St Petersburg University expands cooperation with China in the field of medicine
A delegation from Weifang Medical University has visited St Petersburg University. The purpose of the visit is to develop an extensive network of academic partnerships and collaborations, including student mobility and academic exchange programmes.
According to Valeriia Malomuzh, Deputy Vice-Rector for International Affairs at St Petersburg University, St Petersburg University is the first among Russian universities to sign a cooperation agreement with the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, which offers opportunities for international internships for students. St Petersburg University has more than 80 partners from China in the field of education and science. Among them are the following: Peking University, Tsinghua University, Qingdao University, Jilin University, and Liaoning University to name just a few.
How the Western model of the Chinese medicine has been developing heavily rests on the Soviet and Russian models. In this regard, we share many similar approaches to how we organise the system of education and select programmes and specialties. I hope that we will deepen our academic cooperation.
Lidiia Soprun, Chairperson of the teaching methodology committee in the field of "Fundamental medicine"
During the meeting, the parties discussed opportunities for student exchanges in medicine. The delegation of Weifang Medical University proposed an initiative to organise academic mobility programmes for infectious disease students who will come from China to Russia as part of an internship for a three- to six-month period.
Colleagues from China proposed to regularly invite lecturers from St Petersburg University to deliver lectures to students at Weifang Medical University. ‘We would like St Petersburg University scientists to become research supervisors for our students. By doing so, we could prepare high-calibre specialists together’, said Liang Shujuan, Vice President of Weifang Medical University.
At the end of the meeting, the parties signed a cooperation agreement. The first step in scientific cooperation will be a round table to exchange best practices between scientists at St Petersburg University and Weifang Medical University.