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SCO University charter to be signed in Moscow in Nov – RF Educ Ministry

Sixteen Russian higher education institutions, 15 Chinese universities united within the framework of five priority directions to prepare students – regional studies

BEIJING, September 22 (Itar-Tass) — A charter of SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) University will be signed in Moscow in November, deputy director of the Russian Education Ministry’s Department for International Cooperation Larisa Yefremova said on Thursday.

Speaking at a press conference after the 11th session of the Russian-Chinese sub-commission for cooperation in education, Yefremova said, “The SCO University will function on the basis of more than 60 higher-education establishments of Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Sixteen Russian higher education institutions, 15 Chinese universities and others united within the framework of five priority directions to prepare students – regional studies, IT technology, nanotechnology, energy and environment.”

“Within the traditional Education Week in Moscow in November rectors of these higher education establishments will sign a charter of SCO University,” she added.

“Now we are working on master’s programmes of the University. Russia provided over 200 budget grants. In the future the Russian Education Ministry is ready to provide more grants,” Yefremova said.

“We prepared the most part of the legal base of the University, approved its concept and functioning. We signed a corresponding memorandum, multilateral agreements on master’s programmes,” the Russian official noted.

“As a whole we have no problems related to equivalency of documents [education certificates] within the bilateral format and within the SCO. But we are ready to work on creating a legal base to make them recognise by European higher education institutions,” she said.

“Higher education establishments often complain about difficulties in carrying out international projects,” Russian Education and Science Deputy Minister Igor Remorenko said. “But all difficulties should be overcome because otherwise it will be impossible to be a competitive higher education establishment in the world. That is why our higher education establishments have to make changes and cooperate with each other, and create network universities such as SCO University,” the Russian deputy minister stressed.