On March 2, at Lomonosov Moscow State University, the XV-th Congress of the Eurasian Association of Universities (EAU) was held. More than 500 members of the Association from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, as well as Vietnam, India, Iran, China, Serbia, Egypt and Montenegro participated at this event.

Baikal State University was represented at the Congress by a Vice Rector for International Relations Mikhail Kuz’min.

The main purpose of the Congress was to discuss the core areas of cooperation in modern conditions and determination of measures to expand ties between the universities of the Eurasian space.

The forum was opened by the President of EAU, Rector of Lomonosov Moscow State University, Viktor Sadovnichy: “We are at a new stage of development. Reforms and practices need to be seriously rethought. One of my proposals is related to the intensification of cooperation in the Eurasian space. Our Association includes 140 universities in the huge Eurasian space.

Re-elections of the President were held in accordance with the EAU Charter. Academician Viktor A. Sadovnichy, the President of the Russian Union of Rectors and Rector of Lomonosov Moscow State University, was unanimously approved for a new term as the President of the Association. The new Council of the Association was formed as well. The participants of the Congress adopted a resolution of the XV -th Congress of the Eurasian Association of Universities, emphasizing the important role, played by the association in maintaining the systemic inter-university dialogue, formation of conditions for the development of scientific, educational and humanitarian cooperation between Eurasian countries.

Within the framework of the forum, Mikhail Kuz’min presented the main aspects of the international activity development of BSU, its role and perspectives in the field of education, science and culture development in the territory of the Eurasian space. Moreover, the positive experience of cooperation with universities – members of the Association, was presented ( Auezov South Kazakhstan State University, Belarusian State University, Osh State University), and some measures to develop education export of universities, members of the Association, were proposed.

Three the most significant events of Baikal State University were included in the Association’s action plan for 2023. Among them - the Third International Baikal Legal Forum, All-Russian conferences with international participation “ Actual Problems of Theoretical and Practical Linguistics “ and “ Digitalization: Theory and Practice”.

On March 3, within the framework of the Congress, the First forum of the Eurasian Network University (ENU), which was established as a part of the meeting of the Rectors of the universities – members of EEU in May 2022. The mission of EEU is establishing links between various factors within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Unit: “Between universities, universities and public authority, business, social organizations, cultural organizations and academic structures.”

According to the results of participation in the session, Baikal State University will consider the possibility of joining the Eurasian Network University, as it has rich experience of cooperation with universities in the region and unique position to develop ENU ties with Mongolia and China.

Note: The Eurasian Association of Universities was founded in 1989 as an association of the USSR Universities, and in 1992 it was transformed into the Eurasian Association of Universities (EAU). 14 Congresses have taken place in the capitals of the CIS countries during the 30 years of its existence – Moscow, Kyiv, Baku, Ashgabat, Minsk and other Eurasian cities. Various questions were discussed there: Bologna Process, pandemic, digital technologies in education, creation of Eurasian Economic Union, issues of life and cooperation between universities, holding joint events and other.