St Petersburg University scientists speak at the international Arctic conference
Experts from St Petersburg University have taken part in the 11th international academic meeting "Russia—China Cooperation in the Arctic: New Dimensions and Approaches". It was organised by: St Petersburg University; the Ocean University of China; and the South China Business College of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies.
The Ocean University of China is one of the country’s leading universities in the field of Arctic studies. The development of international cooperation is one of its leading activities. According to Liu Yong, Vice President of the Ocean University of China, cooperation with St Petersburg University, its strategic partner, is important for Chinese researchers. He also emphasised that, over the decade of their existence, the annual Arctic meetings have become an important venue making it possible for scientists of the two countries to communicate with each other and promote research of the North. ’The development of this forum is directly related to the cooperation between our universities, which we are constantly strengthening. I support this undertaking and thank you for everything that has been done,’ said Professor Liu Yong.
These times bring us new challenges in the field of climate change and ice melting, so scientific collaboration plays an important part today. I hope that our Arctic meeting will help us better understand each other’s research and strengthen the scientific collaboration between our countries. And we will achieve new successes in that.
Liu Yong, Vice President of the Ocean University of China
The first Russia—China meeting dedicated to the Arctic was held in 2011 at the initiative of the Ocean University of China and St Petersburg University. Since then, strategic areas for cooperation between the two countries in the Arctic have been regularly discussed within the framework of the conference. Its participants include: representatives of government agencies; the diplomatic corps; higher education institutions; the media; public associations; and business representatives. ’Each year, the Russia—China meetings help us rally the leading experts in various fields of knowledge round the Arctic issues. They also help us promote the policy of China and Russia in the field of Arctic-based research, train young professionals, and develop international and regional youth associations,’ said Sergey Andryushin, Deputy Rector for International Affairs of St Petersburg University. ’Thanks to the conference, we started organising trips for Chinese and Russian students, businessmen and journalists to the Russian Arctic as part of international events, such as summer schools that took place in Yamal before the pandemic.’
Arctic studies are actively developing at St Petersburg University, and, as Sergey Aplonov, Director of the Arctic Research Centre at St Petersburg University, noted, its distinguishing feature is a broad thematic coverage. ’Our scientists deal with almost all issues of the Arctic, from the creation of new materials for the Arctic to the problem of the ancient architecture in the region, and from mineral resources to Arctic law,’ said Professor Aplonov. ’In recent years, special attention has been paid to interdisciplinary research. We create teams that study certain problems of the Arctic from different perspectives, using extensive competencies both inside and outside the University. Coordination of these studies is the main task of the Arctic Research Centre at St Petersburg University.’
Irina Novikova, Dean of the School of International Relations, also delivered a welcoming address. She noted that the annual workshop jointly held by St Petersburg University and its colleagues from China had stood the test of time and had become a permanent venue for a dialogue between Russian and Chinese scientists of the highest level.
Russia and China share common values and approaches to modern international relations, such as a multipolar equitable world, the principle of equality, rejection of double standards, and others. We welcome the development of the Russia—China dialogue of scientists on Arctic issues. It makes a worthy contribution to strengthening trust between our peoples.
Irina Novikova, Dean of the School of International Relations, St Petersburg University
’Preservation of the sustainable development of the Arctic, its infrastructure, human capital, and state support for indigenous peoples living in the Arctic region are, of course, the strategic priorities of the foreign and national policy of the Russian Federation,’ Irina Novikova highlighted. ’Within the framework of Russia—China academic meetings at St Petersburg University, the foundations of China’s Arctic White Paper were discussed. During these discussions, representatives of the Arctic regions clarified their international projects and programmes.’ She added that the organisers of the event pay special attention to attracting young people. A few years ago, some of the participants in the first meetings were students, now they have become scientists themselves. Thanks to that, the University has a strong team of experts who successfully develop Arctic studies in Russia.
Leading experts from Russia and China had a chance to speak at the 11th international academic meeting. Irina Fedorova, Head of the Environmental Clinic of St Petersburg University, presented a report titled "Coupling Educational and Research Programmes for Training Personnel in Polar Research".
