SII-DUFE is a Sino-Foreign Joint Co-operative School approved by the Chinese Ministry of Education (MoE) both owned and run by Dongbei University of Finance and Economics (DUFE) in partnership with the University of Surrey. Established in 2007, the Institute is located on the campus of DUFE in the seaside city of Dalian, Liaoning Province, PR China.

The mission of the partnership is to provide an international education experience for Chinese students in China, though various pathways are open for students to transfer to the University of Surrey's home campus in the UK. Its strategic value forms part of the partner universities' international strategies.

SII-DUFE currently offers three undergraduate business programmes in dual degree formats over four years, ensuring successful graduates earn degrees from both partner universities. The programmes are International Business Management, International Tourism Management and Accounting and Finance. The Institute has planned to introduce a jointly-run University of Surrey PhD programme in the near future and seeking to expand its undergraduate offerings too.

SII-DUFE is subject to quality assurance oversight by the MoE and related bodies, such as the Liaoning Education Bureau (LEB), China Academic Degrees and Graduate Education Development Center (CDGDC), and the UK's Quality Assurance Agency (QAA). The latest LEB and QAA reviews were conducted in the 2023-24 period. In addition, the Institute has been accredited by the China Education Association for International Exchange (CEAIE).