Igor Marchuk, Acting Rector, Professor of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Physico-Mathematical Sciences, presented the flagship projects of cooperation between Novosibirsk State Technical University (NSTU) and universities of the People's Republic of China during a press conference in TASS (Novosibirsk) on June 24.
NSTU-NETI has been building joint work with China for more than 35 years. The university began systematically training personnel for China back in 1990, having jointly developed a two-year educational program on economics and foreign trade with Harbin Polytechnic University.
"NSTU-NETI actively builds fruitful cooperation with colleagues from China, relying on many years of experience and the status of one of the leading engineering universities in Russia. Today we have 36 agreements with Chinese universities and organizations. We are a basic university in the field of Energy Engineering at the University of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a member of the Association of Technical Universities of Russia and China, and the Association of Universities in the Eastern Regions of Russia and China. More than 500 Chinese students are enrolled in various educational programs, of which more than 300 are at NSTU-NETI itself. In the new academic year, the number of Chinese students in our joint projects will exceed 750," Igor Marchuk said during a press conference.
Over the past two years, NSTU-NETI has launched five new joint educational programs in the framework of cooperation with China. In September 2025, with the support of the governments of Russia and China, a joint institute in the field of information technology was opened with Wuxi University. The training is conducted in three joint bachelor's degree programs: "Information Systems and Technologies", "Software Engineering", "Computer Science and Computer Engineering". It is planned to involve up to 20 professors and associate professors of NSTU-NETI in this project annually.
The second most important vector for the development of cooperation with China is joint projects with the Shenyang Institute of Technology. Two years ago, the 2+2 joint educational program was launched, which now has more than 40 Chinese students. In China, they receive a degree in Mechanical Engineering Design and Automation, then continue their studies at NSTU-NETI under the program "Design and Technological Support of machine-building industries."
The university implements mirror programs for Russian students in cooperation with a partner from Shenyang: a year ago, an agreement was signed to launch a similar bachelor's program, but for Russian students. A special feature of this paired program is the graduation of technical specialists with knowledge of two languages, the need for which is felt both in Russia and in China.
In the new academic year, the Faculty of Mechanics and Technology will launch another 2+2 program for Russian students with the Shenyang Institute of Technology: "Operation of transport and technological machines and complexes", which students will also study for two years in Russia and two in China. The program includes advanced disciplines ranging from microcontrollers and on-board networks to the basics of artificial intelligence and the development of intelligent cars, which will prepare engineers to work with advanced technologies of electric vehicles and autonomous vehicles. Graduates will receive two diplomas — Russian and Chinese — and will become sought-after specialists capable of working in large engineering companies in both Russia and China.
"In order to continue cooperation and strengthen its scientific vector within the framework of the upcoming Technoprom Forum, we plan to sign an agreement on the establishment of a joint scientific and educational center for mechanical engineering with Shenyang Institute of Technology," Igor Marchuk said.
Also in 2026, recruitment begins for a joint educational program with the Hebei Energy Vocational Technical Institute for Electrical Equipment Automation (based on the Faculty of Mechatronics and Automation of NSTU-NETI). In 2027, a master's degree program in English will be launched with Beihua University in Electric Power Engineering and Electrical Engineering at the Faculty of Energy of NSTU-NETI.
As part of the systematic career guidance work of NSTU-NETI, the first specialized Chinese engineering class will be opened in Novosibirsk in the coming academic year. It will be opened on the basis of school No. 202, where the engineering class of NSTU-NETI is already operating. The students will study Chinese, physics and computer science in depth.
Academic mobility programs and cultural and educational projects are an important component of NSTU-NETI's cooperation with China.Every year, the university holds summer schools for Chinese students and sends its students to China. In the summer of 2024, a school on aviation systems was held with the Northwestern Polytechnic University ( Xi'an) with the participation of 20 Chinese students, as well as two Russian language schools with the Shenyang Institute of Technology (16-18 students each), many of whose participants then enrolled in the NSTU-NETI.
The Confucius Institute of NSTU-NETI, opened in 2007 jointly with the Dalian University of Foreign Languages, has been repeatedly recognized as one of the best in the world. The students of the Institute have won world and all-Russian Chinese language competitions. Thus, over the 25 years of the existence of the World Competition "Chinese is a Bridge", about 2 million people from 160 countries and regions took part in its qualifying stages around the world. The Confucius Institute of NSTU-NETI hosted the All—Russian competition four times and the regional Chinese language selection competitions "Chinese is a Bridge" 12 times. Ruslan Ustinov, a student at the Institute, became the absolute winner of the world competition, and two more became winners of the All-Russian Chinese language competition among schoolchildren.
The Chinese Film Festival was organized and held four times with the participation of the Confucius Institute of NSTU-NETI. In 2024, it was held in three cities at once: Novosibirsk, Moscow and St. Petersburg, attracting almost 29,000 viewers. In 2027, it is planned to organize another Chinese film festival in three cities and implement other projects.
"NSTU-NETI is developing cooperation with universities from China in all areas at once: educational, scientific, cultural. I am convinced that this fruitful and mutually beneficial cooperation will continue to develop. The interest of international students in our educational programs underlines their competitiveness and relevance," Igor Marchuk concluded.