Fudan University is a Shanghai-based research university and a member of China’s C9 League. Its work spans international relations, economics and the sciences, giving it a durable role in Chinese academic research.

The university’s foreign-policy analysis is associated with its School of International Relations and Public Affairs, the Centre for American Studies and the Institute for International Studies. Its relevance to readers lies in the institutional capacity to examine China’s external policy choices, including sanctions and strategic competition.

During the 2026 Iran conflict, the evidence bundle places Fudan in reporting on China’s response to sanctions pressure and its wider diplomatic position towards Iran. China’s banking regulator ordered four state banks to halt new lending to sanctioned refiners on 25 May, illustrating the policy environment such analysis must interpret.

Common Questions

What is Fudan University and why does it matter for China's foreign policy?

Fudan is China's leading international relations university in Shanghai, a C9 League member whose think-tanks including the Centre for American Studies shape how Beijing's analytical community interprets US Foreign Policy. Its scholars are regularly consulted by Chinese government ministries.

Is Fudan University controlled by the Chinese Communist Party?

Fudan, like all major Chinese universities, operates under CCP oversight through a Party Committee that sits alongside academic governance. In 2019 its Charter was revised to remove references to 'freedom of thought' and replace them with commitments to CCP leadership, drawing international criticism.Source: Reuters / Fudan University

What is the C9 League of Chinese universities?

The C9 League is a consortium of nine elite Chinese research universities, analogous to the UK's Russell Group or the US Ivy League. Members include Fudan, Peking University, Tsinghua University and six others. They receive prioritised state research funding.

What is Fudan University's connection to Chinese foreign policy analysis?

Fudan's School of International Relations and Public Affairs is one of China's leading foreign-policy research centres, and its scholars frequently publish in state-adjacent journals and advise government ministries. Its analysts' positions often signal emerging official thinking on issues such as Iran, Taiwan, and the Ukraine war.Source: Fudan University

Where is Fudan University located?

Fudan University is based in Shanghai, with its main campus in the Yangpu District and a medical campus in Xuhui. It was founded in 1905 and is one of China's oldest and most prestigious research universities.Source: Fudan University official

What research does Fudan University publish on the Iran conflict?

Fudan scholars have published analysis framing the Iran conflict through a multipolar-order lens, arguing that Western sanctions on Iran are consistent with what they describe as US containment of Eurasian powers. This aligns with Beijing's public position opposing unilateral sanctions.Source: Fudan SIRPA publications

How prestigious is Fudan University by global rankings?

Fudan ranks in the global top 50 in most major university rankings, consistently placing as one of China's two or three most internationally recognised universities alongside Peking and Tsinghua.Source: QS World University Rankings

Source Material

Fudan University official site Fudan University