On the afternoon of April 27th, a key partnership agreement was signed by HUST and Saint-Petersburg State University of Information Technologies, Mechanics and Optics (ITMO University). Measures and directions for future cooperation were also discussed. Li Yuanyuan, president of HUST; Chen Jianguo, vice president of HUST; and VASILIEV, president of ITMO University attended the online conference.
In his speech, Li Yuanyuan expressed that educational and cultural exchanges between China and Russia have provided essential support for communication and cooperation between the two countries, in various fields, over the past 70 years. At present, China-Russia relations have entered a new stage. Strengthening bilateral communication and cooperation is of great significance for promoting the development of higher education, enhancing innovation capability, and resolving major issues faced by mankind. He further stressed that HUST and ITMO University, as two key research universities, have great similarities and complementarities in prominent disciplines, and can learn from each other to create more scientific and technological achievements. Li emphasized that this key partnership agreement is not only the epitome of years of friendly cooperation between the two universities, but an opportunity to open the next phase of comprehensive and practical cooperation. Li also expressed his hope that the two universities will further step up the exchange of personnel visits, and jointly establish research funds to support practical exchanges and cooperation between scholars from both organizations, yielding more scientific and technological innovation achievements.
President VASILIEV reviewed the cooperation between the two universities and indicated the willingness of ITMO University to develop partnerships with HUST. He expected that the two universities could, through this opportunity, explore new ways of cooperation, enhance aspects concerning talents training, personnel exchanges, cooperative research, among other areas; thus setting a good example for future cooperation between the two countries.
In the later discussion section, Tang Jiang, dean of the School of Optical and Electronic Information, Zou Deqing, executive vice-dean of the School of Cyber Science and Engineering, along with representatives from ITMO University, including the dean of the School of Information Security, director of the Department of Laser Systems and Technology, and professors of the School of Physical Engineering, all put forward specific cooperation initiatives regarding their disciplines. All parties agreed that they will further strengthen exchanges and cooperation through online academic forums, joint application of scientific research projects, curriculum development and introduction, and joint training of graduate students, among other initiatives.
Presidents of the two universities signing the key partnership agreement, marking the establishment of a key partnership
The Key Partnership Initiative launched by HUST aims to centralize advantageous resources and carry out more targeted international cooperation. HUST plans to sign key partnership agreements with about 10 well-known universities with good cooperation foundations around the globe, and stimulate practical cooperation in talent training, scientific research cooperation, cultural exchanges, etc.
Founded in 1900, ITMO University ranks among the top universities in Russia, and among the first 15 research universities to acquire key support from the Russian Federation government. The cooperative partnership between HUST and ITMO University officially started in 2011. Since then, multiple cooperation agreements in the fields of student exchange and scientific research cooperation have been signed. An estimated 20 or more students have hitherto attended the exchange program or received joint instruction, while the scientific research cooperation between the scholars of the two universities in the fields of optics and materials has also produced abundant results.
Representatives from the International Exchange Office and related departments of the two universities also attended the conference.
Written by：Ren Jianwei
Edited by: Cao yutao, Scott, Wan Tian, Peng Yumeng
Chinese
