A Growing Partnership with Wenzhou Medical University

Dr. Yujuan Shan, professor and PhD supervisor at Wenzhou Medical University.

The University of Alberta’s School of Public Health and Wenzhou Medical University (WMU) took an important step forward in their partnership this month. Dr. Yujuan Shan, professor, PhD supervisor, and MPH program coordinator, Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health at WMU, visited Edmonton for the first time from May 13-18. Shan currently serves as one of the academic leaders supporting WMU’s Master of Public Health collaboration with the U of A. 

The U of A’s College of Health Sciences’ partnership with WMU dates back to 2020, when the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry started a transnational medical educational partnership with WMU to create the Alberta Institute Wenzhou Medical University. The five-year program, created and delivered jointly by faculty members of the two partner universities, was the first cooperatively run international program in clinical medicine in China. The five-year program at WMU, located in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, includes an undergraduate program in biomedical sciences, as well as MSc programs in areas such as dentistry and psychiatry. The MPH is a new addition to this broad partnership. 

Shan first became involved during the early development phase of the collaboration between the two universities, when both sides were exploring how to build a high-quality international public health program together. “Because my academic work has long focused on nutrition, chronic disease prevention, and global health education, I was naturally interested in contributing to a partnership that emphasizes interdisciplinary and international public health training,” she says.

Her role involves both academic leadership and partnership coordination. She works closely with her colleagues at WMU and the U of A to support curriculum development, faculty collaboration, student training, and quality assurance for the MPH program.

She also connects the program with WMU’s broader vision in global health and public health education. “Beyond administration, I care deeply about mentoring students and creating opportunities for them to develop practical public health skills and international perspectives.”

Shan says it is important to offer the MPH program at WMU as public health challenges become increasingly complex and globalized. “China, like many countries, faces important issues related to chronic disease prevention, aging populations, health equity, environmental health, and global health preparedness," says Shan. “The MPH program gives students access to international perspectives, interdisciplinary training and evidence-based public health approaches. It also helps prepare future public health professionals who can work across cultures and contribute to improving population health, both locally and globally.”

The U of A’s strong international reputation in public health research, community engagement and interdisciplinary collaboration are just some of the reasons why she was eager to work with them, says Shan. “What impressed me most was the shared educational philosophy between our institutions — both universities value academic excellence, student-centred learning, and addressing real-world health challenges.” 

One major benefit of the collaboration is the opportunity for mutual learning. Faculty members from both universities bring different expertise, teaching styles, and research experiences. This enriches the classroom experience and creates stronger academic exchange, benefiting both students and faculty members, says Shan. “Most importantly, collaborations like this help build a more globally connected public health community.”

During her visit to Edmonton, Shan focused on academic discussions, program alignment and planning for the future. She says she is very impressed by both the university community and the city itself, and that meeting colleagues in person is invaluable. 

“International collaborations naturally involve challenges, including differences in educational systems, administrative processes, academic regulations, and communication across time zones and cultures,” says Shan. “However, I believe these challenges are also valuable learning opportunities. Successful collaboration requires patience, trust, flexibility and continuous communication. Over time, our teams have developed a strong working relationship and a shared commitment to the success of the program.”

The first cohort of Chinese students will begin this fall. Shan says she hopes the partnership will continue to grow through research collaborations, student exchanges and broader global health initiatives. “Public health is fundamentally about improving human wellbeing, and international cooperation is increasingly important in achieving that goal.”

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Dr. Yujan Shan currently serves as the Chair/Director of the Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Wenzhou Medical University. She remains actively engaged in teaching, graduate supervision, and research in nutrition, food science, and public health. She previously completed visiting academic work at the University of East Anglia in the U.K.Shan is well recognized in her field, particularly in nutrition, food hygiene and public health research, and has served on national and provincial academic committees. 

A special thank you to Di (Addison) Xu, Graduate Student Advisor, for acting as a translator during the interview.