Tongji University (TJU) in Shanghai, a prestigious Chinese public university, has a collaboration agreement with the Università di Firenze covering multiple areas. In March 2014, TJU launched the Florence Overseas Campus.

The Campus activities in Florence include semester-long course packages valid for Chinese university curricula, as well as professional development courses for Chinese university faculty. The main fields of interest are design and fashion, architecture, art history, and Italian language and culture.

These activities are supported, among others, by a triangular agreement between the TJU Sino-Italian Campus, the Dipartimento di Architettura (DIDA), and the Fondazione per la Ricerca. DIDA provides academic and scientific coordination and classrooms, while FRI offers organizational support and classroom tutoring.