St Petersburg University and the Harbin Institute of Technology to train postgraduate students in mathematics and AI
St Petersburg University has been visited by a delegation from the Harbin Institute of Technology. The parties discussed their joint campus success and an opportunity of academic exchange expanse through creating joint programmes aimed at postgraduate training of academic staff.
Sergey Andryushin, Vice-Rector for International Affairs at St Petersburg University, noted that the joint campus is an indicator of the maximum level of cooperation between the two universities. 'We started with a simple agreement. Then, we proceeded to create research centres and double degree programmes together. Finally, we reached the highest level of interaction,' Sergey Andryushin said. 'Colleagues from other educational institutions in China are interested in our joint campus experience, and, in my opinion, such a project could be relevant for them.'
The agreement establishing the joint campus of St Petersburg University and the Harbin Institute of Technology was signed in 2019 as part of the 20th meeting of the Russian-Chinese Commission for Humanitarian Cooperation. The following year, a ceremonial laying of the first stone was held in Harbin. In autumn 2022, the joint campus welcomed its first students.
The joint campus of the two universities is located in the restored historic buildings of the Chinese Eastern Railway and the Consulate General of the Russian Empire in the historic and cultural centre of Harbin. The campus covers an area of about 60,000 square metres.
During the meeting, representatives of the Harbin Institute of Technology also suggested organising short-term exchanges of researchers and creating joint postgraduate programmes in the main fields of study 'Applied Mathematics and Control Processes' and 'Artificial Intelligence and Data Science'. Sergey Andryushin supported the initiative of the Chinese colleagues. According to him, these areas of science are a priority for both St Petersburg University and the Harbin Institute of Technology.
Cooperation between St Petersburg University and the Harbin Institute of Technology has been going on since 2014, when St Petersburg University signed a memorandum of cooperation with the province of Heilongjiang. It was in this document that a proposal was first made to create a joint academic centre in Harbin.
In addition, it was proposed to develop textbooks and other teaching aids for students of the joint campus by a collective effort of experts from the two universities, in order to make the educational process more efficient. An initiative was also launched to attract talented students to joint master's programmes at the Harbin Institute of Technology. The holders of St Petersburg University diplomas with distinction will be recommended for admission.