This March, York University is recognizing and participating in SDG Month Canada, a national initiative to advance collaboration, awareness and engagement around the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
Throughout the month, YFile will present a series of articles that highlight contributions from York University and its efforts to advance the SDGs. These stories reflect the people, research and initiatives that make the University an international leader in sustainability.
York University has launched a new academic partnership with Jiangnan University in Wuxi, China, establishing an international pathway for graduate studies in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.
The 3+1+1 program – named for its structure – allows students to complete three years of undergraduate study at Jiangnan, followed by a fourth year (the first “+1”) at York University focused on academic preparation and research skills, and a fifth year (the second “+1”) dedicated to earning a master’s degree.
The program is designed to attract high-performing students from Jiangnan University’s mathematics and applied sciences programs. These students, selected for their academic excellence, will join York’s academic community during their fourth year to bridge their undergraduate education with the demands of graduate-level study. While the program primarily targets Chinese students from Jiangnan, it also offers opportunities for cross-cultural engagement with Canadian peers during their time at York.
“This isn’t just about moving students between two institutions,” says Hugo Chen, director of International Collaborations and Partnerships at York. “It’s about building an academic bridge that equips students with the tools to thrive in research-intensive environments and prepares them to make meaningful contributions in their fields.”
The transition year at York is central to the program’s design. Students take courses in advanced mathematics, research methodologies and academic communication skills while adapting to an English-speaking academic environment. Faculty mentorship plays a key role during this period, helping students navigate York’s research-focused learning culture and develop the skills needed for graduate-level work. By the end of this year, they are fully prepared to enter one of York’s master’s streams: Pure Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, Probability and Statistics or Data Science.
The fifth year allows students to specialize in areas that align with both academic inquiry and industry demand. The Data Science stream, for example, equips students with computational and statistical expertise sought after in fields such as artificial intelligence (AI) and quantitative finance.
“The program is designed not just to prepare students for academia, but also to position them as leaders in fast-evolving industries,” says Chen.
Jiangnan University nominates candidates based on their academic performance, and York conducts a final review to ensure all applicants meet its rigorous admission standards. “We hold all our graduate students to the same expectations,” Chen explains. “This ensures consistency in quality across all our programs.”
Discussions are already underway about expanding this model to other departments within York’s Faculty of Science or exploring similar agreements with additional international institutions.
Chen says: “International collaborations allow us to create pathways that benefit not only individual students but also advance research and innovation on a global scale.”