Alliance of Chinese-Russian Language Education Universities is Open

On May 18, in Harbin, China, MSLU and Heilongjiang University initiated the opening ceremony of the Alliance of Chinese-Russian Language Education Universities. This event was part of the Forum of Rectors of Chinese-Russian Language Education Universities.

The ceremony took place at Heilongjiang University, one of the leading humanitarian universities in the province and country, rightfully considered the “cradle” of Russian-Chinese relations and the teaching of the Russian language in China.

The event was organized to mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Russia, and to promote comprehensive strategic cooperation and partnership between China and Russia in the new era. Leaders of the Ministries of Education of China and Russia, as well as rectors and representatives of more than 60 universities member of the Alliance are invited to participate.

The main goal of the Alliance is to strive to create a platform for Sino-Russian cooperation in the field of language education, exchange and sharing of resources, training high-quality specialists in the field of language education, deepening language education and humanitarian exchanges and cooperation, promoting the development of cooperation between China and Russia and strengthening friendship between two peoples.

MSLU was represented by Rector Irina Kraeva, First Vice-Rector for Educational Activities Larisa Petruchak, Head of the Department of International Cooperation and Internationalization Irina Shokina, Acting Head of the Department of Training of Teachers of Rare Languages ​​Alexandra Shakhaeva.

MSLU rector of noted: “Not only in the province of Heilongjiang, but throughout China, interest in the study of the Russian language and culture is growing every year, and Russian studies take an important place in the language education system of the Celestial Empire. Long-term cooperation with Chinese colleagues and speeches by university representatives clearly demonstrate these trends. MSLU, like all members of the Alliance on the Russian side, pays special attention to teaching and promoting the Russian language and culture among foreign citizens in Russia and abroad and will support Chinese colleagues in this endeavor and will make every effort to implement joint projects.”

It is symbolic that the events took place during the visit of the Russian President Vladimir Putin to China, being his first foreign trip after his re-election, as well as the anniversary year of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Russia and China.

In the context of development trends of modern higher education, the formation of Alliances in the educational field seems to be one of the most relevant areas of cooperation between higher educational institutions.

Network forms of cooperation allow partners to jointly achieve mutually beneficial goals, realize common interests, and obtain optimal benefits and advantages. Within the framework of the Alliance, participants complement each other with experience, including international experience, resources, scientific information, ensuring the formation of university research clusters and conditions for the development of a “multi-professional” model of student training. Network interaction in the scientific and educational sphere is a natural response to modern global challenges, therefore it becomes a way to strengthen the competitiveness of national educational systems and successfully attract talented youth and scientists, a mechanism for the development of educational activities in the field of linguistic and humanitarian training and creates innovative educational programs.