Fig.1 Universities from China and Russian gather together in Guangzhou
On November 23rd, the 2018 ASRTU Meeting in Guangzhou kicked off at the Shaw Building of Humanities in SCUT. More than 130 teachers and students from 42 Chinese and Russian universities including Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Moscow Aviation Institute, St. Petersburg University of Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Hong Kong Polytechnic University and others participated in the event. Xueqing Qiu, Vice President of South China University of Technology, Yupei Zhi, former Deputy Director of Bureau of Foreign Experts Affairs, Guangdong Science and Technology Department, Jinjun Li, Director of Department of Exchange and Collaboration, Guangdong Province Office of Education, Sande Li, Deputy Consul-General of the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Guangzhou, Sergei Korshunov, Russian Chief Executive of the Association of Sino-Russian Technical Universities (ASRTU), Jianzheng Gu, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Chinese Secretariat, Stephen Zhengdi Cheng, Chairman of the Sino-Russian ASRTU Symposium on Advanced Materials and Processing Technology, attended the opening ceremony and gave speeches.
“2018 ASRTU Meeting in Guangzhou” was organized by the Association of Sino-Russian Technical Universities, and co-hosted by South China University of Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology and Bauman Moscow State Technical University. This meeting included the Sino-Russian ASRTU Symposium on Advanced Materials and Processing Technology, Exhibition on Advanced Materials and Technology, and the ASRTU 2018 Regular Conference. This was also one of the annual events organized by SCUT as the rotating chairman unit of the ASRTU in 2018-2019.
Fig.2 Vice President Xueqing Qiu gave a speech
At the opening ceremony, Qiu Xueqing delivered a welcome address on behalf of SCUT. He introduced the discipline construction of SCUT and the Guangzhou International Campus. He expressed the hope that through hosting this event, we could build a bridge between China and Russia in collaboration and exchange of higher education. It would also contribute to China's “The Belt and Road Initiative” and Russia's “Eurasian Economic Union”, and further promote exchanges and collaborations between South China University of Technology and other universities.
On behalf of the Guangdong Science and Technology Department and the Guangdong Province Office of Education, Yupei Zhi and Jinjun Li expressed their congratulations on the successful opening of meeting by SCUT. They looked forward to promoting science innovation and talent cultivation collaborations between China and Russia universities through this meeting. Sande Li said that both China and Russia attached great importance to the long-term development of Chinese and Russian universities. The governments encouraged universities to establish joint laboratories and develop science and education activities.
Fig.3 The Meeting contains multiple activities
After the opening ceremony, the 4th Sino-Russian ASRTU Symposium on Advanced Materials and Processing Technology was held. The Symposium served as a platform for experts and young scholars in the field of advanced materials from China and Russia. It strengthened the integration of interdisciplinary interests, promoted research collaborations in the field of materials, and contributed to the ASRTU Program and ASRTU Power for the scientific research collaborations between China and Russia.
At the same time, the ASRTU 2018 Regular Meeting was held. Eight Russian universities and five Chinese universities discussed the current situation of 2018 and future planning of the Association. The meeting further clarified the purpose of the ASRTU, which was to promote Sino-Russian students and teachers exchanges, and pointed out that the Association will have New speed, new development and breakthroughs in new research areas.
At the Regular Meeting, three new members of the ASRTU in 2018 were announced, including University of Science and Technology Beijing and two Russian universities.
Faculty and staff members from the International Office of SCUT, the School of Materials Science and Engineering, the School of International Education, and South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology participated in the activities.
