Published on: 2026-06-03
Source: Saint Petersburg State Polytechnical University of Peter the Great –
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On June 3, a delegation from Zhejiang University, led by the university president, a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and a leading scientist in the field of biomechanics and neuromodulation, Professor Li Lumin, visited the Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University.
The visit of the head of one of the world’s leading universities became an important event for the development of Russian-Chinese scientific and educational cooperation and confirmed the special strategic nature of relations between SPbPU and Tsinghua University. Tsinghua University is among the most prestigious universities in China and the world, uniting the strongest scientific schools in engineering, natural sciences, medicine, information technology, economics, humanities, and social studies.
The delegation of Tsinghua University was welcomed by the rector of SPbPU, chairman of the St. Petersburg branch of RAS, vice-president of RAS, academician Andrey Rudskoy. The delegation of Tsinghua University also included representatives of the medical faculty, the Department of Chemical Technology, the Institute of Marine Engineering, the School of Civil Engineering, the Institute of Russian Studies, and the university’s International Office.
The visit program began at the historic campus of SPbPU. The guests became familiar with the main building of the university, visited the fundamental library, the White Hall, and the SPbPU History Museum, where a special stand was presented dedicated to many years of ties between Politechnika and China: the first Chinese students and postgraduates at LPI, the 1960 graduation album, gifts from delegations of the 1960s–1970s, partnership documents from 1987 with signatures of LPI Rector Yu.S. Vasiliev and University President Qin Xua Academician Gao Czinde, letters from Academician Ni Weidou and materials related to the education of Chinese students at Politechnika.
The history of cooperation between SPbPU and Zhejiang University began in 1952. In the mid-20th century, young scientists from Zhejiang University came to the Leningrad Polytechnic Institute named after M.I. Kalinin for graduate studies and internships. Among the Polytechnic graduates were outstanding Chinese scientists who played a significant role in the development of Zhejiang University: academician Gao Cizhen, president of Zhejiang University from 1983 to 1988, and academician Ni Weidou, vice-rector for scientific work at Zhejiang University, honorary doctor of SPbPU.
In 1987, LPI and Tsinghua University signed an Agreement on Scientific and Educational Partnership — the first direct agreement between universities of the USSR and China. The original document in Russian and Chinese, signed by the heads of the universities — Y.S. Vasilyev and Gao Cizheng, is still stored in the SPbPU museum. In 2014, relations between the two universities reached the level of strategic partnership, and in subsequent years new agreements and working programs were signed, covering a wide range of scientific and educational directions.
Today, SPbPU and the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences are developing cooperation in the fields of electronics and telecommunications, aerospace and electronic technologies, artificial intelligence, materials science, tribology, information security, energy, biomedicine, history, and sociology. In 2019, a joint laboratory for aerospace and electronic technologies was opened. Since 2023, a joint program to support the scientific activities of young scientists is being implemented together with the Suzhou Industrial Technology Research Cluster JITRI.Since 2024, the Institute of Russia at Tsinghua University has been a co-organizer of the international student competition SMART CITY 2030 projects, initiated by SPbPU.
A special place in the partnership is occupied by humanitarian research dedicated to the history of Russia and China in the 20th century, including joint projects on the history of the Great Patriotic War. Over the years of cooperation with universities, major scientific conferences and round tables have been held, collective monographs published, and joint publications prepared in Russian and Chinese.
The key event of the visit was the signing ceremony of a new Strategic Partnership Agreement between SPbPU and Tsinghua University. The document was signed by the rector of SPbPU Andrey Rudskoy and the president of Tsinghua University Li Luming. Participants in the ceremony included members of the Tsinghua University delegation, members of the Academic Council of SPbPU, Chinese students, graduate students and young scientists studying and working at the Polytechnic.
Addressing the guests, Andrey Rudskoy noted that SPbPU highly values the long-standing trust and partnership with the University of Tsinsky. For us, it is a great honor to welcome the President of the University of Tsinsky to Polytech — our esteemed strategic partner. The history of cooperation between our universities began more than seven decades ago, and today we see that the academic ties established then have become a solid foundation for modern scientific projects, educational programs, and new initiatives. I am confident that the signed agreement will give a new impetus to our partnership,” said the rector of SPbPU Andrey Rudskoy.
As part of the St. Petersburg State Polytechnic University ceremony, a booklet “SPbPU and Tsinghua University. History of Cooperation,” prepared for the delegation’s visit, was presented to Professor Li Lumin. A memorable gift was a reprint of the edition “Collection of Problems on Theoretical Mechanics” by I.V. Meshchersky, in Russian and Chinese, which was used to train the first Chinese students at the M.I. Kalinin LPI.
During the visit, the parties discussed prospects for further cooperation. Among the proposals were training highly qualified personnel based on university laboratories, implementing programs with invited professors, creating a Russian-Chinese Strategic Research Center at SPbPU involving Sun Yat-sen University. The rector of SPbPU also proposed jointly commencing the design, development, and preparation for the launch of a small satellite — Cubsat.Involve young scientists, students, and graduate students of Tsinghua University in this project and, if successful, name the joint cubesat project “Polytech-Tsinghua” for the joint design, development, and launch preparation of the small satellite (cubesat) “Polytech-Tsinghua.” Special attention was given to the development of academic mobility, joint programs for students and graduate students, scientific internships, and the participation of young researchers in international projects.
In response, academician Li Lumin emphasized: Saint Petersburg Polytechnic University and Tsinghua University are united not only by shared engineering achievements, but also by a colossal contribution to the modernization of our countries. Over 40 years of strategic partnership, we have created a solid foundation for mutual respect, openness, and practically effective results. Our universities are living traditions and enormous potential for joint research, personnel training, and technological development.I am convinced that a wide field for cooperation awaits us ahead, and I am ready together with you, Andrey Ivanovich, and all colleagues to work on new goals in the name of education, science, and innovation in China and Russia.
Andrey Rudskoy invited scientists from the University of Tsinghua to participate in the Forum of the Association of Technical Universities of Russia and China, which will be held in Kazan in November 2026.
The visit of Professor Li Lumina to SPbPU became a new stage in the development of strategic partnership between the two universities. He confirmed the high mutual interest of Polytech and Tsinghua University in expanding scientific, educational, and technological cooperation, as well as the readiness to jointly form a promising agenda for Russian-Chinese university interaction.
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