A delegation from Xiangtan University visits UNN
On July 28, a delegation from Xiangtan University, led by Liu Jing, Secretary of the Party Committee of Xiangtan University, paid a return visit to Lobachevsky University. At the end of last year, representatives of Lobachevsky University, during their visit to the People's Republic of China, signed agreements on cooperation in the fields of education and science, as well as academic mobility of students with Xiangtan University.
Xiangtan University is located in Xiangtan City, Hunan Province. It was established in 1958 on the initiative of Mao Zedong, the first Chairman of the People's Republic of China. The university is jointly managed by the Hunan Provincial People's Government, the Ministry of Education of the PRC, and the State Administration of Science, Technology, and Industry for National Defense. The university offers programmes in nine major fields: literature, history, philosophy, natural sciences, engineering, economics, management, law, and art. Mathematics, chemistry, materials science, and engineering are particularly strong disciplines, ranking among the world's top 1% according to Essential Science Indicators (ESI).
"Our universities are connected not only by a shared commitment to developing international cooperation but also by our common status. UNN is part of the Priority 2030 state programme, the largest university support initiative in Russian history. Meanwhile, Xiangtan University is among the leading Chinese universities participating in the Double First Class programme, a Chinese initiative aimed at creating world-class universities and scientific disciplines. Both Priority 2030 and Double First Class set ambitious goals for us in achieving technological leadership and advancing science. We share common interests in cutting-edge fields such as information technology, artificial intelligence, chemistry, new materials, microelectronics, fundamental computer science, mathematics, materials science, and physics. We firmly believe these areas will form the foundation of our fruitful collaboration. We see great potential for joint research, development, and the exchange of knowledge and experience," said Oleg Trofimov, Rector of Lobachevsky University.
The Chinese guests were given a tour of the UNN campus, they were also briefed on Lobachevsky University's educational programmes and key areas of focus. Following this, discussions on the prospects for cooperation took place. Liu Jing, Secretary of the Xiangtan University Party Committee, delivered a speech highlighting the importance of the partnership.
"In Russia, there is a saying: 'Don't have a hundred roubles, have a hundred friends,' and in China, we have a similar phrase: 'No mountains or seas will divide like-minded people.' Lobachevsky University is a prestigious institution, ranked among the top twenty in Russia, and a partner we highly value. We were brought together by the Volga-Yangtze University Association, and Oleg Vladimirovich is not only a friend of our university but also a key facilitator of our cooperation. This meeting marks the transition from agreements to long-term cooperation, and I hope it will flow as enduringly as the Yangtze and Volga rivers into the future," noted Liu Jing.
Lobachevsky University actively collaborates with 22 partner universities in China. The main forms of cooperation include joint educational programmes and academic mobility programmes (18 agreements), such as student exchanges, summer schools (including online formats), and the joint implementation of educational programmes.
Given the intensifying cooperation with China and other Asia-Pacific countries in the scientific and educational spheres, the Asia-Pacific Resource and Information Centre has been established at the university. Three additional professional education programmes for learning Chinese as a foreign language have been launched at this Centre.
UNN is a member of the Volga-Yangtze University Association, the Union of Journalistic Education of Universities in China and Russia, and cooperates with Chinese partners within the frameworks of the Association of Law Universities of SCO countries, the Association of Asian Universities, and the International AML/CFT Network Institute.
