The Sino-French Institute of Engineering and Management (IFCIM) at Tongji University will be upgraded to a governmental level program this year, university officials announced at the institute's fifth anniversary on Saturday.

The move means both the French and Chinese governments will have say over how the institute is run and will also help finance it. Starting this year, the French government will spend 50,000 euros (US$60,000) to subsidize each of the institute's Masters programs, most of which are related to engineering sciences.

A batch of new engineering programs, such as Masters of Architecture and Urbanism, Masters of Regional City Planning and Masters of Industrial Risk Management, will also be launched this year, university officials said.

"IFCIM's becoming a governmental level program marks the beginning of all-round education cooperation between the Chinese and French governments," said Zheng Shiling, the institute’s dean and a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

IFCIM was launched in 1999 by Tongji University and Paris Tech to train engineers and managers for Chinese or Sino-foreign corporations.

Currently, 500 students are enrolled in its Master of Business Administration program and three engineering programs.

Construction on a new Sino-French Center is expected to start at Tongji's campus during French President Jacques Chirac's visit to China at the end of this year.

(Shanghai Daily March 15, 2004)