Shanghai Jiao Tong University Faces Backlash Over Controversial Film: Is Gender Bias Still Prevalent in Education?

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[Herald Economy=Reporter Han Ji-sook] The South China Morning Post reported on April 6 (local time) that Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), one of China’s leading universities, has been engulfed in a sexism controversy after a short film the school published on March 31 to mark its anniversary drew sharp criticism.

According to the report, SJTU released the promotional video on March 31 ahead of its 130th anniversary on April 6.

The short film at the center of the dispute, titled 800 Dongchuan Road, takes its name from the address of SJTU’s expansive Minhang campus.

The video follows students studying and living on campus. In one scene a male student is shown playing video games in his dormitory, while a female student appears as the lead dancer in a troupe.

Controversy erupted over an on-screen caption. The video included the line: “As time passed, the male student became a legendary pro gamer in esports, and the female student who starred on stage became a mother.”

The caption prompted immediate backlash. The female lead dancer said she was “shocked” by the line.

“I’m really angry,” she said. “The male student is presented as advancing to a professional gaming career at a major company, while we female students—even when we excel—are ultimately only recognized as mothers. It was wrong to use my image in a video that carries a caption I find completely unacceptable.”

As the video circulated online, users criticized the university’s judgment. One commenter asked, “How could a prestigious school like SJTU approve this? Did everyone involved—from the subtitle writer to the reviewers and the dubbing team—agree it was acceptable? If so, that’s the real problem.”

Another wrote, “I’m appalled by this university’s values. After years of education, are female students ultimately viewed only as child-bearers?”

Facing growing public anger, SJTU issued an apology, saying, “Our video caused significant reaction due to careless review and production errors. We sincerely apologize.” The university also removed the video.

The school added, “We will treat this incident as a lesson and strengthen our quality controls going forward. We will work to regain the public’s trust and not fall short of expectations again.”

SJTU, one of China’s five elite universities, was ranked 47th in this year’s QS World University Rankings. The university was founded on April 6, 1896, by Sheng Xuanhuai, a prominent late-Qing official and businessman (Qing dynasty, 1636–1912).