On May 23-24, the third meeting of the Sino-Russian "Yangtze-Volga River" Regional Cooperation Council and the second "Yangtze-Volga River" University Alliance Forum were held in Cheboksary, Russia. President Yanrong Li led our university delegation to the meeting. On the morning of the 23rd, leaders of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Commerce and the National Development and Reform Commission of China and six provinces and municipalities in the upper and middle reaches of the Yangtze River as well as leaders of 14 federal bodies along the Volga River in Russia participated in the third meeting of the Sino-Russian "Yangtze-Volga River" Regional Cooperation Council. Our university was invited to attend as the Chinese leading unit of the Yangtze -Volga River University Alliance. From the afternoon of 23rd to 24th , the SCU delegation participated in the 2nd "Yangtze-Volga River" University Alliance Forum sponsored by Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University. State Councilor Yong Wang and Kamarov, Plenipotentiary Representative of the Russian President to the Federal Zone along the Volga River, attended the opening ceremony of the Forum and delivered speeches.
State Councilor Yong Wang and Plenipotentiary Kamarov meet with university delegates
In his speech, state councilor Yong Wang indicated that 82 universities and colleges have become members of the Sino-Russian “Yangtze-Volga River” University Alliance since its establishment in June 2017. The University Alliance has developed into a platform to effectively promote the in-depth exchange and cooperation in education, science and technology and humanities between the two sides under the framework of the "Yangtze -Volga River".
State Councilor Yong Wang and Plenipotentiary Representative of Kamarov, President Li of Sichuan University and President Dmitriev of Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University attend the opening ceremony.
The theme of this forum is: "Yangtze - Volga River" University Alliance - a solid foundation for local cooperation between China and Russia. The university leaders, experts and scholars from the Chinese universities of Chongqing University, Southwest University and Central South University, and university presidents and experts from more than 30 members of the Russian side, have spoken freely about the form and connotation, problems and prospects of Sino Russian higher education cooperation, scientific research cooperation, and the mission of universities in the "Belt and Road" construction as well as the Sino Russian local cooperation.
In his keynote speech, President Yanrong Li pointed out that since its establishment in 2017, the Yangtze-Volga River University Alliance has got 32 Chinese universities and 50 Russian universities. With fruitful cooperation in the fields of education, science and technology, culture, the alliance has made contributions in promoting cultural exchanges between the two countries and expanding cooperation between Chinese and Russian universities. In the future, we hope to join hands with all Russian member universities to develop the alliance into a cradle for the development of both Chinese and Russian young talents, an important bridge for the promotion of Sino-Russian cultural exchanges, a high-end think tank for Sino-Russian local cooperation and an important platform for scientific and technological innovation.
At the closing ceremony, the Chinese Secretary-General Shijing Yan of the alliance made a concluding speech. He said that the purpose to build the "Yangtze - Volga River" University Alliance together is to share resources and promote development. We should make full use of the platform of University Alliance and innovate the mode of Sino-Russian cultural exchange and cooperation. He hoped that the sparks of ideas collided in this forum can be transformed into momentum that can effectively promote further exchanges and cooperation between the two sides.
Heads of SCU Office of International Affairs, College of Foreign Languages and Cultures and School of International Studies take part in the forum.
The Sino-Russian “Yangtze-Volga River” University Alliance was founded on June 16th 2017. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs appointed Sichuan University the leading Chinese university of the University Alliance; and Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University is the Russian counterpart. In October 2017, SCU hosted the first presidents' forum and think tank forum of the Sino-Russian "Yangtze-Volga River" University Alliance.
