A 'Friendship Forum' on the University Campus

More than two hundred students from 5 SCO countries gathered at BNRU to discuss issues around closer cooperation between students and Junior Researchers from SCO countries in education, science and business. The Youth Cultural Centre was the venue for the opening ceremony of the forum and a plenary session.

The delegates were welcomed by Professor Oleg Polukhin, Rector of BNRU, and Dr Albina Buchek, Head of Professional Education and Science at the Belgorod Regional Government Department of Internal and Personnel Policy. Guests included diplomats and Rectors from the SCO universities.

In his opening address, Professor Polukhin expressed his gratitude to those who organised the forum, noting that the results of these forums are obvious. Cooperation between Russian and foreign universities is expanding, as witnessed by the increasing number of joint educational programs, as well as the number of students who now have the opportunity to participate in academic exchange. He said,

“More than 70 students are taking part in the SCO University programs run by BNRU. In the last 2 years, more than 150 people from SCO partner universities in China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan have been educated here. Of the 20 joint educational programs implemented at our University, 13 are with SCO universities.”

Dr Buchek greeted our guests on behalf of the Governor and the Regional Government, saying,
“We are sincerely glad that the Belgorod Forum contributes to the development of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. It opens the borders between the countries, and brings active, creative, progressive, and future-focused youth together for cooperation in education, science, innovation, and business.”

Alexei Nekrasov, First Secretary of the Russian Foreign Ministry's office in Voronezh, welcomed participants on behalf of Bakhtiyar Hakimov, the President's Special Representative for SCO Affairs, and expressed his confidence in the future development of cooperation between youth associations, and the strengthening of the partnership between Russian and foreign universities.

Under Secretary Wang Hui, from the Chinese Embassy, emphasised that these days young people play an important role in deepening and expanding cooperation between the SCO countries in all areas.
Zakir Zaitov, assistant to the Ambassador of Uzbekistan, expressed his enthusiasm for the successful realisation of new initiatives and ideas.

After the opening addresses other participants of the forum had the opportunity to share their experience of international cooperation in entrepreneurship, and the material support given to their ideas. They then gave presentations about projects that will be implemented in their universities in the near future.