Important events marked this week for the University of Industrial Technologies and Design, giving a start to another stage of development of both Russian-Chinese relations in education and full participation of St. Petersburg higher education institutions in it.
The delegation of SPbSUPTD headed by the Chairman of the Council of Rectors of Higher Education Institutions of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region, Rector of the University Alexey Demidov received guests representing the Government of Shandong Province (PRC) and the Russian-Chinese Foundation for the Development of Education and Science, Mr Qin Haifeng and Ms Kang Hai-feng. The visit of the Chinese delegation to St. Petersburg University was a continuation of the conference with the participation of the parties held in October this year. On the agenda was the creation of a Russian-Chinese institute as a result of the partnership between PromTechDesign University and Shandong University of Art & Design. During the meeting, they discussed options for student exchange between the two universities, including undergraduate and graduate studies. The parties also noted the prospect of creating under the auspices of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) a Russian-Chinese institute to train students on a dual-degree programme, as well as a joint research centre for advanced innovations at the Qingdao campus (PRC) also on the basis of the SCO. Alexei Demidov invited Qin Haifeng and Cui Shan to the XXX International Festival of Fashion, Art and Design “Admiralty Needle”, the founder of which is the University of Industrial Technologies and Design. He also expressed his hope for the participation of talented designers from Shandong Province in the festival. The invitation was gratefully accepted. The Chinese side responded by inviting Alexey Demidov to visit Shandong Province to sign a co-operation agreement. To launch the process of implementation of the decisions made, the parties agreed to create special working groups, the first dialogue of which will take place already on 20 November this year. Earlier in Shenyang, the International Forum on Exchange and Mutual Learning of Eurasian Civilization was held. Within the framework of the forum, the International Alliance of Euro-Asian-Chinese universities in the field of culture, art and education was established. SPbUPTD joined the Alliance as vice-chairman of the board. The university also signed a bilateral agreement with Shenyang Pedagogical University, which will see the opening of the Centre for Chinese Language Learning and Testing (HSK) on the basis of SPbSUPTD, as well as academic mobility programmes for students and teachers of partner universities.
