Shanghai University has offered SPbU cooperation in the field of IT
A delegation from Shanghai University has visited St. Petersburg University. At this meeting the parties discussed the most promising growth areas for the development of cooperation between the universities, as well as the opportunity to establish an exchange process for students and teachers.
Sergey Andryushin, SPbU Deputy Rector for Foreign Affairs, noted that despite a long-standing cooperation between the universities, its potential is not being fully used. "Over the past few years, SPbU has undergone great changes. A unique Research Park was created. Comprising over 20 resource centres, it allows SPbU to significantly modernise its scientific infrastructure and attract leading professors not only from Russia but also from around the world," Sergey Andryushin highlighted. "Our partnership with China is one of the most dynamically developing trends. Every year more than 1500 Chinese students enrol on different programmes at our University, and a large number of scientists come from China to work with our professors at the SPbU Research Park and laboratories. We have also signed a student and teacher exchange agreement with the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, and the Chinese Minister of Education is planning to hold a meeting with SPbU Rector soon to discuss prospects for expanding cooperation." He added that SPbU is interested in developing cooperation with various universities including Shanghai University, one of the leading educational and scientific institutions in China and worldwide.
Wen Xueguo, Vice President of Shanghai University, said that their University pays much attention to staff training, so it became important for them that many outstanding Russians were graduates of St Petersburg University. "We know that your University is one of the oldest and best in Russia. It nurtured not only well-known scientists but also political figures, and we believe that only one of the best universities in the world can be competent for such a mission," Wen Xueguo said. "Shanghai University is one of the oldest and most renowned universities in China; it has also educated many outstanding figures, of whom it now takes special pride. We have come to St Petersburg University to develop and expand cooperation in various scientific fields, and we would like to start with establishing contacts in the field of computer technology." Petr Zograf, Head of the SPbU Chebyshev Laboratory and Vladimir Korkhov, SPbU Associate Professor, held presentations devoted to SPbU activities in the fields of theoretical and applied mathematics.
Another topic for discussion was the establishment of student and teacher exchange process between the universities. The representatives of the Shanghai University delegation said that Chinese students are interested in studying at St Petersburg University and, in their turn, invited SPbU students to participate in summer schools. Sergey Andryushin added that it was also necessary to update the current cooperation agreement and sign additional exchange agreements, since SPbU students' interest in China is growing every year, thus making the programmes connected with the study of the Chinese language increasingly popular. "And it's not just about the philology programmes," Sergey Andryushin explained . "Last year we launched a bachelor's programme in law with in-depth study of the Chinese language and laws of the PRC. It was our first experience and it immediately became one of the most popular programmes among the applicants. On seeing this interest, we started launching other programmes, so the University is interested in inviting Chinese teachers who could deliver lectures at St Petersburg University."
The parties have agreed that in the near future they will begin work on the modernisation of the agreement in order to increase the number of both the short-term and long-term exchange programmes. They have also decided to start creating new joint educational programmes in future.