INRTU and Jiangsu Normal University plan to develop cooperation in science, education and sports

A delegation from Jiangsu Normal University visited INRTU for the first time. Representatives of the Russian and Chinese universities discussed the prospects of cooperation in science, education and sports during a meeting on December 19.

Jiangsu Normal University, located in Xuzhou, was founded in 1952. The university is in the top 1200 of THE independent ranking. More than 20 thousand students study at the university in technical and humanitarian fields.

The delegation from China was headed by Deputy Dean of the International College Liu Xinglin. Qu Jiachun, Advisor for International Activities, also met with the INRTU students.

Anna Melenteva, Head of International Affairs Department, Nina Berngard, Head of International Office, Anna Kireenko, Director of INRTU Baikal School of BRICS, Svetlana Latysheva, Director of Humanities Department of Baikal School of BRICS, and Alexander Demidov, Chairman of the Sports Club represented INRTU.

According to Anna Melenteva, more than 10 years INRTU has been developing cooperation with universities of the People's Republic of China:

"Over the past five years, more than 800 Chinese students have become our graduates. At the moment INRTU has 382 students from China. Today's meeting will be the beginning of the development of relations between INRTU and Jiangsu Normal University. INRTU actively cooperates with Chinese universities - we have concluded more than 50 agreements with 47 universities in China in the field of higher education and science. We actively cooperate with Chinese colleagues in the field of academic mobility. Thus, more than a hundred students have already been able to participate in exchange programs with Chinese partner universities".

Anna Kireenko, the Director of the Baikal School of BRICS, told the guests more about the English-taught programs. The School provides education in English. The Baikal School of BRICS offers nine bachelor's and five master's programs. Students study electric power and electrical engineering, journalism, international business, and artificial intelligence. In addition, a major in Russian-Chinese translation is being implemented.

Aleksandr Demidov emphasized that INRTU trains not only high-class specialists, but also helps students to excel in sports:

"INRTU has created national teams in ball hockey, boxing, basketball, orienteering, swimming and other sports. Every year we lead the Spartakiade of universities of the Irkutsk region, we organize all-Russian sports projects. We are interested in organizing joint tournaments with our colleagues from China".

Liu Xinglin, Deputy Dean of the International College, thanked for the cordial meeting and spoke about the key areas of training at Jiangsu Normal University. Liu Xinglin expressed his interest in cooperation with Irkutsk Technical University in the field of academic mobility of students and academic staff, development of dual degree programs and organization and conduct of sports events.

Representatives of the Chinese university also proposed to launch English-taught programs in physical education, architecture and design on the basis of the university.

At the end of the event, the parties agreed to sign a memorandum of understanding and an agreement on academic exchange in the near future, and exchanged gifts.