Over the past 10 years, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has hosted diverse cultural events for young people, such as youth forums and college student art festivals, thereby strengthening the friendship between SCO member states. 

The 10th SCO Education Week, a major SCO cultural event that took the theme “Education Without Borders,” kicked off in China’s northeastern city of Dalian in May, the first time the event has been held outside Russia. 

About 80 representatives including education ministers and rectors of SCO University institutions in Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and China were present. 

“At least two Tajik students taking part in the SCO project will attend the Dalian University of Foreign Languages this September,” said Umed Mansurov, vice-rector of the Russian-Tajik Slavonic University during the 10th SCO Education Week.

He also praised the event and the university’s professional academic training for Russian language students. 

The SCO has long made youth education in its member states a high priority, as evidenced by the establishment and rapid expansion of SCO University. 

Founded after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s proposal at the Bishkek Summit in 2007, the SCO University is currently the largest multilateral international education cooperation program in the region. 

Consisting of almost 80 educational institutions from the five SCO member states, the University covers seven academic disciplines: regional science, ecology, energy, IT, nanotech, economics and pedagogy. 

As one of the member states, China has continued to support education cooperation within the SCO. 

Calling for an early launch of the SCO Year of Youth Exchange, China has committed to providing scholarships for 20,000 students from SCO member states every year over the next five years starting with the 2016-17 school year. 

Faculties and students from Confucius Institutes will also be invited to China for research and study while young students abroad are encouraged to sign up for summer camps in China. 

It is believed such youth exchanges will continue to promote cooperation and friendship among member states.