Russian-Chinese MSU-BIT University becomes first foreign participant in Interfax Universities Program

The Russian-Chinese MSU-BIT University in Shenzhen and Interfax Group have signed a memorandum on cooperation aimed at bringing the latest practices for working with big data and using modern digital solutions into the educational process and research activities.

Shenzhen MSU-BIT University (SMBU) Rector Li Hezhang and Interfax Group Chairman Mikhail Komissar took part in the online signing ceremony.

SMBU, which was established jointly by Moscow State University, the Beijing Institute of Technology and the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government, has thus become the first foreign participant in the Universities Program "Digital Technologies for Education and Science" that Interfax Group launched in 2020.

"The goal of our University is to deepen cooperation between economic entities in Russia and China, as well as strengthen friendship between countries. We have already entered into agreements with various Russian companies. Today's signing of the agreement with Interfax is very important for training qualified workers who are in high demand on the labor market," SMBU Rector Li Hezhang said.

"Using Interfax information and analytical systems will help Chinese companies working on the markets of the Eurasian space. And for the University, such resources are useful for the educational process and research," SMBU First Vice Rector Sergei Shakhrai said.

"SMBU pursues the ambitious objective of training highly qualified professionals in China who have the competencies needed to implement the two countries' economic projects in the Asia-Pacific region. I am confident that the experience of Interfax, developer of advanced IT solutions for businesses in the area of risk management, will become a driver of our joint work," Interfax Chairman Mikhail Komissar said.

"Within the context of cooperation, Interfax plans to participate in the development and introduction of SMBU educational programs intended for professionals working directly with the Russian market. The parties are considering the possibility of including modules and programs into the educational process that are based on the SPARK-Interfax system, which helps foreign companies to successfully work in Russia and comply with the standards of Russian and international law in the area of compliance, due diligence and taxes," Komissar said.

SMBU is a unique Russian-Chinese education project that was initiated in 2014 by the top leadership of Russia and China. The University's key objective is to train in-demand specialists in China based on the best Russian education programs, foremost for the implementation of the two countries' economic projects in the Asia-Pacific region. SMBU opened in 2017 in Shenzhen, one of the most dynamic cities in the world. Instruction is in three languages: Russian, Chinese and English. Students can earn MSU and SMBU diplomas.

Interfax has been implementing the Universities Program "Digital Technologies for Education and Science" since the beginning of 2020 in partnership with the country's leading post-secondary institutions. The program's main goal is to integrate unique databases and modern IT solutions into the educational process and research activities, develop the qualifications of educators and researchers, and teach students practical skills in the area of information monitoring and analysis, risk assessment methods and decision making.

Under the program, Interfax, working with its partners, develops its own education programs, courses and teaching aids on a broad range of subjects, including corporate business analysis, risk assessment, compliance procedures, ensuring transparency of government procurements, analysis of the government contracts market and competition, taxation, financial and credit risks, RegTech, digital solutions in legal practice, media analysis and news reporting.