Shenzhen MSU-BIT University (SMBU) and the Boris Shchukin Theater Institute (Shchukin Institute) in Russia signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to promote education cooperation in the field of art Thursday afternoon via video link.
The two sides will jointly develop educational programs as well as research projects in art and enhance cooperation in other areas of common interest, according to the MoU.
Li Hezhang, rector of SMBU, said at the signing ceremony that SMBU established its art center last year and the center has set up over 10 courses such as classic ballet and jazz dance.
Li called on the two sides to jointly organize activities, encourage teachers from Shchukin Institute to be involved in SMBU art center’s teaching programs, and conduct wide-ranging cultural exchanges to promote the art and culture of the two countries.
Li also hoped to take the cooperation as an opportunity to contribute to the development of art education in China and Russia.
Evgeny Knyazev, rector of Shchukin Institute, said that Chinese silk, porcelain and Peking opera are popular forms of art in European countries. He said that Shchukin Institute is looking forward to cooperating with SMBU in majors such as performing arts and directing, and believed that the cooperation will have a bright future.
The Boris Shchukin Theater Institute, one of Russia’s higher-level theater schools, was officially established in 1914 and is affiliated to the Vakhtangov Theater. Well-known graduates from Shchukin Institute include Boris Shchukin and Ruben Simonov.
Built on the important consensus reached by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, SMBU is a nonprofit Chinese-foreign cooperative university jointly founded by the Shenzhen Municipal Government, Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU) and Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT) with an independent legal entity status.