Zhejiang University and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University jointly founded the International Executive Development Center (IEDC) in 1997, which aims at utilizing the advantages of both universities by offering modern management courses of high quality and training senior management personnel with international perspective, familiarity with China's real situation and managerial skills as well as a sense of social responsibility.

Situated on the elegant campus at Zhejiang University, the center embraces modern design and utilitarian equipment, providing participants with the best study environment. Aided by modern teaching facilities and internationally oriented faculty, the center keeps improving its sophisticated and unique management education, offering practically needed courses for various walks of life and helping the businesses grasp the latest international pulse for better development opportunities.

Approved by the State Council Office of the Academic Degree Committee, the center respectively offered Master Program of Quality Management, Master Program of Hotel and Tourism Management, Master Program of International Real Estate, and EMBA as well as Bachelor's Program of Science in Nursing. The Executive Diploma in Management Studies and in-house training courses also enjoy popularity within business circles.

The center has thus far become the institution of learning with the most jointly offered programs, high level and wide career field among sino-foreign jointly offered academic training institutions. Since its founding, the center has cultivated many business elites with international competitiveness and received considerable attention and praise from the society. Over the past years, the center has come up with approximately 1400 alumni of Zhejiang University and Poly U. Most of them are engaged in degree programs and about 700 have finished the courses and obtained a degree or a diploma.

The center has provided internally tailored courses for famous businesses such as Motorola, Zhejiang Mobile, Yao Jiang Group, Zhejiang Narada Power Source Corporation and governmental organs at various levels in Zhejiang Province and HKSA senior cadres. The center also collaborated with Toronto University, Canada, in Global MBA Programs.