Duke Kunshan University, a new China-US joint venture, is to establish a global health research institute to study China's public health issues in a global perspective.

The Ministry of Education formally approved the college, formed by Duke and Wuhan University and located in Kunshan, Jiangsu province, on Sept 12.

DKU will offer degree and nondegree academic programs for students from China and around the world. The first batch of students will start in the fall next year.