The history of cooperation of Saint Petersburg State Agrarian University with China

St. PetersburgStateAgrarianUniversity has broad prospects for cooperation with China in the field of agriculture. The St. PetersburgStateAgrarianUniversity and the ChineseAcademy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) have been strategic partners since June 2014, when a Memorandum of Understanding between the parties was signed.

In late October 2016, SPbSAU and Shenyang Agrarian University (PRC) signed an agreement on cooperation and joint research in the agro-industrial complex. The agreement was signed at the meeting of the Russian-Chinese Subcommittee on Agriculture.

On April 14, 2017, a cooperation agreement was signed between SPbSAU and the Research Center of Agricultural Sciences, Technology and Politics of China and Russia of the Northwest Scientific and Technical University of Agriculture and Forestry of the People's Republic of China.

On September 22, 2017, as part of the implementation of the bilateral cooperation agreement between the St. Petersburg State Agrarian University and the Shenyang Agricultural University (signed at the 3rd meeting of the Russian-Chinese Subcommittee on Agriculture, 2016, Beijing) a meeting of delegations of two universities was held within the walls of the SPbSAU.

During the meeting, the priority areas of cooperation were identified: livestock, horticulture and vegetable growing, soil science and ecology, plant protection.

An important aspect of the meeting was the discussion of proposals on the activation of joint research activities in the field of selection and seed production, meadow growing, precision farming, dairy farming, vegetable growing, bioenergy and other sectors of the agro-industrial complex. Both sides expressed great interest in the creation of international laboratories and basic departments with industrial enterprises, discussed the possibility of submitting joint applications for participation in international projects and grants.

Also, the prospects for organizing the participation of the faculty of SPbSAU and ShenyangAgrarianUniversity in joint international conferences and issues of publications of scientific papers in the collections of the Russian Federation and the PRC were discussed. Following the negotiations the parties signed a number of agreements:

- on the opening of a joint research laboratory on the territory of the St. PetersburgStateAgrarianUniversity;

- on the development of programs for cultural and educational exchange of students and graduate students, on the organization of summer schools;

- on the development of academic exchange of teachers, the organization of scientific internships;

- on assistance in attracting funding from national research funds;

- on the inclusion of cooperation between SPbSAU and  ShenyangAgrarianUniversity in the list of projects for the implementation of the economic development strategy "One belt, one road" for obtaining the necessary financial support from the governments of the two states.

At the end of the meeting the university rectors solemnly signed the protocol of negotiations.

On August 31, 2018, the delegation of the SichuanAgrarianAcademy (China) led by its president Homin Lu visited the St. PetersburgStateAgrarianUniversity. The delegation was attended by Director of the Institute of Soil Science and Mineral Fertilizers Gan Bincheng, Director of the Tea Institute Wang Yun, Director of the Institute of Rice and kaoliang Jiang Kaifeng, Director of the Institute of Industrial Plant Growing Zhang Xiaojun.

During the visit, Konstantin Vladimirovich Yevdokimov, Pro-rector for strategic development and project activities of the St. Petersburg State Agrarian University held the meeting and negotiations with the Chinese colleagues. From the Russian side, the director of the Center for International Cooperation and Academic Mobility of the University Nadezhda Alexandrovna Tsyganova  and the specialist of the International Cooperation Department Maria Vitalievna Miguleva  were also present.

The priority areas of cooperation between SichuanAgrarianAcademy and SPbSAU were determined at the meeting.

An important aspect of the meeting was the discussion of proposals on the implementation of joint research activities on the development of new technologies in the field of ecology, soil science, agrochemistry, crop production.

As a result of the talks, the parties reached a number of agreements on the development of international academic mobility of students and scholars, on assistance in attracting funding from international and national research funds, and prospects for joint scientific publications.

At the end of the meeting, an agreement was reached on cooperation between universities.