To actively respond to the national strategic guidance on deepening cooperation with Russia and implement the common vision of Chinese and Russian heads of state for promoting exchanges in the field of education, Huo Chunhui, Vice President of Liaoning University (LNU), led a delegation on a visit to Ufa University of Science and Technology and Irkutsk State University from November 5 to 8.

On the afternoon of November 5, Huo Chunhui and his entourage held talks with Professor Vadim Zakharov, Rector of Ufa University of Science and Technology, Professor Rita Filipova, Vice Rector, Deans of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, the Faculty of Economics and Management, and the Faculty of Continuing Education, as well as the Head of the Department of Oriental Studies and Journalism and the Head of the International Economics Teaching and Research Section.

On the morning of November 6, the two universities jointly signed the “Agreement on Conducting Chinese Language Education between Liaoning University (China) and Ufa University of Science and Technology (Russia)”.

Subsequently, Huo Chunhui and his entourage attended the opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Center of Chinese Language and Culture.

At the opening ceremony, Huo Chunhui delivered a speech on behalf of LNU. He pointed out that on November 3 this year, Premier Li Qiang and Prime Minister Mishustin successfully held the 30th Regular Meeting of the Chinese and Russian Prime Ministers in Hangzhou, and agreed to support Chinese language teaching in Russia and Russian language teaching in China, and enhance exchanges among young students. He said that the official launch of the Chinese Language and Culture Center is a positive response to and concrete implementation of the consensus reached by the prime ministers of the two countries, marking a new stage in the cooperation between the two universities. He hoped that the center would truly become a solid bridge connecting the friendship between China and Russia, open up broader space for deepening bilateral educational cooperation and promoting people-to-people bonds, and inject lasting and profound impetus into the open dialogue and cultural mutual learning between the two peoples.

After the opening ceremony, Zakharov and Huo Chunhui cut the ribbon for the Chinese Language and Culture Center in the presence of representatives from both sides.

On the morning of November 7, Huo Chunhui and his entourage held talks with Professor Schmidt, Rector of Irkutsk State University, Professor Denis, Vice Rector, Yulia, Director of the International Affairs Office, and Bayramova, Foreign Dean of the Confucius Institute. The two sides exchanged views on the exchange of undergraduate students majoring in Russian, joint training programs for relevant master’s programs, and the construction and development of the Confucius Institute.

To further strengthen the cooperative exchanges between LNU and Irkutsk State University and jointly run the Confucius Institute well, the Council of the Confucius Institute discussed and approved the renewal of the cooperation agreement.

On the afternoon of November 7, Huo Chunhui and his entourage went to the Confucius Institute’s “Wenzhi Workshop · Experience China” to hold discussions with teachers and students.

This visit has further consolidated the traditional friendship between Chinese and Russian universities. Through a series of pragmatic measures such as building platforms together, optimizing resources, and expanding projects, it has injected new impetus into promoting language communication, cultural mutual learning, and talent integration between China and Russia, and opened a new chapter in bilateral educational cooperation.