Shanghai MICEE Institute (SMI) was established on December 6, 2011. It is a specialized exhibition research institution jointly built by Shanghai University and Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce, Shanghai Convention & Exhibition Industry Association (SCEIA) under the cooperation framework between the Ministry of Commerce of China and Shanghai Municipal Government. Its purpose is to serve the development of events industry, facilitate the growth of new disciplines, and build a national exhibition research base.

The predecessor of the research institute was Shanghai University Exhibition Communication Research Center. It currently implements a combination of industry, academia and research, interdisciplinary, all-round opening and project employment system, engaging in third-party independent research and high-level talent cultivation. Shanghai Jiao Tong University, East China Normal University, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, and Shanghai Library participate in the co-construction, and cooperate with Dentsu in Japan, Creative Business School in the UK, and University of Missouri in the US in the long run. Currently there are research directions in basic theory, modern exhibition, international comparison, mega events, and national strategy of expos, with two research centers of data information and art technology.

The academic leader, Professor Zhang Min, has visited Europe, America, Japan, Australia, Hong Kong and Taiwan for academic exchanges. She concurrently serves as Vice Chairman of Shanghai Exhibition Industry Association, Deputy Director of the Expert Committee of Yangtze River Delta Exhibition City Alliance, and a member of the Academic Committee of China Exhibition Economy Research Association. She has served as a consulting expert for Shanghai World Expo, a specially appointed expert for China International Import Expo (CIIE), undertaken projects including the Implementation Plan and Related Research of CIIE, Feasibility Study and 13th Five-Year Plan of National Exhibition Center Shanghai Hongqiao, Evaluation of Shanghai International Arts Festival in three consecutive years, and "Globalization and International Exhibition Industry Development: A Comparative Study" funded by National Social Science Foundation of China. She has edited book series "Exhibition People", "Exhibition Blue Book", and "30 Years of Chinese Exhibition Research Paper Selection". She was recognized as one of the Top Ten Theorists Influencing Chinese Exhibition Industry in 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017, and Outstanding Figure of Chinese Exhibition Industry in the 40 Years of Reform and Opening-up in 2018.

Adopting a combination of industry, academia and research, interdisciplinarity, all-round opening, and project employment system, Shanghai MICEE Institute engages in independent third-party research and high-level talent cultivation. As of June 2021, the institute has basically built a base for high-level scarce talents, an exhibition industry consulting center, a national exhibition research base, and continuously cultivated over 500 high-end exhibition industry talents, many of whom are now leading figures and backbones in various exhibition enterprises and institutions.

In the past decade, the institute has independently developed event fundamental theories based on communication, a comprehensive evaluation indicator system of three elements of events industry productivity, established dynamic evaluation databases on domestic and foreign events industry, and proposed the Shanghai Index to assess the strength and level of city and national events industry development. Representative achievements include: participating in the overall design and theme forum planning and execution of Expo 2010 Shanghai China, undertaking feasibility study and 13th Five-Year Plan of National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) Hongqiao, series evaluation of Shanghai International Arts Festival's three-year promotion, "Globalization and International Exhibition Industry Development: A Comparative Study" funded by National Social Science Foundation of China, key research projects commissioned by the government such as Implementation Plan and Related Research of CIIE, key consulting projects for Shanghai government decisions such as Research on Spillover Effects of CIIE, Research on Shanghai's Construction of an International Exhibition City, Legislative Research on Exhibition Industry commissioned by Shanghai People's Congress, 14th Five-Year Plan of Shanghai Exhibition Industry, and research related to exhibition industry in Pudong, Zhuhai, Tianjin, Xi'an, Wuxi, Anqing, Ningxia, Yiwu, etc. Over 200 academic papers and research reports have been published, and works edited including Exhibition Blue Book, Exhibition People Series, and 30 Years of Chinese Exhibition Research Paper Selection.

Recently, the institute has gained support from Shanghai High-level University Construction Projects and formed new features and strengths. Among them, 10 monographs of Exhibition Academic Innovation Series will be published soon, WeChat public account and website are under construction, and Exhibition Industry Dynamic Monitoring and Evaluation Platform has been accepted, including: 1. Intelligent specialized database on global exhibition strength distribution; 2. Intelligent specialized case base on expo display art technology; 3. Intelligent specialized system platform for exhibition project evaluation.