HSE University Participates in the IV Forum of Rectors and Presidents of Russian and Ibero -American Universities in Seville

By the invitation of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Spain in the Russian Federation and the Russian Union of Rectors, HSE University took part in the IV Forum of Rectors and Presidents of Russian and Ibero -American Universities, the aim of which was to expand cooperation between Russian and Ibero -American universities. The tradition of holding these Forums started in 2009, when the first such meeting was held during the state visit of President Dmitry Medvedev to Spain.

The IV Forum was held in Seville on October 17 and 18, 2019. The professor of the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs and Head of the Ibero -American Studies Centre, Olga Volosyuk represented HSE. The trip was organized by the HSE International Cooperation Office.

The representatives of 24 leading universities of Russia and 43 universities of Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Mexico, Cuba, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Honduras, Andorra, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Morocco, Venezuela joined the Forum. Greetings from the Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, Mikhail Kotyukov, were sent to the Forum guests. He noted, that having become “already traditional, the Forum has turned into an authoritative platform for a fruitful exchange of views on the development of cooperation in the educational sphere”. The opening ceremony of the Forum was honored with the presence of HE Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Spain Yuri Korchagin, as well as Director for Science, Technology and Innovation of the Ministry of Higher Education of the Republic of Cuba Ondina Jacinta Leon Diaz and was completed by signing bilateral agreements among universities-participants and the Memorandum of Understanding between the RUR and CRUE, the purpose of which was supporting the promotion and internationalization of higher education in both countries and strengthening of mutual understanding and relations between Russia and Spain in higher education and research.

Within two days, the participants discussed topical issues related to the development of education and science, the role of universities in harmonizing the global scientific, educational, technological and humanitarian space. Prof. Volosyuk participated with a report Scientific Cooperation between Russia and Spain, which emphasized the role of universities and research centers of the two countries as locomotives for the development of science, examined key areas of cooperation in the scientific, technical and humanitarian fields, and outlined the prospects for further contacts.

The report noted that “in a time of global challenges, the role of science is increasing, and, consequently, the importance of scientific inter-university cooperation as a diplomacy of knowledge or, in the other words, soft power for building and strengthening both bilateral dialogue between countries and multilateral contacts is growing”. Particular attention was paid to the scientific collaboration of the HSE with the Spanish universities: the creation of international laboratories, the implementation of long-term joint research projects, the celebration of scientific congresses and the publication of common investigations.

The interest of Ibero-American universities in cooperation with the National Research University “Higher School of Economics” is traditionally great. During the meetings, the results of cooperation with the permanent partner universities of the HSE were summed up and points of contact between scientific and educational interests with new potential partners were outlined. Negotiations were held with representatives of the University of Valladolid, the University of Malaga, the University of Granada, the University of Antonio Nebrija, the University of Guantanamo (Cuba), the University of Murcia, the Polytechnic University of Madrid, the University of Cadiz, the Autonomous University of Madrid, the University of Seville, the University of Almeria, as well as with the General Secretary of the Council of Rectors of the Portuguese universities. Colleagues from Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American universities expressed their interest in establishing scientific cooperation and the student and faculty exchange in the area of Ibero-American studies; in the faculty exchange for professors of Spanish and Russian; as well as in the implementation of mutually interesting scientific projects and joint scientific publications. They were provided with the information about HSE University, its standing on global rankings, areas of research, main fields of studies and new educational programmes that have been launched recently.