- More than 750 graduates have completed the programme over the past 11 years.
- Around 380 students are currently enrolled across the four years.
- The programme welcomes an average annual intake of more than 90 students.
- 94% of graduates progress directly into employment or postgraduate study.
That progression rate is the figure most worth noting. It demonstrates that a transnational degree, taught to Irish standards but delivered locally, produces outcomes comparable to traditional study routes. Discussions during the visit focused on extending the model, with plans to introduce Master’s and PhD opportunities in the next phase of the partnership.
The two universities are also cooperating on research and events, with TU Dublin serving as a partner for the 14th International Conference on Tourism and Hospitality, taking place in November 2026. Learn more about partnering with TU Dublin for conferences, research, and collaborative programmes.
A Unified Irish Presence at the Sino-Irish Education Showcase
Individual partnerships gain strength when they sit within a wider national strategy, and the visit reflected that reality. Dr Lillis addressed a Sino-Irish Transnational Education showcase that brought together 12 Irish higher education institutions, their Chinese partner universities, and media representatives.
The event featured contributions from Ireland’s Ambassador to China, H.E. Dr Nicholas O’Brien, and Yang Jun, Vice President and Secretary-General of the China Education Association for International Exchange. Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science James Lawless also addressed delegates, alongside Dr Lillis.
The showcase provided a forum to discuss the development of Sino-Irish transnational education and the role international partnerships play in creating opportunities for students, academics, and researchers. For anyone following education news from Ireland, the event signalled clear policy support at government level for deepening educational links between the two countries.
WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 and the Global Skills Agenda
Beyond university-to-university partnerships, the programme connected TU Dublin with the wider global skills agenda. In Shanghai, Dr Lillis joined Team Ireland at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026, supporting TU Dublin students and apprentices competing on the international stage.
Often described as the ‘Olympics of Skills’, WorldSkills brings together young skilled professionals from around the world to compete across a diverse range of occupations and disciplines. For TU Dublin, whose educational model is rooted in practice-based learning, the event provided a natural showcase for that philosophy.
Dr Lillis also participated in the WorldSkills Conference 2026, held under the theme ‘Shaping a Skills-Driven Future’. The conference gathered education and training leaders, policymakers, industry representatives, and international stakeholders to examine how education systems can respond to changing economic, technological, and societal needs. Discussions covered skills development, innovation, industry engagement, and the future of technical and vocational education and training.
The take-away for prospective students is straightforward: the competencies developed through technological university education, from engineering to hospitality to skilled trades, are valued and contested on a world stage. Choosing an institution embedded in these global networks means choosing an education that stays connected to what industry actually needs.
What These Education Partnerships Offer Students and Researchers
Reading about institutional visits is one thing; understanding the practical benefits is another. Based on the outcomes of this programme, here is what TU Dublin’s China partnerships deliver for different audiences.
For Chinese students
Transnational programmes such as the Hainan dual degree offer an Irish education without the immediate cost and logistics of relocating, with clear options to progress to postgraduate study afterwards. Students on partner programmes can also complete the final stages of their degrees in Dublin, gaining full exposure to Irish academic and cultural life.
For Irish students
Mobility places at partner institutions, such as the industry-linked electronic engineering projects at SIT, provide international experience that differentiates graduates in the jobs market. Understanding how technology and manufacturing operate in one of the world’s largest economies is a career asset in itself.
For postgraduate researchers
Examples such as the quantum machine learning project at Nanjing Tech show how joint supervision and research visits can open access to specialist facilities and expertise. Planned expansions into joint doctoral training and potential Master’s and PhD provision through Hainan will multiply these opportunities further.
For industry and academic partners
Structures like the proposed Joint Institute with Nanjing Tech create reliable, institutionalised channels for collaboration, innovation projects, and talent pipelines, rather than one-off arrangements that depend on individual relationships.
The Road Ahead for TU Dublin’s Global Network
The outcomes of this visit suggest a clear trajectory. Established partnerships are moving from undergraduate teaching into postgraduate education and research. Pilot mobility models are being expanded into structured pathways and joint degrees. And Ireland’s higher education sector is presenting a coordinated front internationally, backed by government and diplomatic support.
For TU Dublin, the combination of a practice-based educational philosophy and a mature international network positions the University well as demand grows for graduates who can work across borders, disciplines, and cultures. Watch TU Dublin news articles for further announcements as partnerships develop, particularly around the proposed Joint Institute and new postgraduate opportunities in China.
Explore Your Own Connection with TU Dublin
International engagement of this kind only matters if it translates into opportunities that people actually use. Whether you are a prospective student, a researcher, or an organisation considering collaboration, the partnerships described here represent open doors worth investigating.
Contact the TU Dublin admissions team to discuss study options for 2026 and beyond, or explore the latest news articles for ongoing updates on international engagement and education partnerships. Have questions or experiences to share about studying with international partners? Leave a comment below and share this article with anyone considering their next step in international education.
