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Tongji University（同济大学：Tónɡjì Dàxué） is one of the leading universities directly under the State Ministry of Education in China. It offers degree programs both at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The history of Tongji University can be traced back to 1907 when Tongji German Medical School was founded by Erich Paulun, a German doctor in Shanghai. The name Tongji suggests cooperating by riding the same boat. The school was expanded to include engineering in its programs and got its new name as Tongji Medical and Engineering School in 1912. It was formally established as a university in 1923 and was renamed as National Tongji University in 1927.

Tongji was successful in its application for the 211 Program which provided universities with substantial government fund. In 1995 the university became one to be jointly built by the State Education Commission and the Shanghai Municipal Government. In 1996 the university merged with Shanghai Institute of Urban Construction and Shanghai Institute of Building Materials. The merger was hailed by the State Council as Tongji Model in the system reform of higher institutions in China. In April 2000, the expanded Tongji merged again with Shanghai Railway University. Now Tongji University has become a comprehensive university which offers a wide range of programs in sciences, engineering, medicine, arts, law, economics and management.