In May 2019 II Forum of Russian-Chinese University Alliance of the Volga Federal District and the Upper and Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, which includes over 80 universities on both sides, was held in Cheboksary. The theme of the event is ''University Alliance of Volga-Yangtze is the reliable foundation of Russian-Chinese interregional cooperation''.
On the first day Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Volga Federal District Mr. Igor Komarov and Member of the State Council of the People's Republic of China Mr. Wang Yong welcomed the Forum participants.
The Alliance co-chairmen introduced joint results: from Russian side – NNSTU Rector Prof. Sergey Dmitriev, from Chinese side – Sichuan University Rector Prof. Li Yanrong.
Prof. Sergey Dmitriev said that University Alliance of Volga-Yangtze is a truly authoritative body that solves not only current tasks of interaction between universities of the two countries, but also acts with international initiatives. The cooperation potential of higher education institutions of the Volga Federal District and Chinese partners remains quite high both in terms of expanding the membership of joint projects and in developing new joint projects and opening them.
Prof. Li Yanrong proposed three main areas of work for University Alliance of Volga-Yangtze. First of all, combine their resources to create a single scientific platform. So it will be easier for young scientists to participate in exchange programs and develop joint projects. The next step is to invite guests from the entire scientific world so that it can become a center of innovations. And, thirdly, due to interaction of higher educational institutions of Russia and China highly qualified specialists useful for both countries should appear.
On the second day Russian and Chinese representatives shared their experience of cooperation and identified its new promising areas. It was noted that due to foundation of University Alliance of Volga-Yangtze a new powerful tool emerged for development of not only direct partnership but also for formation of network structures that may include universities of the regions which will combine their efforts in working on joint projects.
At the end of II Forum the joint memorandum was adopted.