Research projects and on-line courses: SPbU-HMU cooperation is on the rise
A delegation from the Harbin Medical University (HMU) headed by its President Yang Baofeng has visited SPbU to take part in the XX International Medical and Biological Research Conference for Young Scientists “Fundamental Science and Clinical Medicine” and to discuss mutual collaboration.
“Our scientists have been successfully cooperating for years. You have just taken part in the medical and biological conference at SPbU and it can serve as evidence that our research cooperation is on the rise. Today several of our projects are well underway and we need to discuss several practical questions”, - said Deputy Rector for International Affairs Sergei Andrushin in the welcoming speech.
Last year, when SPbU visited HMU, they signed a memorandum on opening a joint centre in biomedicine, said Yang Baofeng, which cost $ 10 mln. “We want SPbU’s students and professors come to the centre to carry out research projects. You are well aware that our university’s hospital can accommodate up to 20 thousand patients and is the largest among the university’s hospitals in China. Each year we admit 8 mln patients. And we are happy to offer internship programmes to SPbU’s students with HMU”.
Another major concern is opening a joint SPbU-HMU institute. SPbU’s Vice-Rector for Research Sergei Aplonov offered to create a working group to prepare a proposal and working plan. “We have to decide what the institute will focus on and how we can get finance resources, — said Sergei Aplonov. — Our universities have been collaborating for years. A joint institute will mean a new level of our cooperation, and we have to be more responsible and get a broader perspective”.
Harbin Medical University is the only university in China which has Russian faculty, said the Dean of the Medical Faculty Petr Iablonkii. “Besides, the university has 5 hospitals, and it makes the university unique in how to manage university’s hospitals, — said the Dean. — And they are ready to share their experience with us. We can also collaborate with HMU in continuing education. We have already discussed a number of issues”. The Academic Council of the SPbU’s Medical Faculty will ask to award HMU’s Rector Yang Baofeng a title of Honoured Professor of SPbU, said Petr Iablonkii.
The Director of the Institute of Translational Biomedicine Raul Gainetdinov told about what the Institute and said that they would be interested in cooperation in drug development. Joint publications are vital for getting financial support from Russian-Chinese foundation, said the Director.
On-line courses were another topic to discuss. SPbU and HMU are planning to launch an on-line course in pathophysiology. Yang Baofeng manages on-line courses in China, and consequently we can develop on-line courses in any fields, said Mr Baofeng.