On November 23, the Shanghai Administration Institute (SAI) successfully completed the online visit program for 5 exchange students of the North-West Institute of Management of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. The project lasted for three weeks, organized by SAI Postgraduate Division with the co-organization of the Foreign Affairs Office, the Department of Scientific Socialism, and the Department of Economics.

Following the consultation between the two parties, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the visit program for Russian students was held onlinein 2020. On October 30, Provost MEI Lihong hosted the program coordination meeting. MEI pointed out at the meeting that due to the special circumstances this year, the Russian student visit program was held online. This was the first such attempt by SAI and there were many uncertainties. However, we must strive to “bring about a new situation amidst changes and foster new opportunities in the crisis.” She asked all departments of SAI to perform their duties, cooperate with each other, innovate working methods, and jointly complete this program.

After the meeting, the Postgraduate Division selected 6 teachers from the Department of Scientific Socialism and the Department of Economicsto participate in the program, and organized graduate students to prepare activelyfor student exchange activities.Academic guidance was carried out through both lectures and individual tutorials, with the help of ZOOM and WeChat respectively. At the online meeting of all teachers and students, Russian professors from Fudan University and the Shanghai Institute for International Studies wereinvited to give online lectures to the students. Teachers provided one-on-one tutorials to and had daily communication with the students through WeChat and email. To make their visiting study more effective, teachers prepared plentiful relevant materials for the students, had the materials translated into English and then distributed them to the students. The students submitted their visit reports after receiving three weeks of academic guidance.

Student exchange activities were conducted in the form of live broadcast, virtual campus tour of SPI&SAI, ​​PowerPoint presentation, video sharing, online communication, Q&A, etc. Through the live broadcast, Russian students were led to visit SAI’s campus, Library, Cultural and Sports Center, and intruduced the training room, the Reform and Opening-up Education Museum, the SPI History Museum, the oath wall and other venues and landmarks.SAI students gave talent shows and elaborately produced programs about traditional Chinese culture, such as food sharing, tea art performances, poetry reading, etc., as well as videos of group study, life, and outings. They also specially prepared PowerPoint presentations to introduce traditional Chinese costumes, operas, Kung Fu, and China’s achievements in building a well-off society. The two sides also cooperated to complete the poem reading program of the Sino-Russian Culture and Arts Festival. The program received strong support from the Audio-visual Education Center of the Division of Teaching Management, the Library, the Center for Logistic Service, the Cultural and Sports Center, Haixing Hotel, etc.

The student exchange program between the SAI and North-West Institute of Management of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration started in 2012. Each party alternately sends 3 to 6 students to the other’s unit for a three-week visit and exchange every year. The 2020 session was the 9^thone.