‘We and Our Chinese Colleagues Have a Common Approach to Solving Modern Challenges’

During a visit to China, an HSE University delegation headed by Vice Rector Victoria Panova arranged to extend cooperation agreements with Fudan University and East China Normal University (ECNU). Particular attention was paid to expanding students’ and teachers’ academic mobility between universities.

Headed by Vice Rector Victoria Panova, the representatives of HSE University visited Shanghai on December 4–5 and held several meetings with leading research and educational organisations.

Victoria Panova (left)

© HSE University

‘Today, universities in Russia and China are faced with the task of not only preparing first-class personnel for various sectors of the economy. We and our Chinese colleagues have a common approach to solving modern challenges: in an effort to provide our students with the best, we interact with leading partners in both education and business,’ said the HSE University vice rector.

In Shanghai, international agreements establishing institutional cooperation between HSE University and the oldest and most prestigious universities in China—Fudan University and East China Normal University—were extended. The agreements provide for deepening interaction in various areas, including academic mobility, joint research and publications, events, work in the fields of Russian and Chinese studies, the development and implementation of online courses, basic and additional educational programmes at the university-wide level, and other forms of cooperation in the most promising areas for the two countries.

According to Victoria Panova, this is an important step in strengthening ties with Chinese partners. ‘As part of the agreements, there is an emphasis on a long-term and stable relationship with our colleagues: HSE University has cooperated with ECNU since 2011, and with Fudan University since 2012, while the first informal contacts were carried out back in 2005,’ she added.

Special attention was paid to expanding students’ and teachers’ academic mobility between universities, which will help enrich the educational experience and promote cultural exchange. ‘China remains our strategic partner, and such agreements reflect our desire for comprehensive cooperation, while also opening up prospects for joint research and educational initiatives for our scientists and professors. They also give students the opportunity to understand another culture and represent their own, making their time at the university even more interesting and memorable,’ emphasised the HSE University vice rector.

During the meetings in Shanghai, Chinese colleagues expressed satisfaction with the results of the joint work done and also highly praised their cooperation with HSE University. In turn, Victoria Panova invited the representatives of Fudan University and ECNU to take part in International Partners’ Week, a key event to be held in June 2024 at HSE University in Nizhny Novgorod.

Previously, in November 2023, representatives of ECNU visited HSE University campuses in Moscow and St Petersburg, which made it possible to strengthen and expand the existing interaction between the universities.

The representatives of HSE University also met with colleagues from Jiaotong University, Shanghai University, and Shanghai Institute for International Studies. The meetings were an excellent opportunity to discuss prospects for cooperation, scientific research, and ideas for joint projects in the field of education (including the organisation of summer and winter schools in global management and finance), as well as to exchange experiences on the most relevant topics.