With shared goals of building stronger relations and exploring more areas of cooperation for both Filipino and Russian scholars, University of the Philippines (UP) President Danilo L. Concepcion signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Acting Vice President for International Relations Evgeny E. Vlasov of the Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU) on 21 October 2022 via the Zoom communications platform.
The MOU signing signals the deepening of UP and FEFU relations that were earlier formalized in 2015. The event also highlights videoconferencing as the next normal in strengthening academic partnerships among universities across the planet.
Present during the signing ceremony with Vlasov at the FEFU campus in Vladivostok, Russia, were: Nikita S. Smirnov, Deputy Vice President for International Relations; Andrey A. Deryabin, Deputy Vice President for International Relations; Anastasia U. Gridnev, Leading Specialist, Center for International Promotion, Tourism and Protocol; Vladislav V. Moiseytsev, Specialist, Department for Analytical Support of International Activities; and, Aleksander G. Tkachev, Specialist, Center for International Promotion, Tourism and Protocol.
Aside from President Concepcion, Dr. Imee Su Martinez, Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs (Internationalization) and Director, Office of International Linkages (OIL), Dr. Noel Christian A. Moratilla, UP OIL Deputy Director, UP OIL staff members Chynna Louise Riego, Patrick Owen C. Tuaño, Ivan Kurt M. Monasterial, and Roma Niña C. Samson; and a team from the UP Media and Public Relations Office (MPRO) witnessed the virtual occasion at the UP Board of Regents Room in Quezon Hall, UP Diliman.
FEFU, comprised of nine schools offering over 150 educational programs, is recognized as a global leader in science and innovation. The university is now celebrating its 123rd year. It traced its origins in 1899 when the Oriental Institute was founded.
As one of the leading federal universities of Russia, FEFU is internationally recognized for earning its place among the Top 3 Round University Ranking (RUR) in Medical Science in Russia, Top 20 Best Universities in Russia, Top 100 QS BRICS University Rankings, and Top 500 QS University Rankings. It is the only Representative of Russia in the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU).
