Duke Kunshan University (DKU) is a Sino-American partnership of Duke University and Wuhan University, which has an independent legal person status. As a top-rate research university, DKU prepares students to become elite and conducts cutting-edge research in various fields. It awards baccalaureate, master's and doctorate degrees in various disciplines including global health, environmental policy, medical physics, management studies and public policy. DKU was officially inaugurated in December 2012 and welcomed its inaugural class of students in August 2014. DKU is governed by an independent Board of Trustees, with its administrative operations in the charge of the Chancellor. With a 200-acre campus, DKU's built area is planned to cover 450,000 sqm, which will be completed, in three phases, by 2024, when it will be able to accommodate 700 faculty members and 7,000 university students.
Canadian International School Kunshan (CISK), which was founded in September 2012, is affiliated to St. John's Kilmarnock School. The first-phase campus of CISK is located at No. 1855, Ma'anshan West Road, Kunshan, and is currently offering preschool and Grade 1 to 8 education. In the future, it will also provide education from Grade 9 to 12. The permanent campus of CISK, which is located north of Shuijing Avenue, Yangcheng Lake Science Park, will cover an area of about 20 acres, whose development will be completed within three years. When completed, the campus will host education programs ranging from preschool to high school as well as an international exchange center, offering quality basic education for students of different age groups and from different countries. The school offers the complete Ontario curriculum taught in English.
Founded in 2014, Kang Chiao International School (KCIS) is located at the intersection of Ludi Avenue and Jishan Road in Huaqiao Economic Development Zone, covering an area of 35 acres. It offers 15 years of continuous education from preschool to senior high school. Its education model is unique in that its curriculum is a combination of Chinese standard curriculum, Californian curriculum and its self-developed curriculum. This special model is designed to expose students to diverse cultures and help them build a strong body and mind. In addition to bilingual education, KCIS also distinguishes itself by following a multi-disciplinary, all-round and immerse education approach. In this current school year of 2016, KCIS teaches 3,500 students and employs 360 teachers, including 150 foreign teachers.
Hua Dong Taiwan Businessmen's School (HTBS) was approved by the Ministry of Education in November 2000 and started to enroll students in September 2001. If offers 15 years of continuous education from preschool to senior high school. Located in the Huaqiao Economic Development Zone, HTBS covers an area of 17 acres, with a built area of 16,000 sqm. It has a total of 1,200 students and 195 teaching and administrative staff, including 98 Taiwanese, 93 mainland Chinese and 4 foreigners. Its students come from different parts of East China, predominantly from Shanghai, Suzhou and Kunshan. The school follows the Taiwanese curriculum, which is taught in sync with the progress in Taiwan, making it possible for students to transfer between Taiwan and Kunshan. HTBS emphasizes bilingual education and students' collaborative and basic problem solving skills. Thanks to students' all-round development, HTBS enjoys a good reputation among parents.