During the COVID-19 pandemic, NYU Shanghai mobilized the educational resources of NYU’s global network and developed a collection of online teaching methods and tools for an interactive classroom experience. On February 17, 2020, approximately 820 undergraduate and 130 graduate students located around the world began taking classes online. Later, that year, as students returned to campus and to in-person classes, NYU Shanghai instructors began to teach mixed-mode classes to craft collaborative classes and – most importantly – to restructure “classroom” time and space.
When pandemic travel restrictions made it difficult for Chinese students to travel abroad, NYU Shanghai offered Chinese students a Go Local option, enabling them to embark on their studies in Shanghai. Under the NYU global network’s Go Local program, the University created an extended campus in Lujiazui, allowing students to enjoy NYU-level quality in-person classes in Shanghai with NYU faculty. Nearly 7,000 Chinese students attended classes in Shanghai as part of the Go Local program, which lasted four semesters, from 2020 to 2022. With its global reputation and geographic advantage, NYU Shanghai continues to play an important role in bridging Sino-US educational exchange.