Education | Russian research center opens at the University of Macau

The University of Macau (UM) unveiled its newly established Russian Centre this week with an opening ceremony. Several scholars participated alongside the head of Regional Projects Department at the Russkiy Mir Foundation, and a representative from the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Hong Kong and Macau.
According to Professor Yufan Hao, Dean of the Faculty of Social Science, the research seeks to explore the politics, economy, history, language, art and culture of Russia, and serves as an important learning platform between Macau and the vast country.
“The Russian research centre provides the UM’s teachers and students with a platform and window to learn more about the Russian nation,” said the dean of FSS. “As we know, the Russian language is among the five official languages of the United Nations, and Russia has a significant role to play in international affairs.” He continued: “The Russian Centre is an interdisciplinary center. Although it focuses on language, literature and art studies, it also involves other majors from FSS, such as international relations, history and economy, as Russia is as historically significant as China and the United States. Various aspects about the country need scholarly and expert research.” Yufan Hao then added that the center would see expansion in the near future.
The centre is currently under management of two directors, one from the university (who is not yet decided) and one appointed by the other party. Liudmila Gubareva, one of the appointed co-directors of the center, hoped the activities that are to be organized by the center in the future will promote the cultural exchanges being experienced on various levels between the two countries.
Dr Robert Wessling, a Russian scholar and also one of the university’s residential colleges’ Associate Master, told media that he would lead more than fifty students from his residential colleges to Russia for interaction and studies this May.
This is the city’s second Russian research center to be established by the Russkiy Mir Foundation in partnership with a local tertiary education institution. The first of these was founded at the University of Saint Joseph in 2009.  Staff reporter