May 20 — Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin jointly attended a signing ceremony for cooperation documents at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. As one of the outcomes of the bilateral summit during President Putin's state visit to China, Nankai University and Lomonosov Moscow State University officially signed a cooperation agreement. Later that afternoon, the two heads of state jointly attended the opening ceremony of the China-Russia Year of Education, with Nankai University President Chen Yulu participating in the event.

The signing represents a key step in actively implementing the strategic plans for science and education cooperation between China and Russia. It marks a significant milestone for Nankai University in expanding high-level educational collaboration with Russia and deepening pragmatic exchanges with top-tier Russian universities. Under the agreement, the two institutions will further strengthen their friendly cooperative relationship in areas including joint scientific research, faculty and student exchanges, and talent development, driving the partnership from project-based collaboration toward a more institutionalised and long-term framework.

Nankai University and Moscow State University share a solid foundation for cooperation. In recent years, the two universities have focused on their respective strengths, carrying out pragmatic cooperation in academic exchange, competition organisation, and talent cultivation. Notably, the Mendeleev International Chemical Olympiad (IMChO), led by Moscow State University and other institutions, is widely recognised as the highest-level and largest-scale chemistry competition for secondary school students. Since 2022, Nankai University has been responsible for the selection and organisation of the Chinese participants. In addition, through international competitions, student research internships, and other programs, the two universities have built a strong cooperative foundation to cultivate top talent in chemistry and energy, provide research training for young students, and facilitate disciplinary exchanges. （New Sources: Nankai University News, Xinhua News Agency）