On Monday Penza State University hosted the delegation from China. The meeting was characterized by a very warm friendly atmosphere. The Chinese participants of the meeting were: Sun Hongan, the party secretary of Gannan Normal University (GNU), Zhang Xiaodong, Dean of the Faculty of Music GNU, Mei Xiaojian, coordinator of International Cooperation and Exchange Office of GNU. Our University was represented by A. Gulyakov, Rector of PSU, S. Vasin, Vice-Rector for International Affairs, O. Surina, Director of Institute of Teacher Education, A. Tugarov, Dean of the Faculty of Pedagogy, Psychology and Social Sciences, teachers of the Department of Music.

A. Gulyakov, Rector of PSU, opened the ceremonial meeting, welcomed the guests and gave brief information about PSU, emphasizing the importance of international contacts and cooperation agreements.

 “In the increasingly developing world, the opportunity to combine and to take the best from the two educational establishments is undoubtedly an advantage for our students. It is important for us that our students should become specialists at the international level”, said the Rector.

It is not the first visit of the teachers of Gannan Normal University at Penza State University. The cooperation between the two universities started in the course of the official visit of the PSU delegation to Gannan Normal University on 24-25 May, 2016.

During the negotiations the parties agreed to organize a joint bachelor educational course in pedagogical education (major “Music”). The course includes the training of Chinese students according to the pattern 3+1 (three years of studies at Gannan Normal University, one year at Penza State University). On completing the course the students are conferred a Bachelor degree by the two universities.

 “The Universities have done great work in agreeing the curriculum and preparing the necessary documents, particularly: we have prepared a joint curriculum; the text of the agreement on organizing the double degree programme; associated documents; we have applied for the opening of the joint educational course to the Ministry of Education of China”, said Zhang Xiaodong, Dean of the Faculty of Music, Gannan Normal University.

At the moment the application is under consideration and it is expected to get a positive decision from the Ministry in the spring, 2017.