Russia is actively expanding its educational cooperation with countries in East and Southeast Asia. These initiatives encompass both bilateral agreements between universities and research institutes, as well as multilateral educational projects.
Teaching Russian Language and Culture
Russian language schools and cultural centers are most widely represented in China. One of the most important organizations in the country is the Russian Cultural Center in Beijing. This institution hosts events promoting Russian culture, organizes Russian language courses, facilitates the training of Russian language teachers, and collaborates with Chinese universities. More and more schools and cultural centers are being established in other countries in the region: Malaysia, Vietnam, and Cambodia; the creation of Russian language schools is planned for the near future in Laos.
However, Russian language and culture courses are most widespread in China, while in other Far Eastern countries they are less widely available, although demand for them is gradually growing.
Experts discussed this issue during the Eastern Economic Forum (September 3-6, 2025). A proposal was made to create a specialized program aimed at promoting interest in the Russian language in the Asia-Pacific region. The author of this article believes that the implementation of such initiatives is extremely important, as the entire educational (and other) cooperation between countries relies on foreigners’ knowledge of the Russian language and their understanding of Russian culture.
Academic Mobility
Another area of focus is academic mobility programs. These primarily involve student exchange initiatives. The most productive cooperation in this area is with China. In August 2025, approximately 51,000 Chinese students were studying in the Russian Federation, and 21,000 Russian students were studying in the PRC. On August 30, President Vladimir Putin announced the holding of Cross Years of Education with China in 2026-2027, which will most likely be followed by an expansion of student and faculty exchange agreements between the two countries.
Russia is also establishing contacts in this area with other partners. In June 2025, Russia and Indonesia signed a cooperation agreement in higher education. The agreement is primarily aimed at developing academic mobility and regulating issues related to student education at higher education institutions in both countries. Approximately 600 Malaysian citizens are studying in Russia; more and more language schools are opening to prepare Malaysian applicants for study in Russia.
Exchange programs are offered not only for students and teachers, but also for the exchange of experience and professional development among established professionals. For example, in the spring of 2024, employees of China’s Xudapu Nuclear Power Plant completed a training course at the Rosatom Technical Academy aimed at deepening their knowledge of the operation of Russian-designed reactors. And in September 2025, Vladimir Putin ordered the organization of training for Russian government officials in Vietnam. This project will be supervised by the Presidential Academy (RANEPA).
Additionally, workshops and schools are another important format for collaboration. Previously, this format was primarily practiced by universities and research institutes as part of collaborations with specific partners abroad, but now schools organized by a large number of participants from different countries are increasingly being held. BRICS plays a key role in such events.
For example, Fudan University in Shanghai organized the Shanghai Summer School (BRICS Program) 2025, which ran from June 30 to July 25. The program offered students and young researchers the opportunity to study global governance and cooperation in BRICS countries, as well as to familiarize themselves with the specifics of Chinese diplomacy. In the fall of 2025, the BRICS International School: New Generation was held in Moscow, where young leaders from various countries attended a series of lectures from leading Russian and international experts and practitioners, and also participated in master classes, business games, and debates.
Strengthening Cooperation Between Universities
Russia’s educational cooperation with the Far East is not limited to these formats. Many universities are working more closely with international partners in the region, creating joint educational programs and laboratories, and establishing branches abroad.
The most active cooperation in this area, as expected, is being established with China. In August 2025, Bauman Moscow State Technical University and Tsinghua University signed an agreement to establish a laboratory for space and environmental research. On September 2 of the same year, Moscow State University and Peking University signed an agreement to establish the Russian-Chinese Institute of Fundamental Research.
However, Russian universities and research institutes are entering into similar agreements not only with China. In September 2025, Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU) and the Indonesian National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) signed a Memorandum of Understanding, under which a FEFU Representative Office will be established in Indonesia, based at BRIN. Its work will facilitate the expansion of the partnership between the two countries in higher education and scientific research.
The establishment of such representative offices is a common but important measure for laying the foundation for cooperation between countries for future projects in education and science. Other examples of such initiatives include the opening of a representative office of St. Petersburg State University at Walailak University in Thailand in 2023. It is actively developing and hosting online lectures, international roundtables, and scientific conferences. In February 2025, the opening of a representative office of the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI in Malaysia was announced, based at the Malaysian Research Accelerator for Technology and Innovation (MRANTI). Furthermore, the University of Malaya plans to establish a joint Russian-Malaysian Centre for Research, Science, and Culture.
Another common practice is the creation of joint educational programs, which award students dual degrees from both a Russian and a foreign partner university. Such programs are not numerous, but their number is gradually growing. For example, the dual degree program between the National Research University Higher School of Economics and Kyung Hee University in South Korea focuses on the study of economics and politics in Asian countries. Another example is the initiatives of Saint Petersburg Electrotechnical University “LETI,” which is implementing a dual-degree master’s program with China’s Xuzhou Institute of Technology and is also establishing a similar format of cooperation with Malaysian universities.
Conclusion
Educational cooperation between the Russian Federation and its foreign partners in the Far East is a key element of soft power. It is particularly important to develop this cooperation, as the countries of this region are valuable economic, technological, and geopolitical partners for Russia (current or potential). To effectively implement these cooperation formats, it is crucial to strengthen trust in Russia, which Western countries seek to undermine, as well as to establish connections, communication, and the exchange of knowledge and skills between Russian and Far Eastern specialists from various fields. Therefore, intensifying such a policy is an important step toward establishing cooperation with countries in this region.
Daniil Romanenko, Japanologist researcher from the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences
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