Russian-Chinese dialogue on the Arctic: MASU and Wuhan University agree on cooperation
- 08.05.2020
1352
Murmansk Arctic State University and Wuhan University (PRC) have concluded a cooperation agreement. The document was signed by the Acting Rector of MASU Irina Shadrina and the Vice President of Wuhan University Li Fei. Initially the signing of the agreement was scheduled for January 28 as part of an international scientific conference «Ice continent: history and modernity» that was dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the discovery of Antarctica by the Russian naval expedition of Fabian Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev. But as the situation with the virus got worse, the Chinese delegation had to cancel its visit and the agreement was signed remotely by means of electronic document management.
The agreement is designed for at least four years and provides for a cross-cultural exchange between students and staff and support of joint academic courses and research projects. The priority areas for cooperation between MASU and Wuhan University are diverse: investment projects, creation of field schools in the both countries, promotion of the Russian and Chinese languages and cultures, training of engineers, technology transfer, development of training programmes for entrepreneurs, development of tourism, organization of joint expeditions and so on.
Given the fact that the world is fighting a new coronavirus infection, one of the priority areas for cooperation is joint researches and educational programmes in medicine.
It’s worth mentioning that the decision to sign this document was reached in May 2019 in St. Petersburg as part of the meeting between representatives of scientific and educational organisations of the Murmansk region and the delegation of Wuhan University. At the same meeting an agreement was signed between Wuhan University and the Murmansk Regional Branch of the Russian Geographical Society. Then these documents were confirmed at St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2019.
Currently the parties are discussing a project to create the Russian-Chinese centre for joint polar research. The corresponding agreement is planned to be signed at the next St. Petersburg International Economic Forum that should take place after the global epidemiological situation returns to normal.