Duke Kunshan University (DKU), a Sino-American joint venture university in east China's Jiangsu Province, will officially open in August, local authorities said on April 15.

DKU, in the city of Kunshan, was jointly created by U.S.-based Duke University and Wuhan University in China's Hubei Province. The Ministry of Education formally approved its establishment last September.

"We plan to enroll the first 100 students, including 50 Chinese, offering master's degree programs in global health, medical physics and management studies. Graduates will be granted degrees from Duke University," said Liu Jingnan, chancellor of DKU.

In addition to academic degree programs, the university will provide non-degree courses for undergraduate students. Students who successfully complete the program will receive Duke University course credit that can be transferred to other degree-granting institutions.

China currently has about 1,500 Sino-foreign joint institutions and programs, including Shanghai New York University, Wenzhou-Kean University and DKU.