Georgia Tech is ending its 10-year partnership with a Chinese university due to national security concerns. The university has decided to shut down its Georgia Tech Shenzhen Institute and will seek approval to end its degree programs in Shenzhen.

A partnership with Tianjin University and the Shenzhen Municipal Government began in December 2016 to offer educational opportunities in China's tech hub. But in December 2020, the U.S. Department of Commerce added Tianjin University to its Entity List of foreign organizations deemed a national security concern, leading Georgia Tech to review its activities in China. This review resulted in the decision to cancel a planned doctorate program and limit the number of GTSI students.

School officials announced on Friday that the partnership is "no longer tenable" going forward.

Steven McLaughlin, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, acknowledged the challenge of this decision but highlighted Georgia Tech's commitment to global education.

"The choice to end our many years of successful educational development initiatives to grant Georgia Tech degrees in the region was a difficult one," he said. "... Connecting globally remains one of our core values. Students who gain global experience during their time at Georgia Tech bring critical problem-solving skills that are required in today's workforce. We look forward to continuing to expand the international experiences available to our students."

Around 300 students currently enrolled at GTSI will be able to complete their degrees.

Topics China