On May 23 to 24, Zhu Xuehong, a Vice President of CSU, attended on behalf of CSU the 2ndForum of “Yangtze River-Volga River” University Alliance held in Cheboksary, Russia. As a supporting activity for the 3rdMeeting of the Council for Cooperation between the Upper and Middle Reaches of Yangtze River and the Federal District along Volga River, this forum was hosted by Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University and co-organized by Chuvash State University. Wang Yong, a Chinese State Councilor, and Kamarov, the plenipotentiary of the President of the Russian Federation in the Federal District along Volga River, were present at the opening ceremony and made speeches.
Themed “Solid Foundation for Sino-Russian Regional Cooperation”, this forum attracted school leaders, experts and scholars from 11 Chinese and over 30 Russian member universities who had expressed their opinions freely on such issues as forms, contents, problems, and prospects of Sino-Russian higher education cooperation and scientific research cooperation and the mission of Chinese and Russian universities in “Belt and Road” construction and in Sino-Russian regional cooperation.
Vice President Zhu Xuehong, on behalf of CSU, made a speech titled “Countermeasures and Prospects of Central South University for Cooperation and Exchange with Russian Universities” at the Presidents Forum. She first made a brief introduction of CSU to participating leaders and representatives and a summary of the CSU’s educational and technological cooperation and exchange with Russian universities. As suggested in her speech, the cooperation between CSU and high-level Russian universities and research institutions has been deepening and the achievements from CSU-Russia cooperation projects and the number of Russian students studying in China has been growing. She said, “Looking back on our cooperation with Russian universities, we are highly aware that the predominant disciplines and professional fields of the two sides coincide with each other and there is a great cooperation potential between the two sides. In the future, we will, in the principle of mutual respect, openness and inclusiveness, and mutual learning, further cooperate with Russian member universities to establish a normalized information exchange mechanism, strengthen technical exchange, set up cooperation platforms, expand exchange fields and realize in-depth integrative development.”
Looking into the future, Vice President Zhu Xuehong suggested establishing comprehensive and pragmatic cooperative relationship with Russian members of the University Alliance and building cooperation and communication platforms, including inviting the presidents of Russian member universities to visit China and jointly holding academic forums and seminars to promote the research and academic exchange among experts, scholars and young students of the two sides; exerting the unique advantages of the members of the University Alliance in culture and art and other fields, holding characteristic culture and art exchange and study activities on a regular basis to create brand projects of cultural and educational exchanges; highlighting two-way communication of students and setting up scholarship to support student exchange and other projects of the universities of the two sides; implementing joint talent training and promotion plans and giving great impetus to the joint construction of high-level talent training base with the Russian members of the University Alliance to realize sharing of high-quality education resources. CSU plans to cooperate with Kazan State Technological University in cultivating masters of aeronautical and astronautical science and technology; carry out in a deep-going way the cooperation in scientific research and overcome difficulties with joint efforts; and promote the establishment of “Sino-Russian Cutting-edge Technology Transfer Research Institute” and implement introduction of high-end talents and technical innovation and transfer in material, machinery, aeronautics & astronautics and other fields to pave the way for scientific and technological innovation and technical industry incubation of Chinese and Russian universities and drive the new development of the “Yangtze River-Volga River” regions.
During the forum, Vice President Zhu Xuehong also paid a visit to Chuvash State University and Chuvash State Pedagogical University, and had a meeting with the Alexandrov, President of Chuvash State University where the two sides expressed their cooperation intention, reached a consensus on cooperation and planned to sign a cooperation agreement concerning communication between teachers and students, scientific research cooperation, etc.
Sino-Russian “Yangtze River-Volga River” University Alliance shoulders the important mission to expand communication and cooperation between Chinese and Russian universities and provide intellectual support for the cooperation between the upper and middle reaches of Yangtze River and the federal district along Volga River. Since its establishment in June 2017, the University Alliance has attracted 32 Chinese and 50 Russian universities. As one of the founders and member universities of the University Alliance, CSU will, with the aid of this platform, boost in-depth communication and cooperation with Russian universities in education, science & technology, culture and other fields, share resources with Russian members of the University Alliance to advance joint development, and innovate the mode of cultural exchange and cooperation between China and Russia.
