350 best SCO universities students will get an opportunity to study at Russian leading universities. SCO University Rectorate meeting held at RUDN

3 August, RUDN hosted a meeting of the National Rectorate of SCO University where 20 Russian leading universities expressed their readiness to accept 350 international students in 7 key directions in the frame of network cooperation

At the meeting the participants summed up the results of network cooperation and defined short- and long-term plans. Since 2010, 1,066 Master’s and postdoc students have studied in leading Russian universities in the frame of SCO University. 453 graduates have already got SCO certificates.

The meeting was conducted by RUDN Rector V.Filippov and was attended by representatives of Russian universities, RF Ministry of science and research and Rossotrudnichestvo. Guests of honor were Counselor-Minister for educational issues of PRC Mr.Xihai and Rector of Kyrgyz National University n.a. J,Balasaghyn Mr.Sadykov.

«SCO University started at an inter-university level from only one direction and each university could participate only in one program. Today 79 universities are working in 7 priority directions of academic cooperation. We are not only developing internship and Master’s programs but will soon start Bachelor’s, postdoc and refresher programs as well. Network University has become the spiritual center of SCO and so it will develop», said RUDN Vice-Rector Larisa Efremova.

SCO University comprises 78 leading universities from 5 countries- Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan.  Since India and Pakistan have joined the organization it is planned to expand the geography of participants of network academic cooperation. SCOU comprises 20 Russian universities in Astrakhan, Barnaul, Belgorod, Ekaterinburg, Krasnoyarsk, Novosibirsk, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Ufa and Chelyabinsk, Kazakhstan is represented by 14 leading universities and China by 24.

Counselor-Minister for educational issues of PRC Mr.Xihai: «In the recent 10 years we have achieved a lot and the project is taken seriously at very high levels. A lot has to be done including inter-governmental level, but already now we can say that SCOU graduates are in demand on the labor market – the network system of training specialists has proved efficient».

SCOU is planning to strengthen cooperation in existing specialties and expand the list of potential programs and forms of study. Today there are 7 priority directions – regional studies, IT, nanotechnology, power engineering, ecology, economics and teaching sciences. Each direction has a coordinator, for example RUDN is the head university for economics, teaching sciences and ecology, while MPEI is coordinating studies in power engineering. In the near future it is planned to start training specialists in technosphere security, electric and thermo engineering and biotechnology. At the meeting RUDN and Balasaghyn Kirgiz National University signed an agreement on cooperation in economics, teaching sciences and regional studies.

Among other plans – SCOU concept correction, improving educational programs coordination and realization of inter-governmental agreements, forming SCOU graduates database and holding the SCO Education Week in 2018.

In 2017-2018 academic year Russian universities will accept 350 foreign citizens in internship, Master’s and postdoc programs in the frame of SCO University.

Reference:

16 August, 2007 – RF President Vladimir Putin came forward with an initiative to set up SCO University, the idea was supported by SCO members states: Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

28 October, 2008 – Ministers of education of SCO countries signed a Concept of SCO University creation and functioning (Astana).

31 October, 2016 - Dmitry Medvedev signed  an order «On signing an Agreement on setting up and functioning of Shanghai Cooperation Organization University».