An intensive online Chinese language course (beginner level) with teachers from Lanzhou Jiaotong University has started. The partnership between Penza State University and Lanzhou Jiaotong University has been developing since December 2014. During this time, almost 20 bachelor graduates of PSU continued their studies at the Lanzhou Jiaotong University master's  degree programme as part of a prestigious Chinese government scholarship. Many  young people have already received their diplomas and returned to Russia. Also, several employees and students attended the summer language school at Lanzhou Jiaotong University in person in the summer of 2015.

Currently, not having the possibility of face-to-face participation in academic mobility, partner universities have agreed to conduct a Chinese language course throughout the whole spring semester. Students, master’s degree students and teachers of Penza State University who have submitted applications have already started their studies.

The course programme of 528 academic hours is designed for 4 months and is aimed at developing the following skills: understanding, speaking, listening and writing. Each lesson is accompanied by audio-visual material. Throughout the course, Lanzhou Jiaotong University lecturers provide support to the participants by promptly answering the questions of the students, and use English as the intermediary language.

Olga Meshcheryakova, Head of the International Relations Office of PSU, the initiator of the project, notes: “In the modern realities of our life, the demand for learning the Chinese language has noticeably increased, and students have become more interested in scholarship programmes in China. We look forward to long-term cooperation and development of business relations with Lanzhou Jiaotong University.”