The Taiwanese visiting group of four was led by the Dean of College of Foreign Languages, Dr. Li Hsi-Mei. They first visited Moscow State University (MSU) to sign an agreement on student exchange programs, and then the Pushkin State Russian Language Institute to introduce the TORFL testing system. The most important task of all for the CCU group was to host a summer camp on Chinese language and culture with its Samara partner, the Samara branch of Moscow City University (MCU). This is part of the implementation of the MOE’s 8-year Exporting Mandarin Chinese Overseas project. Currently, nine Taiwanese Mandarin Chinese teachers have been selected by the MOE to work in local universities to promote Mandarin Chinese.

CCU signed a partnership MOU with the Samara branch of MCU in 2010, and since then both sides have engaged in exchanges of students and teachers. To further their cooperation, the two universities signed another memorandum in November, 2015, to set up the “ORIENT” cultural and education center in the Samara branch of MCU. The major functions of the Center include promotion of the Chinese language and culture in the Russian Federation and providing assistance to expand mutual understanding between the people of the Russian Federation and Taiwan, and stronger engagement between them in cultural and educational exchanges. The Vice Rectors of MCU Samara branch have also visited Taiwan: in late May this year, to attend a conference on Russian teaching methodology, held by PCCU.

MCU is one of three main normal universities in Russia. The university prepares teachers for schools and universities, and also all kinds of professionals. It is expected that with the help of the Center more Taiwanese universities will be able to develop close ties with their Russian counterparts.