WENZHOU, Zhejiang - The Chinese Ministry of Education has approved the establishment of Wenzhou-Kean University, the second university jointly operated by China and the United States.

The city government of Wenzhou in east China's Zhejiang province confirmed Sunday that it will earmark 1.5 billion yuan ($236 million) for the construction of the university's campus, which will be built in the town of Li'ao in Wenzhou.

According to sources with the government, the university will have an initial enrollment of 5,000 full-time students and 90 percent of its courses will be taught by teachers from Kean University or other foreign universities.

The government did not give a timetable for the school's construction.

Based in New Jersey, Kean University was established in 1855 and graduates more teachers than any other college in the state.

China has witnessed an internationalization of higher-learning institutes this year, followed by Premier Wen Jiabao's call in early March to invite world-class universities to set up offshore campuses in China.

Construction began in late March for New York University Shanghai, the first university jointly operated by China and the United States. In addition, the University of California, Berkeley signed a deal with Shanghai in November to establish a campus there.