During the summer Dr Balihar Sanghera (SSPSSR) and Dr Elmira Satybaldieva (School of Politics & IR) visited some of the leading universities in Beijing, Xi’an and Shanghai. They met several distinguished academic colleagues, who shared their knowledge of how China’s global investment strategy, the Belt and Road Initiative, was having an impact on Central Asia.
At Shaanxi Normal University, the discussion also focused on how to develop academic collaboration and exchange visits with SSPSSR. Professor Bingzhong Li suggested drawing up a memorandum of agreement to facilitate research and teaching links. Dr Sanghera is currently exploring how to establish this.
At China Eastern Normal University, Dr Sanghera and Dr Satybaldieva delivered two lectures on Central Asia’s economic reforms and its political and social implications. The talks were well-received, and generated a critical discussion.
Other meetings were held at Tsinghua and Fudan Universities and at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences.