The first meeting of the Educational Council of Oriental studies at SPbU
The University has held the first meeting of the Council of the master educational programme in Modern China: Economics, Politics, Society.
The first meeting discussed the aims and the areas for development of the new programme in Oriental and African studies.
The event was opened by the Chairperson of the Council, Professor, RAS academician Vladimir Miasnikov.
One of the current issues in education in Chinese studies is a legal aspect of Russia-China collaboration.
Chairperson of the Council, Professor, RAS academician Vladimir Miasnikov
The problem is that we interpret the legal acts differently and it poses difficulties to diplomats, scientists, students who visit China on exchange or internship programmes, said Vladimir Miasnikov. Secondly, our education should focus on ethno-psychological aspects and ethical standards in the Chinese society, says Vladimir Miasnikov. He suggests we should incorporate the works by N.A. Speshneva into our education.
The Deputy Director of the Office of Educational Programmes at SPbU Elena Menshchikova told about the aims and scope of responsibilities of the Educational Councils that help solve the problems that can arise in education.
The results were announced by the research director of the programme in Modern China: Economics, Politics, Society SPbU Associate Professor Polina Rysakova.
First results
Our programme was ranked among the top 15 programmes among the applicants. The average score at the entrance exams is relatively high as in other programmes with a focus on China.
The research director of the programme in Modern China: Economics, Politics, Society SPbU Associate Professor Polina Rysakova
The students are proficient in Chinese (above HSK4), says the director of the programme. Nevertheless, we should pay more attention to how well they are prepared in Chinese studies and what bachelor degree they have. All the professors who have lectures in the group agree that the students have a great potential, says the Director of the Centre for Chinese Studies at SPbU Nikolai Samoilov.
The meeting of the Council focused on what partners from the Chinese universities we can attract and discussed the topics for the theses from the Committee for External Affairs of St Petersburg.
The topics for the theses were commented by the Deputy Director of the Institute of the Far East of the RAS, Editor-in-Chief of “Issues of the Far East” Professor Vladimir Portiakov, Ambassador of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Evgenii Tomikhin, and Chairperson of the Commission of the Union of Writer of Russia, member of the Board of Directors of the Society of Russia-China Friendship Oleg Bavykin who took part in the meeting via video conferencing. They suggested including those topics that related to how we form our image in foreign policy via the cultural projects and public diplomacy.
Vladimir Portiakov told about how we could use Chinese e-resources as a source for research carried out by the young scientists. Evgenii Tomikhin told that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was ready to provide opportunities for student internship programmes in Russia and China.
The meeting shows that the Russian experts in Chinese studies are interested in the SPbU’s master programme that aims to educate and prepare high-calibre specialists in China and Russia-China relations.