In focus: Russian-Chinese councils of educational programmes
Rector of St Petersburg University Nikolay Kropachev has met China’s Consul General in St Petersburg Guo Min to discuss Russia-China collaboration in higher education.
Positive dynamics in academic partnership between Russia and China is primarily achievement of the Consul General, Embassy and Ministry of Education of China, said Nikolay Kropachev. “Some years ago we had only student and staff exchange programmes, today we are actively engaged in joint educational programmes and research projects with a focus on China”, — said Nikolay Kropachev.
SPbU offers 23 master programmes and 10 bachelor programmes with a focus on China. As many as three thousand students are enrolled on these programmes, which accounts for 15% of the total body of students.
SPbU’s Rector Nikolay Kropachev
Another evidence that the programmes with a focus on China get the most students is that for the last two years the most popular bachelor programme has been Law with a focus on Chinese language and law: you have to score 97 for each USE to be enrolled.
In 2018, the University will open the following bachelor programmes: Tourism Management, Chinese Culture, Economics, Business in North-East Asia, and master programmes: Sociology in China and Russia, Russian and China in Modern Global Politics, and Professional Speech Communication in Mass Media to name but a few.
SPbU’s Rector also suggested forming educational councils. “The councils have a wide scope of responsibilities: from imposing entry requirements, staff requirements to approving thesis topics. It is important for the University that the educational councils are headed by the representatives from China’s government and business that work in China or Russia”, — said Nikolay Kropachev. The educational councils are a privilege of only two universities in Russia: SPbU and MSU, as they are granted a special status by the law, added Nikolay Kropachev.
The educational councils are highly promising and effective format of academic collaboration and they must be headed by big Chinese companies and government, said Guo Min.
The Chinese companies in St Petersburg are on the rise.
China’s Consul General Guo Min
“Among the big players in the market are China’s banks, transportation companies and airlines, — said Gou Min. —We are ready to start to negotiate with them. Besides, many companies in China are ready to offer internship for your students “.
For the last three years that she has spent in St Petersburg as Consul General, SPbU has been a place she has visited more than any other university, said Guo Min.
“China-Russia collaboration is an overall strategy. First, the leaders of our countries meet each year, which is a rare occurrence in politics. Collaboration with Russia is a high priority with Xi Jinping. Second, we have numerous opportunities for collaboration”. The direct agreement between SPbU and Ministry of Education of China, that gave momentum to develop new educational programmes, is a unique experience for China and has no rivals or equals, said Guo Min.
Consul General of China in St Petersburg promised to forward all the proposals made by the University to the Ministry of Education of China. The Consulate will start to negotiate with the Chinese companies that are ready to become heads of the educational councils of the oldest university in Russia, said Guo Min.