On February 8, 2025, College of Architecture and Urban Planning formally signed an agreement with the Weitzman School of Design at the University of Pennsylvania, establishing the first joint undergraduate-to-master's degree program between Penn's design school and CAUP. This landmark agreement creates a direct pathway for outstanding undergraduates from CAUP to pursue master's degrees at Penn.

Building on a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in 2024, this program represents a culmination of extensive dialogue and strategic planning between both institutions. It aims to streamline cross-border academic pathways, shorten degree completion timelines, and pioneer innovative models for international collaboration in design education.

In late September 2023, then-Dean Li Xiangning visited Penn to initiate discussions with Frederick Steiner, Rosanna Hu, and Zhongjie Lin. Subsequent high-level exchanges included visits by current Dean Wang Lan, who met with Steiner, Hu, Lin, and Associate Dean Jeff Snyder in May 2024—culminating in the signing of the MoU that formalized the partnership. Dean Wang also delivered keynote speeches at Penn's Fisher Fine Arts Library in May 2024 and the Contemporary China Research Center in September 2024, celebrating two decades of collaboration and charting future initiatives.

The program covers five undergraduate majors at Tongji: Architecture, Urban Planning, Landscape Architecture, Historic Preservation Engineering, and Urban Design. Qualified graduates will be eligible to apply for prioritized admission to Penn's master's programs, including:

Master of Architecture (MArch)

Master of Science in Design (MSD): Environmental Building Design

Master of Science in Design (MSD): Robotics and Autonomous Systems

Master of Science in Design (MSD): Advanced Architectural Design

Beyond degree pathways, the partnership will launch academic initiatives in 2025, such as the International Design Summer Camp, the Design with Nature Asia Exhibition Tour, and the International Landscape Architecture Forum. These programs will leverage both institutions' strengths to expand course offerings and research opportunities, delivering high-caliber educational experiences while deepening collaboration in pedagogy and innovation.