In 2007 Venice International University launched an academic cooperation with the Tongji University (Shanghai), developing an exchange program of visiting students and professors between the Chinese university and VIU.
Within the framework of the exchange and research program Venice International University hosts every year visiting students from the Tongji University Master Program on Sustainable Development. The students spend 3 months on the VIU campus on San Servolo and attend the VIU Globalization Program, developing research projects on different topics related to Sustainable Development (i.e. Carbon Trade and Environment Management, Water Management and Water Treatment, Biomass Utilization, Environmental Risk Assessment, Eco-city Planning).
Each student is appointed a local tutor for their research activity in Venice, who establishes new scientific, technical, institutional and academic relationships with the Universities and their Chinese supervisors.