Australian universities, including Monash, had for many years sought to establish a physical presence in China. Although it had some teaching and research cooperation with Fudan, Nanjing, Shanghai and Beijing universities, Monash lacked the regulatory approval to operate as a fully fledged university. In 2006, it signed an agreement with
Sichuan University, which promised to greatly enlarge the Monash presence in China. In May 2008, the region suffered a major earthquake. This led the region to devote its resources to on its internal recovery, with less scope for international university partnerships. Australian universities continued to seek collaborations with and campuses in China. In 2011, it was reported that 25 Australian universities had had their applications for licences rejected in that year alone. In April 2012, it was announced that Monash University had won a full licence to operate as a university in China. The announcement followed several years of cooperation between the two universities and many months of negotiations with the
Chinese Ministry of Education. This was the third time that a university had been granted a licence to operate in China and the first graduate school. although it is widely thought that
Duke University and
New York University are likely to be granted licences soon. The main University building was completed in late 2012, as it accepted its first intake of students. ==Location==