Australian and Chinese universities launch joint masters degree in wine

With China’s growing ambition to develop its domestic wine industry, the country’s leading university Shanghai Jiao Tong University, is looking to Australia, the second biggest source of its wine imports, for technical and viticultural guidance.

photo source: Xinhua

The University of Adelaide and Shanghai Jiao Tong University have jointly launched a dual masters degree in winemaking and viticulture that promises a six-month hands-on experience working in a Chinese winery or vineyard after completing the two-year study, first in Shanghai and then in Adelaide, Australia’s The Lead reported.

China is the world’s 7th biggest wine producer and has the second largest area under vine. Its main wine producing regions are in Hebei, Shandong, Ningxia, Xinjiang, Shaanxi and Yunnan provinces.

The course, set to launch next year will “provide graduates with the ideal preparation for a career in China’s growing domestic wine industry and is also an opportunity for our students from Australia who’d like to take a period of study in China to do that and graduate with a Masters Degree from Shanghai Jiao Tong University as well as the University of Adelaide,” said Chris Ford, interim head of agriculture, food and wine at the University of Adelaide.

The university is conveniently located close to some of Australia’s leading wineries.

China has become Australia’s most valuable export market, and in the past 12 months ended in June this year, the country including Hong Kong and Macau imported AU$1.12 billion, accounting for 40% of Australia’s total export value.

The two countries’ bilateral Free Trade Agreement is also expected to completely scrap the import tariffs on Australian wines starting from January next year, giving another boost to the two’s wine trade.