The Main Directions of Internationalization Models’ Development of Russian and Chinese Universities

Abstract

In modern conditions of changing the balance of power in the global educational space, with the continued dominance of Western universities, the tendency to move the centers to the East is becoming more and more relevant. At the same time, the role of Russian and Chinese universities as new educational poles is increasing. The article is devoted to the study of challenges that hinder successful practices in the implementation of internationalization strategies by Russian and Chinese universities (reputational losses of Chinese and Russian universities in the global arena due to geopolitical circumstances, contradictions of extensive internationalization and technological blockades in the form of exclusion of Russian and Chinese universities and researchers from Western technologies and equipment). The paper summarizes and characterizes the changes in the strategic documents of the Russian Federation and the PRC (focusing on technological national sovereignty, training personnel for national and regional needs, and introducing educational innovations) in the field of higher education based on existing contradictions and the distribution of influence in the global educational architecture. The authors propose a number of recommendations on ways to solve current problems in the form of further adjustments to the strategic orientations and priorities of the Russian and Chinese educational systems towards more active implementation of innovative information technologies, intensification of efforts, including joint ones, to promote the Russian Federation and China as new global educational centers, and the development of a common scientific and educational Russian-Chinese space based on Russian and Chinese languages and joint training of specialists. In general, the article argues for the need to switch to an intensification model of internationalization instead of the extensive one used.