Russia and China, actively interacting in the field of education, plan to expand cooperation. It is expected that 2026-2027 will be declared bilateral years of education of Russia and China. As noted at a meeting of the subcommittee on cooperation in the field of education of the Russian-Chinese commission on humanitarian cooperation in Beijing, 35 events and programs in this area are already being successfully implemented. Additionally, the Russian side selected 15 leading universities for the implementation of the Plan for the joint training of highly qualified personnel. Tomsk State University joined the top 15 universities that will have to make a special contribution to the training of specialists for China.

– The reason why TSU was among the 15 universities selected for training is the university’s achievements in scientific and educational cooperation with China, says Artyom Rykun, TSU Vice-Rector for International Affairs. – We currently have over 700 Chinese students. TSU has 88 operating agreements with Chinese organizations, including the strongest universities in China, for example, Beijing University of Chemical Technology and Dalian Polytechnic University.

Tomsk State University has experience in working with the business sector, including world market leaders. For example, the Institute of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science and the TSU Higher IT School have been closely cooperating for several years with a Chinese company, which is one of the largest telecommunications companies in the world.

The Confucius Institute created jointly with Shenyang Polytechnic University has been operating at TSU for 15 years. In 2016, the Confucius Institute was recognized by Chinese experts as one of the best in the world. The global network of Confucius Institutes includes 500 centers created on the basis of universities, and more than a thousand classes. The Confucius Institute joined the top twenty world leaders – and from Russia it was the only one on this list.

Now the Confucius Institute is one of the main Russian platforms for cultural exchange, in-depth study of Chinese language and traditions. A joint Center for the Russian Language named after A.S. Pushkin was opened in Shenyang with the participation of TSU. It opens up new opportunities for Chinese citizens to study the Russian language and culture. This center is the only one in Liaoning Province.

– By the decision of the leaders of both countries, 2024-2025 were declared the Years of Culture of China and Russia. More than 230 events are planned in all areas of culture: music and theatre, museums, cinematography and other areas. One of the events will be held at TSU in September. This is a tour of the Great Chinese Circus, which is a national treasure of China, – notes Artyom Rykun. – This is an international cultural event, which is held with the support of the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, the Ministry of Culture of China and the Chinese Embassy in Russia.

The fact that TSU joined the top 15 universities for training specialists for China will lead to new study programs at TSU and will significantly increase the flow of Chinese students wishing to get their education at Tomsk State University.

For reference: In 2024, Tomsk State University joined the top in the subject rankings in Physics and Mechanical Engineering of the Shanghai Global Ranking by Subject Areas (GRAS). In Physics, TSU holds the 3-5 place among Russian universities, and in Mechanical Engineering –1-2 place.