Fully utilizing multidisciplinary cooperation in the fields of Theoretical and Applied Economics, SUFE focuses on the research of major issues of economic theory and practice to meet the needs of modern economic development. The University adheres to the principle of relating theory to practice and studying both the important theoretical and practical issues in China's economic development and modernization framework. As a think tank, we supply economists and decision makers with useful, accurate theories and intellectual support.

    It is the groundwork of the University's sustainable development goal to perfect its framework of scientific research. SUFE has taken a series of importa0nt actions toward the reform this framework to make it more practical. As a result, the University's research mechanism has becomes increasingly diversified with each passing day. Regarding subjects-construction, the Ministry of Education authorized the following National level critical subjects beginning in 2002: Accountancy and History of Chinese Economic Thought and Finance. In 2001, the Shanghai municipal government ratified the subjects of Accountancy, Banking and Industrial Economics as municipal-level critical subjects. As for the research organization, the Institute of Accountancy and Financial Affairs has been cited in the construction plan of the humanities and society research base. On the basis of the rearrangement of more than 20 original research centers, we have established the following university-level critical research bases: the Institute of Marxism, the Institute of World Expo Economy, the Center for Modern Financial Studies, the Center for Regional Economic Studies, the Center for Public Policy Studies, the Center for Modern Marketing Studies, the Center for Economic Philosophy Studies, the Center for Applied Statistic Studies, the Center for Research on Shanghai School of Economics and the center for top500 enterprises.

     From the actualization of the ‘ninth five-year-plan’ till now, the professors and researchers of SUFE have published more than 6000 theses among which more than 700 of the most influential were printed in National first-tier publications such as ‘The People's Daily”, 'Sunny Daily’, ‘China Social Science,' and ‘Economic Study'. The theses named ‘ The past and future of China economics’ and ‘The study of financial accounting questions of assets reorganization in listed companies’ won the prize of outstanding achievements of humanities and social science research awarded by the Ministry of Education; ‘The analysis of the business relationship between commercial banks and industrial and commercial enterprises’ and ‘The market response to assets reorganization’ won the Shanghai municipal first-level prize of outstanding achievements of philosophy and social science research.

    They also have more than 600 monographs among which ‘The research of accounting audit theory’, ‘Theory of social security economics’ and ‘Discussion on the accounting regulation in stock-market management’ won the prize of outstanding achievements of humanities and social science research awarded by the ministry of education. ‘A new compendium of the history of Chinese economic thoughts’, ‘Analysis of macro-finance gambling’ and ‘Discussion on gambling’ won the Shanghai municipal first-level prize of outstanding achievements of philosophy and social science research. In recent years, their publishing of annual reports of development on China public finance, China financial system, China regional economy and China investment have exercised a great influence in  society. SUFE academics also contribute to updating teaching materials. On the basis of the integration of financial and economic theories from both China and western countries, they have compiled more than 800 teaching materials covering the fields of accountancy, economic theory, financial policy, finance, management, etc. and have won a great number of prizes.

    Providing the government and enterprises with consultancy service is an important way for SUFE to serve economic construction. Scientific research systems have been perfected gradually. Teachers are encouraged to accept various kinds of projects actively and to win scientific financial assistance. Since the actualization of the ‘ninth five-year-plan,' 68 National-level projects have been carried out by SUFE researchers. ‘Research on the basic theoretical questions of West Development’ in 2001 and ‘Research on the history of Marxist economic thought’ in 2002 both received financial assistance as key projects from the national social science fund. ‘Research on change and control of The stock market in China,' 'Research on the optimization of internal management of commercial banks in China,' 'Research on the capitalized operation of rural collective fields and the construction of A rural social security mechanism in China,' and 'The international exchange rate fluctuation and China's time choice’ are among many winners of assistance for urgent projects from the chief funds of management science of the international natural science fund.

    SUFE staff have executed more than 350 provincial-level projects, 61 of which were decision making research projects of the Shanghai municipal government, ranking no.1 among all Universities in Shanghai. One of these projects, called 'Research on the financial risk prevention mechanism of housing in Shanghai’ won the Shanghai municipal first prize for decision making consultancy research achievement. In the first half of 2003, SUFE organized research on the C scheme of ‘Discussion on The World Expo and the strategy of a new round Of Shanghai development,' bringing forward the meaningful view that the latest Shanghai development strategy is a periodic strategy based on long range goals. SUFE also detailed a stepwise blueprint. It became a valuable theoretical reference for the municipal government to arrange development and was highly praised by the municipal leaders. In addition to government support, more than 500 projects have been commercially supported. Most of the scientific research achievements have already been applied in practice and have brought great economic and social benefits.