【By Guan察者网, Qi Qian】On August 26 local time, Russia's Minister of Science and Higher Education, Falikov, gave an interview to TASS, stating that in this academic year, more than 56,000 Chinese students are studying in Russia, and more than 21,000 Russian students are studying in China. He said that Russia is proud of the fact that hundreds of thousands of Chinese families have chosen to participate in higher education in Russia.

In the interview, TASS asked how many Chinese students are studying in Russia, how many Russian students are studying in China, whether there is an increasing trend in exchanges between Russian and Chinese universities, and whether there are plans to increase the number of places.

Falikov pointed out that according to the data for the 2024-2025 academic year, more than 56,000 Chinese students are studying in Russia, and more than 21,000 Russian students are studying in China. He stated that Russia is working with its Chinese partners to strive for the goal of achieving a bilateral student exchange of 100,000 people.

He emphasized that this goal is crucial for the mutual understanding and close ties between the two countries in multiple fields such as politics, economy, and society.

"It is reassuring that the number of Chinese applicants for Russian student visas has doubled in the past two years," Falikov said, "hundreds of thousands of Chinese families 'voted with their RMB', expressing their trust in our higher education system, which makes us proud."

He added that at the same time, Russian students also show strong interest in Chinese higher education, with 500 to 1,000 Russian students receiving scholarships and funding from the Chinese government each year.

Falikov recalled that the two countries are currently implementing over 200 joint educational projects, including 115 undergraduate and master's degree programs. He specially praised the achievements of the Shenzhen North University of Science and Technology Moscow University established in 2017, and mentioned that Moscow State University and Peking University are building a joint basic research institute focusing on research in mathematics, physics, chemistry, earth sciences, and life sciences.

In addition, Falikov also mentioned that the two countries are about to complete two important draft agreements between governments, one involving educational cooperation and the other regarding the mutual recognition of diplomas and degrees. He said that once these agreements are signed, they will provide a strong impetus for the development of scientific and educational cooperation between Russia and China.

Falikov (fourth from the left in the first row) visited Shenzhen North University of Science and Technology Moscow University, university website

The report states that Falikov made a working visit to China from August 21 to 26, during which he visited universities, research centers, and the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (EAST), also known as China's "artificial sun", located in Hefei.

Falikov pointed out that during this visit to China, he had two goals. "First, I want to learn about the construction and effective use of advanced large-scale scientific infrastructure (also known as 'national major scientific and technological infrastructure'). China and Russia are among the few countries building such scientific facilities. The second goal is to develop closer partnerships in the field of higher education."

According to information from the Chinese Ministry of Education's website, on August 25, Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng met with Russia's Minister of Science and Higher Education, Falikov, in Beijing, exchanging views on deepening Sino-Russian educational cooperation.

In recent years, more and more Chinese and Russian students have chosen to study abroad in each other's countries.

Mercator Institute for China Studies, Berlin

Data from the Mercator Institute for China Studies in Berlin shows that the number of Chinese students in Russia has steadily increased over the years, rising from about 30,000 in 2020 to more than 50,000 in 2024, an increase of 72%. Similarly, the proportion of Chinese students has also grown, rising from 9.4% in 2020 to 13.6% in 2024, making it the third largest country of origin after Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.

At the same time, a survey published by TASS on the 27th showed that over 20% of Russians support their children studying abroad, with most choosing to go to China. The survey also found that the most popular Chinese universities among Russians are Peking University (31%) and Tsinghua University (27%), followed by other universities in Shanghai, Zhejiang, and Tianjin.

Ruslan Vistrovsky, Vice President of the Russian Savings Bank and Head of the Wealth Management Department, stated: "Most Russians (79%) prefer to receive higher education domestically. Among overseas study destinations, China has become the leader."

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