Shanghai Cooperation Organization University (SCO University)

The SCO University is a network university and an international educational program that unites leading universities of the SCO member states. Established on the initiative of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin in 2007 at the SCO Summit in Bishkek (Kyrgyz Republic), it carries out an important mission of training highly qualified specialists in fields that are of priority interest for the economic and social development of SCO member states, promoting integration processes in education, science, and technology.

The SCO University comprises 128 core universities:

Republic of Kazakhstan – 20 universities
People’s Republic of China – 48 universities
Islamic Republic of Iran – 1 university
Republic of Belarus – 6 universities
Russian Federation – 28 universities
Republic of Tajikistan – 10 universities
Republic of Uzbekistan

Two new candidates for accession to the SCO University are India and Pakistan, and observer states: India, Mongolia, and Pakistan.

Training of highly qualified personnel within the SCO University is carried out in priority areas of cultural, academic, and economic cooperation among SCO member states.

Objectives of the SCO University

• to strengthen mutual trust and good-neighborly relations among SCO member states;
• to develop integration processes in education, science, and technology;
• to provide a new impetus for the expansion of multilateral educational, scientific, and cultural cooperation;
• to expand opportunities for young people to receive modern quality education, and for teachers and researchers to enhance scientific collaboration;
• to promote effective cooperation among member states in political, trade-economic, scientific-technical, and cultural fields.

Tasks of the SCO University

Main tasks:

• expanding the exchange of students, postgraduates, doctoral candidates, and academic staff;
• increasing academic and research cooperation;
• implementing modern educational methods and technologies;
• creating mechanisms for recognition and equivalence of educational documents of the SCO University by member states and the international academic community.

Additional tasks:

• conducting expert assessments and developing recommendations in specific areas of SCO cooperation;
• training personnel for SCO structures and affiliated organizations;
• creating a network of language (Russian and Chinese) and regional studies courses.

Model of the SCO University

Training of highly qualified personnel shall be carried out under the following types of educational programs:

• Preparatory language courses;
• Bachelor’s degree programs (4 years);
• Master’s degree programs (2 years or in accordance with national standards);
• Postgraduate/PhD programs (3 years);
• Advanced training, professional retraining, distance and blended learning programs.

The SCO University functions as a network structure in a multilateral format, under the aegis and with the support of the SCO. The mission of the core universities is to gradually harmonize curricula for the joint training of master’s, postgraduate/PhD, and bachelor’s students in accordance with their national educational standards.

Based on the interests of the SCO member states, the following harmonized fields of study are introduced: regional studies, ecology, energy, IT technologies, nanotechnologies, pedagogy, economics, journalism, jurisprudence, agronomy, and medicine.

The official languages of instruction within the SCO University are the official languages of the SCO — Russian and Chinese — as well as the national language of the host country. English may also be used by agreement.

Training Scheme at the SCO University

Student admission is based on mutually agreed quotas for enrollment in universities under the SCO University. The quotas generally correspond to the proportional contributions of SCO member states to the University’s budget. Such quotas are determined annually and apply only to students whose education is funded from the SCO University budget. A second group of students studies on a contractual (fee-paying) basis. The number of such students is not subject to quotas and is determined by agreement between the core universities. Prior coordination is necessary for planning and regulating subsequent academic mobility flows.

A student enrolled in an SCO University program has the opportunity to continue studies at any partner core university abroad implementing a coordinated educational program. The maximum duration of stay and number of foreign partner universities is not limited, provided it corresponds to the total duration and required credits for the degree at the home university. A student must study at least one module of the program at a foreign partner (core) university, for a recommended period of at least one semester.

Upon completion, the student receives a diploma from the university where the program was completed and all required examinations were passed, along with a coordinated SCO University Certificate.

Omsk SAU: Priority Fields of Study within SCO University

Within the SCO University, Omsk State Agrarian University is open to cooperation in implementing network educational programs and “double degree” programs, enhancing academic mobility, training students within the established quota, and expanding research cooperation in the following areas:

• Agronomy (Kyrgyz National Agrarian University named after K.I. Skryabin, Osh State University, Tarim University, Toraighyrov University, Tajik Agrarian University named after Sh. Shotemur);
• Ecology (Osh State University, Tarim University, Toraighyrov University);
• Economics (Belarusian State University, Toraighyrov University).

List of Core Universities