Development History

The Accounting discipline at Shanghai University of Science and Technology (USST) boasts a profound heritage and a long history, dating back to the founding of the Accounting Department at Hujiang University in 1906, the predecessor of USST. Distinguished modern Chinese accounting scholars such as Pan Yuelun, Zheng Shicha, and Gong Qinghao taught at Hujiang University’s Accounting Department. In 1989, the accounting discipline (including auditing) at USST began enrolling its first cohort of undergraduate students. In 2006, the former School of Management and the former School of Business merged to form the new Business School, rapidly expanding the Accounting faculty. In May 2018, the Business School officially received AACSB international accreditation, with the Accounting program fully participating in the accreditation process. Guided by the university's First-Class Undergraduate strategy and the Business School's internationalization strategy, the Accounting program has embarked on a path of high-quality development, focusing on internationalized education models, as well as faculty-student international exchange and collaboration. Since 2012, the university has been enrolling postgraduate students on the Accounting programme. In 2017, the program was approved to offer the Master of Professional Accounting (MPAcc) degree.

In 2002, the university was granted the right to offer a Master's degree in Fiscal Studies (including Taxation), and in 2003, it began enrolling master’s students in Fiscal Studies on this program. This is the Business School's second Master's program in applied economics.  In 2014, a Bachelor’s program in Taxation was approved, and in 2015, recruitment of students began, with an annual intake of around 40 students. In August 2018, the Department of Fiscal and Taxation was established, forming a structured training system comprising a Bachelor's degree in Taxation, a Master's degree in Fiscal Studies and a Doctorate in Fiscal and Financial Management. In 2021, the Master of Taxation (MT) degree program was approved, with the first cohort enrolling in 2023.

In May 2025, the Business School integrated its disciplinary resources by merging the original Accounting Department with the Department of Fiscal and Taxation to form the Department of Accounting and Taxation. This integration has led to significant improvements in teaching quality and research innovation, and the department continues to grow in terms of its social influence and professional reputation.

Faculty Team

The Department of Accounting and Taxation currently boasts a highly qualified faculty team with excellent teaching skills and extensive experience in management experience. The age and knowledge structure of the faculty team is well balanced. There are 24 full-time faculty members, including 3 professors, 6 associate professors, 4 doctoral advisors, and 18 master's advisors. Among them, 21 faculty members hold doctoral degrees. The department also has a number of part-time instructors, primarily senior managers from fiscal and tax authorities, enterprises, and institutions, who have substantial international perspectives and rich practical experience in accounting, taxation, and related fields.

Over the past decade, our faculty team has undertaken 8 national projects, including those funded by the National Social Science Fund and the National Natural Science Fund. The team has also received five provincial and ministerial-level awards. Additionally, more than 60 provincial and ministerial-level research projects have been carried out. Faculty members have published nearly 150 research papers in influential domestic and international journals such as SSCI, SCI, and CSSCI, with several papers being reprinted by sources like Xinhua Digest and Renmin University Copy Materials. Numerous consulting achievements have been adopted by national and Shanghai CPPCCs. The faculty team brings a wealth of experience in international research and education, corporate governance, think tank work for governments and enterprises, and practical financial consultancy for large enterprises and social organizations.

Teaching Achievements

The Department has made significant progress in terms of teaching development and research innovation:

-Textbook Development: The department has published more than ten textbooks, including Financial Management (National-level planned textbook), Intermediate Financial Accounting, Public Finance, and Tax Law. Among these, Intermediate Financial Accounting and Public Finance have been recognized as key courses by the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission.

-Research Projects: The department has undertaken more than ten projects in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, including industry-academia-research projects, employment and career development projects, and Shanghai municipal and university-level educational reform projects. These efforts continually drive educational reform and the cultivation of innovative talent.

-Teaching Honors: Faculty members have received various prestigious teaching awards, including the Third Prize in the First Youth Teacher Teaching Competition of Shanghai’s Universities, the First Prize for Outstanding Course at USST, the First Prize for Outstanding Guidance in Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and the Second Prize in the Youth Teacher Teaching Competition.

Training Objectives

The Department of Accounting and Taxation currently offers training at the doctoral, master’s and bachelor’s levels. At the doctoral level, the program focuses on Management Science and Engineering (with a concentration in Fiscal and Financial Management). At master’s level, the department offers the MBA specializing in Accounting, the Master of Applied Economics with a focus on Fiscal Studies, the Master of Professional Accounting (MPAcc), and the Master of Taxation (MT). The Department aims to cultivate professionals who meet the needs of the socialist market economy, possessing strong humanistic qualities, scientific spirit, and integrity. Students will acquire knowledge and skills in accounting, taxation, auditing, finance, law, big data mining and processing, and computer applications. They will also develop practical skills in accounting and taxation, as well as professional judgment, and teamwork and communication abilities. Graduates will be prepared to work in various enterprises, accounting firms, government agencies, and related departments, and will be equipped to meet the demands of specialized, digitalized, and intelligent accounting and taxation roles.

Student Employment

To support students in their career planning, the department has established a full-time mentorship system, with each mentor guiding 4-6 students in their professional development. The department has consistently ranked as one of the top disciplines at USST in terms of employment rates, with an average employment rate of around 96% for undergraduate graduates (approximately 97% for graduate students) in recent years. Recent graduates have gone on to pursue further studies at renowned international institutions such as Columbia University, the University of Illinois, the University of Manchester, the University of Nottingham and Tulane University, as well as master's degrees at domestic institutions including the Central University of Finance and Economics, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, Shanghai International Studies University, Beijing Institute of Technology and Zhongnan University of Economics and Law. Students have also entered employment at banks, the Big Four accounting firms, consulting companies, various enterprises and government departments, while a few have chosen to start their own businesses in alignment with their career goals and professional knowledge. Graduates of the department are renowned for their international outlook, in-depth accounting and taxation expertise, and proficiency in mathematical analysis, data mining, processing, and computer applications. They are highly regarded by employers.