On September 21-22, 2024, Omsk State Medical University (OSMU) welcomed a delegation from Xinjiang Medical University (XMU), China. During the event, both parties discussed prospects for cooperation in education, science, and culture.
On the first day of the visit, Ivan A. ONUFRIEV, Vice-Rector for Security, Technical Support, Maintenance and Repair of the University facilities, introduced the guests to the city of Omsk, its rich traditions, culture, and the distinguished history of OSMU.
On Sunday, September 22, the official meeting between the representatives of the two Universities took place in the OSMU Conference Hall. On behalf of Prof. Maria A. LIVZAN, MD, PhD, Rector of OSMU, the University Administration, and OSMU teachers, the guests were welcomed by Prof. Elena B. PAVLINOVA, MD, PhD, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs. In her speech, Prof. PAVLINOVA spoke about the University’s history, its strategic goals aimed at the dynamic development of OSMU as an educational and research center for training highly qualified professionals. Prof. PAVLINOVA introduced the guests to the University's current academic programs and emphasized OSMU’s successful collaboration with international universities, expressing hope for fruitful partnership with XMU. “I hope that meetings between representatives of OSMU and XMU will become a pleasant annual tradition. We were greatly impressed by the time we spent at XMU last year,” said Prof. PAVLINOVA. She also highlighted the University’s scientific activities, noting the growth in the number of scientific publications and defended PhD theses, and emphasized the clinical bases, youth policy, and vibrant extracurricular student life.
Svetlana A. PISKLAKOVA, Head of the OSMU International Affairs Department, spoke about the long-standing cooperation between OSMU and XMU, and their joint efforts within the framework of the Association of Sino-Russian Medical Universities (ASRMU). She noted the demand for and growing interest in medical research Schools and joint scientific Forums and Conferences, and shared information about all the events and projects that have been carried out since 2015, following OSMU’s entry into ASRMU.
Mr. LI Jianfeng, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Xinjiang Medical University, expressed gratitude to OSMU’s administration for organizing the meeting. “We are pleased with the growing close interaction between our Universities and impressed by the successes of OSMU,” he noted. In his presentation, LI Jianfeng showcased a video about his University and the city of Urumqi, featuring its library, laboratories, and academic buildings. He proudly spoke of XMU’s teachers, leading scientific schools, and eight affiliated hospitals.
LI Jianfeng proposed several areas for cooperation, including:
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Establishing effective mechanisms to link science and education to facilitate the exchange of highly qualified teachers and the conduct of joint scientific research;
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Expanding academic mobility for students of OSMU and XMU;
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Establishing interdepartmental cooperation to conduct joint research and train specialists;
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Organizing and conducting high-level international conferences (alternating between the two Universities) to identify talented scientists;
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Joint training of talented professors and scientists in clinical medicine, along with joint training of master's and PhD students in clinical medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, and traditional Chinese medicine in both countries;
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Developing joint educational programs;
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Organizing and conducting educational processes and research projects for joint programs in both online and offline formats;
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Creating a cloud platform for joint multilingual educational programs aimed at equipping students with advanced medical technologies;
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Developing a joint international platform for drug research and development, including traditional Chinese medicine, involving industry representatives, chemical, and biological pharmaceuticals.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the delegation answered questions from the audience regarding the specifics of education at Xinjiang Medical University and the possibilities for professional training in traditional Chinese medicine at XMU.
Larissa M. LOMIASHVILI, DMD, PhD, Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry, expressed the collective interest of her colleagues in continuing the cooperation and presented the guests with the latest edition of the English-language book for dentists, «Artistic Modeling and Restoration of Teeth».
Assoc. Prof. Elena A. LUKSHA, PhD in Pharmacy, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy, proposed initiating joint scientific work by holding a Conference on the review of medicinal plant resources from the Omsk Region and the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
At the end of the meeting, both parties expressed sincere interest in further developing international cooperation. Representatives of OSMU and XMU emphasized the importance of strengthening academic and scientific ties between universities, which would enable them to jointly implement promising projects and improve the quality of medical training.
OSMU Department of International Affairs