’The Institute of Earth Sciences at St Petersburg University is actively developing Arctic, Antarctic and permafrost studies. This is reflected in numerous research projects and in the implementation of academic programmes,’ said Irina Fedorova. ’At the moment, there are two international master’s programmes in polar studies, implemented in English. They are: POMOR, Polar and Marine Sciences, and CORELIS, Cold Region Environment Landscapes Integrated Science, which is now in the process of transformation.’ Lecturers from leading institutions in Russia and abroad who specialise in the study of the polar regions and permafrost are invited to deliver lectures. Students get practical training within the framework of research projects. They gain experience in expeditions to: the Svalbard Archipelago; the glaciers of the Caucasus and Altai; the Kola Peninsula; Taimyr; Yamal, the White Sea; and the Lena Delta. In conclusion, Irina Fedorova added that CORELIS, like other academic programmes of the Ecology and Nature Management field of study, is open to cooperation, student exchange and joint implementation of polar-related research projects.
Due to regular strengthening of the imposed sanctions, the need to establish partner relations between Russia and the countries of the Asia-Pacific region is increasing. Potential areas of cooperation with China were analysed by St Petersburg University Professor Sergei Belozerov and Elena Sokolovskaia, Leading Research Associate in the Laboratory of Asian Economic Studies. According to the authors of the report, it is advisable to intensify collaboration in those industries where the parties have significant competitive advantages, material and technological assets, and an experience of cooperation as such. The potential areas include: strategic, investment and regulatory cooperation; collaboration in the field of end-to-end technologies and cybersecurity; and joint mining of rare earth metals in the Arctic, which are a basis for the production of a large number of high-tech goods.
Professor Mariia Lagutina spoke about Russia—China scientific cooperation. The main areas here are: scientific and technical research; ecology and environmental protection; and joint training of personnel. In total, at least 12 Chinese universities are currently cooperating with Russian universities and research centres. The annual Russia — China academic meetings on Arctic cooperation are just one of the examples of such successful interaction. The agreement on the creation of a Russia—China Arctic studies centre to conduct comprehensive joint research in climatology, geology, biochemistry and other sciences also contributes to scientific exchange. This document was signed in 2019 at the International Arctic Forum in St Petersburg between the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Qingdao Ocean Science and Technology National Laboratory. Thus, thanks to the interaction within the framework of the centre’s activities, it became possible to predict the ice situation on the Northern Sea Route and to draw up environmental recommendations for the economic development of the Arctic.
Russia’s Arctic Strategy Through 2035 establishes not only the goals and priorities of the state policy in the field of socio-economic development and environmental protection, but also particular measures to be taken for their implementation. Almost all development plans are based primarily on the principle of rational and integrated use of natural resources. It is the basis ensuring the sustainable growth of various sectors of the economy throughout the territory. Marina Ermolina, Associate Professor at St Petersburg University, noted that the law which would be based on the Russian policy in the Arctic and would determine the legal regime for nature management and environmental protection in this ecologically unique and vulnerable region has not been adopted yet. At the same time, the Federal Law "On State Support for Entrepreneurship in the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation" adopted in 2020 sets the course for more intensive economic development of the region, while the environmental responsibility of business entities still remains at the level of general requirements, without taking into account the environmental significance of the region.
Nadezhda Kharlampeva, Associate Professor of St Petersburg University, spoke about the need for interdisciplinary academic projects in the natural sciences, humanities and social sciences. Among other things, this is crucial for the practical implementation of developments in planning, management and coordination of the activities of a unified system of state monitoring of surface water bodies within the boundaries of the economic regions of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation, administrative-territorial units and the natural human habitat in the North and in the Arctic. In particular, as a result of cooperation with the Department of Hydrology of River Mouths and Water Resources at the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, certain points of contact were identified in the study of the natural ecological habitat of animate and inanimate nature. Also, while studying the Arctic Ocean drainage basin, the researchers have formulated a number of topics for prospective joint academic programmes and projects in the field of social sciences and humanities that include the natural habitat of the numerous peoples inhabiting this area.