Wuhan University (WHU) has received approval from the Ministry of Education for two groundbreaking educational collaborations: the Wuhan University-Durham University (DU) Joint Institute and the Undergraduate Pharmacy Education Program with the University of Auckland (UoA).

The WHU-DU Joint Institute will welcome its first cohort in 2026, which will follow a "4+0" academic model, allowing students to complete their entire four-year program at WHU.

The institute will offer undergraduate degrees in six fields: Geophysics, Geography, Smart Water Conservancy, Mechanical Design and Manufacturing and Automation, Electronic Information Engineering, and Electrical Engineering and Automation.

Courses will be co-taught by faculty from both China and the United Kingdom under a dual-registration system. Students can choose to study at DU and, upon fulfilling all requirements, will receive bachelor's degrees from both institutions.

The pharmacy program follows a "3+1" model, where students spend three years at WHU and their final year at the UoA. Students meeting the graduation criteria of both universities will earn Bachelor of Science degrees from each institution.

The curriculum will incorporate advanced teaching models from the UoA, foster faculty collaboration and student exchange, and expand WHU's international network in health and medicine.

DU, founded in 1832 and a member of the UK's prestigious Russell Group, is ranked third in the UK according to the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026. It is one of only three collegiate universities in England.

Meanwhile, the UoA, New Zealand's largest and top-ranked research university, is placed 65th globally in the 2026 edition of the QS World University Rankings, maintaining its position as New Zealand's leading institution for several years.