China POCY Group and Russia‘s Krasnodar State Institute of Culture Reach Comprehensive Cooperation Agreement

Editor’s Note

Against the backdrop of the deepening China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era, 2026 marks the launch of the inaugural “China-Russia Year of Education.” At present, China-Russia educational cooperation — particularly in the field of vocational education — is taking shape with new characteristics, including multi-point breakthroughs, in-depth advancement, and pragmatic efficiency. A series of collaborative projects and platforms have become important pillars for implementing the consensus reached by the two heads of state and for deepening people-to-people and cultural exchanges.

At this significant juncture, the official signing of the strategic cooperation agreement between China POCY Group and Krasnodar State Institute of Culture represents not only another key step in POCY Group’s expanding presence in Russia’s educational landscape — following earlier collaborations with prestigious institutions such as Saint Petersburg State University of Aerospace Instrumentation — but also a vivid practice of deepening bilateral people-to-people exchanges and promoting mutual learning of civilizations in the field of culture and education.

On May 14, 2026, the signing ceremony of the cooperation agreement between China POCY Group and Krasnodar State Institute of Culture was held in Beijing. Representatives from both sides attended the ceremony, including from China POCY Group: Sun Aiping, Executive Vice President; Ma Jia, General Manager of the Education Division; Xie Xin, Brand Manager of the Education Division; Wang Teng, Deputy Manager of the Education Division; and Zhang Xinyi, Russian Project Lead, International Cooperation Office, Caofeidian College of Technology. From Krasnodar State Institute of Culture: Sergey Semenovich, Rector; Sergey Sergeevich, Assistant to the Rector for International Affairs; and Wang Yujun, Chinese Language Instructor.

A Strategic Alliance: A Convergent Move of High-Quality Educational Forces from China and Russia

The Russian partner institution in this cooperation, Krasnodar State Institute of Culture, is a benchmark institution in the field of culture and arts in Russia, renowned for its rich heritage and outstanding reputation. Founded in 1966 and under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, it is the only state-funded arts university in Southern Russia. In 2021, it ranked second among all universities under the Ministry of Culture, following only the Tchaikovsky Conservatory, with its teaching quality and academic influence firmly positioned in the top tier of Russian arts education.

As a longstanding actor in international educational cooperation and industry-education integration, POCY Group has consistently focused on the high-quality development of vocational education, establishing an international education system that covers the entire vocational education chain. Its “China Craftsmanship Valley” brand is well-known both domestically and internationally, having accumulated rich platform resources, management expertise, and cross-cultural collaboration capabilities in international vocational cooperation.

This strategic partnership stems from mutual recognition of each other’s educational philosophies, complementary educational resources, and shared expectations for future cooperation. It represents not only a precise alignment and strategic coupling of high-quality educational resources between China and Russia but also a deep dialogue and organic integration of educational philosophies, values, and pedagogical principles across different civilizational contexts. This partnership will open new pathways and inject new momentum into China-Russia people-to-people and cultural exchanges.

A Multi-Dimensional Framework: Building a Full-Chain, Deep-Level Collaborative Ecosystem

This strategic cooperation addresses the contemporary needs of China-Russia educational development, focusing on talent cultivation in the field of culture and arts, and establishes a full-chain, deep-level collaborative ecosystem covering academic collaboration, exchange and mutual learning, articulation of academic qualifications, joint faculty development, and co-branding.

In terms of collaborative education, both parties will explore the joint development of an internationally competitive curriculum system for arts programs, promoting the sharing and mutual recognition of high-quality educational resources and standards. In terms of faculty and student exchanges, both parties will establish a regular and institutionalized exchange mechanism, systematically carrying out programs such as teacher training, student exchanges, and artistic practice. In terms of academic progression, both parties will systematically create pathways for talent development, building bridges for young students to advance academically and professionally between China and Russia and beyond. In terms of faculty development, both parties will jointly conduct high-level training programs for arts educators, sharing cutting-edge teaching outcomes and industry best practices. In terms of brand building, both parties will work together to establish a "China-Russia Arts Exchange Platform," positioning it as a high-level dialogue window to showcase the achievements of mutual learning between civilizations.

Through multi-level, broad-based collaboration, both parties will continuously expand the boundaries of cooperation, promote the deep integration and innovative development of China-Russia culture and arts education, and build an open, inclusive, diverse, sustainable, and symbiotic collaborative ecosystem, endowing China-Russia educational and cultural exchanges with new contemporary significance and practical value.

An Echo of the Times: Consolidating the Social Foundation of China-Russia Friendship Through Education

At this critical juncture marking the launch of the inaugural “China-Russia Year of Education,” the strategic cooperation between POCY Group and Krasnodar State Institute of Culture represents a pragmatic action to implement the important consensus of the two heads of state on deepening China-Russia educational and cultural cooperation. It is also a strategic initiative to advance the “Belt and Road” education action plan and to deepen practical people-to-people exchanges between China and Russia.

Viewed from a deeper perspective of cooperation and model innovation, the in-depth participation and professional empowerment of non-governmental actors — including enterprises and universities — will further activate the inherent potential of the China-Russia educational and cultural exchange mechanism, broaden communication channels, enrich collaboration content, and innovate cooperation models.

This will more effectively promote deeper mutual understanding, greater trust, and sincere friendship between the younger generations of both countries through close interaction. Through mutual learning and the interweaving of ideas, they will continuously forge a consensus on development and shared values for the future, jointly consolidating the social and public foundation for enduring China-Russia friendship.

From aviation vocational education to culture and arts, from skills development to the mutual appreciation of civilizational values, POCY Group remains committed to its mission of “cultivating internationally-minded talents and promoting mutual learning among civilizations.” It continues to deepen China-Russia educational cooperation, steadily expanding the breadth, depth, and height of collaboration. Looking ahead, as cooperation projects are progressively implemented and deepened, both parties will use cultural education as a spiritual bond and talent cultivation as a solid foundation, contributing unique educational strength to building a closer, more mature, and more resilient China-Russia community with a shared future, and writing a new chapter in China-Russia non-governmental friendship in the new era.