On 23 May 2025, Institute of Teacher Education named after V.G. Belinsky hosted an online meeting with the management, teachers and students of Gannan Normal University.

Olga Surina, Director of the Institute of Teacher Education, Tatiana Shipilkina, Head of the Department of Music and Methods of Teaching Methods, Sergey Ivanchin, Head of the International Education Office, Tatiana Razuvaeva, Head of the International Projects Department, and Chinese students of PSU took part in the meeting on behalf of Penza State University.

Gannan Normal University was represented by Wu Junhua, Director of the Institute of Music, Mei Xiaojian, Head of the Department of International Cooperation and Communication, Gong Limin, Deputy Secretary of the Party Organisation, Huang Wenhua, Deputy Director of the Institute of Music, Wu Cui, Deputy Head of the Department of International Cooperation and Exchange, Wu Qiu, Dean of the Department of Student Affairs, Wu Qiaoyun, Gao Xun, Head of the Faculty of Music (PRC-RF), as well as 3rd year students of the Institute of Music.

In addition, the meeting was also attended by partners of Penza State University - Wu Yajing, Manager of the International Education Programme Department of Beijing Bridge Cultural Exchange, and Xu Yuxi, Specialist of the International Education Programme Department.

Olga Surina, Director of the Institute of Teacher Education, addressed the participants of the meeting with a welcoming speech:

‘A special place among foreign partners for many years is occupied by partners from the People's Republic of China. One of the successfully implemented educational projects is the implementation of a joint bachelor's degree programme in ‘Teacher Training’ study field ‘Music’ with Gannan Normal University. And we hope that this project will be successfully realised in the future’.

The students of PSU, who are studying on the educational programme of Bachelor's degree in the course ‘Teacher Training’ study field ‘Music’ and on the educational programme of Master's degree ‘Musical Art and Education’, told about how they study, what events they take part in, and what cultural objects they visited during their studies at Penza State University.

Students of Gannan Normal University asked the participants of the meeting various questions concerning the educational process at PSU, social adaptation and support during the period of study at our university.

In conclusion, the participants stressed the importance of such meetings and expressed confidence in the further successful implementation of the joint educational programme of double diplomas.

Gleb Sintsov, Vice-Rector for International Affairs of PSU, commented on the results of the meeting:

‘Interuniversity cooperation is an indispensable condition for the development of Russian and Chinese universities. This was especially emphasised at the VIII Forum of the Association of Volga-Yangtze Universities held in Kazan at the end of May. The joint dual degree programme with Gannan Normal University, which is implemented at the Institute of Teacher Education named after V.G. Belinsky, is a vivid example of successful cooperation between Russian and Chinese universities, contributing to the strengthening of academic ties between Russia and China’.