On 30 June 2020, the Coordinating Council of the SCO University held a meeting via videoconference. The event was held as part of Russia’s SCO Chairmanship in 2019-2020.
The meeting was attended by SCO Secretary-General Vladimir Norov, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Kazakhstan Rustem Bigari, Deputy Minister of Education of China Tian Xuejun, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Kyrgyzstan Nurlan Omurov, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of Russia Dmitry Afanasyev, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Tajikistan Dilovar Kodirzoda, the heads of the rector councils from each member country of the SCO University, as well as representatives of Belarus, which holds observer status at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
The participants emphasised the importance of the gradual restoration of academic mobility in the SCO as an integral part of an effective educational process. They agreed to coordinate the implementation of joint training programmes at the SCO University with due regard for modern-day challenges, primarily in the field of medicine but also in agriculture, international law and several other spheres.
In his speech, Dmitry Afanasyev pointed out the importance of the SCO countries’ cooperation and mutual assistance to their universities, which have been seriously affected by the coronavirus pandemic, as well as to the students and lecturers who had to convert to new forms of education within a matter of several days.
Following the discussions, the participants adopted a long-term action plan for the SCO University until 2023 and voted for electing President of the Peoples’ Friendship University Vladimir Filippov to the post of rector of the SCO University.