Provost Dr. Stephen Director has announced that Drexel University, Air Products and Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), China, have formed a landmark partnership that will provide outstanding Chinese students the opportunity to earn higher education degrees and a corporate work assignment. The first of its kind, this joint cooperation agreement will enable selected students to complete three years at SJTU and two years at Drexel, including a six-month internship with Air Products. Upon the program’s completion, students will receive a bachelor’s degree in their engineering major from SJTU and a master’s degree in global engineering from Drexel.

Student candidates are screened by both universities and Air Products. They must also meet requirements for Drexel’s master of science program. Air Products will cover all costs, including tuition, transportation, and room and board. The students must also agree to work as full-time paid employees of Air Products, one year for each year of support from Air Products.

The first two students in the program started their education at Drexel this fall.

Headquartered in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Air Products serves customers in industrial, energy, technology and healthcare markets worldwide with a portfolio of atmospheric gases, process and specialty gases, performance materials, and equipment and services; it has operations in 40 countries around the world. SJTU, one of the oldest and most influential universities in China, has made significant contributions to Chinese prosperity and to the development of science and technology.