Against the backdrop of China’s efforts to promote high-level opening-up in education and in anticipation of the 2026-2027 “China-Russia Years of Education,” a delegation from Novosibirsk State University (NSU) visited Henan University and Soochow University on March 31 and April 2, 2026. The delegation was led by Evgeny Sagaidak, Vice Rector for International Affairs, along with Yuliya Samoylova, Director of the Institute of Medicine and Medical Technologies, and Veronika Shipilova, Legal Advisor to the Rector. The two sides held in-depth discussions on joint talent cultivation, collaborative research, and innovation, reaching broad consensus on multiple areas of cooperation and further expanding and deepening NSU’s educational cooperation with China.
The NSU China Office and Elubao Education Group actively supported the advancement of these collaborations, providing strong support in organization, coordination, and liaison work to ensure the smooth progress of the visits. Representatives from the NSU China Office also participated in the visits, including Zhang Rui (Director), Yang Licheng (Deputy Director), Liu Chuanning (Deputy Director), and Xu Fan (Deputy Director and Chairman of Elubao Education Group).
Visit to Henan University: Exploring Comprehensive Cooperation
On March 31, Vice Rector Sagaidak and his delegation visited Henan University. They were received by Bai Ying, Vice President of Henan University, together with representatives from the Office of International Cooperation and Exchange, the International Education College, the Eurasia International College, the School of Pharmacy, Huaihe Hospital of Henan University, the First Affiliated Hospital, and the School of Stomatology.
Vice President Bai Ying extended a warm welcome to the NSU delegation, noting that Henan University has recently defined its new institutional positioning as a “research-driven, comprehensive, internationalized first-class university,” with a strategic focus on emerging engineering, medical, and interdisciplinary fields—areas that align closely with NSU’s strengths and offer strong complementarity.
The NSU side expressed its willingness to begin with cooperation in medicine and gradually expand the scope to natural sciences, humanities, and other fields. Through student and faculty exchanges, joint research initiatives, and academic seminars, both sides aim to promote cooperation that is practical, substantive, and effective.
During the working sessions, the two parties held detailed discussions on specific areas of academic cooperation, talent cultivation models, and faculty and student exchange mechanisms. Broad consensus was reached, and both sides agreed to establish a regular coordination mechanism to define next steps for cooperation. The meeting provided clear direction for the next phase of comprehensive and in-depth cooperation between the two universities.
Visit to Soochow University: Deepening Joint Education Models
On April 2, Vice Rector Sagaidak and his delegation visited Soochow University. They were received by Wu Jiawei, Vice President of Soochow University, together with heads of relevant departments and schools.
Vice President Wu Jiawei warmly welcomed the delegation and introduced Soochow University’s strengths in medicine, pharmacy, and other disciplines. He noted the strong alignment between the two universities and the broad potential for collaboration. The NSU side also underscored the importance of its cooperation with Soochow University and expressed readiness to leverage its strengths in medicine, biology, materials science, and other fields to deepen joint education, academic exchanges, and research cooperation.
A working meeting on cooperative education was subsequently held, during which both sides discussed specific arrangements for proposed collaborative programs, including training models and curriculum alignment. After the meeting, the delegation toured the Soochow University Museum, guided by a Russian student studying at Soochow University, to gain deeper insight into the university’s history and culture.
Expanding Engagement with China for Mutual Benefit
Through this visit to China, NSU reached important agreements with two “Double First-Class” universities across multiple fields and clarified the path forward for follow-up cooperation. NSU will continue to expand its strategic partnerships with high-level Chinese universities, bringing renewed momentum to the high-quality development of China-Russia educational cooperation.
Looking ahead, Elubao Education Group will continue to serve as a bridge for international educational cooperation, contributing to the internationalization of higher education, deepening collaboration with global universities, expanding talent cultivation pathways, and supporting the high-quality development of China’s international education sector and the innovation of talent training models.