Yunnan Agricultural University and Lincoln University launch 3+1 agricultural economics degree: NZ$30

Summary

A joint undergraduate programme in Agricultural and Forestry Economics Management run by Yunnan Agricultural University and New Zealand's Lincoln University was approved by China's Ministry of Education in 2016 (approval number MOE53NZ2A20151759N). Based in Kunming, it is the first undergraduate-level Sino-foreign cooperative education programme between the two universities. Enrolment runs from 2016 to 2030, with ministry approval valid until 31 December 2037.

On 6 September 2026 the university held a 10th anniversary symposium with Lincoln University; the two joint programmes — the undergraduate programme in Agricultural and Forestry Economics Management and the Master of Agriculture programme — continue to operate steadily, and the partners plan to explore establishing a cooperative education institution. On 23 September 2026 an expert review meeting was held on the 2026 version of the talent training plan for the Agricultural and Forestry Economics Management major, attended by Lincoln University's TNE director and others. The training model is a 3+1 dual-campus, dual-degree arrangement: years 1–3 are completed at Yunnan Agricultural University in foundation and specialised foundation courses, with foreign faculty teaching in English; year 4 is spent at Lincoln University in New Zealand, corresponding to its Food and Resource Economics pathway.

Students who meet the requirements receive a Yunnan Agricultural University undergraduate graduation certificate, a Bachelor of Management degree and a Lincoln University Bachelor of Commerce. The 2026 admissions regulations specify that students may be admitted from both physics and history streams. Domestic tuition is RMB 30,000 per year, and the cost for the fourth year in New Zealand is NZ$29,100.

Commentary

The 3+1 dual-degree programme between Yunnan Agricultural University and Lincoln University combines three years of study in China with one year in New Zealand, offering students in the agricultural field a relatively cost-controlled path to an overseas qualification. For NZ SMEs, such cooperative education is not only an education export but could also become a long-term interface for talent and business networks in the China-New Zealand agricultural supply chain. Lincoln University's research strength in agricultural economics and food resources gives its graduates the potential to enter New Zealand's primary industries or agribusinesses, while Chinese students returning home could also serve as a bridge for New Zealand agricultural products entering the Chinese market.

Against the industry backdrop, New Zealand's education export sector has faced policy and competitive pressures in recent years, but agricultural technology and management programmes retain a differentiated advantage, particularly in meeting China's talent needs for rural revitalisation and agricultural modernisation. However, the NZ$29,100 cost of the fourth year, plus living costs, remains a significant burden for most Chinese families, and the value of the dual degree depends on how well Lincoln University's Bachelor of Commerce is recognised in the job market. Yunnan, as a major province for highland characteristic agriculture, has close ties between the programme and local industry, but New Zealand SMEs seeking to benefit need to actively participate in internships or school-enterprise cooperation rather than relying solely on the degree education itself.

Keywords: Yunnan Agricultural University, Lincoln University, Agricultural and Forestry Economics Management, 3+1 dual degree, Sino-foreign cooperative education, tuition fees, talent training plan, 10th anniversary symposium

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Source: zyxw.cn