HSE University-St Petersburg to Launch Online Course on History and Culture of Russia for Japanese Universities
A delegation from HSE University-St Petersburg headed by Director Anna Tyshetskaya has visited more than ten universities in Japan to strengthen research and academic cooperation. HSE representatives met the heads of the country's leading universities, including Soka University, Tokai University, Sophia University, Hitotsubashi University, Hosei University, Osaka University, Kwansei Gakuin University, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, and others. Among the priority areas of cooperation are humanities and Asian and African research, online training, and academic exchange programmes.
The visit by the delegation from St Petersburg is the next step in establishing academic and research cooperation between the two countries. In December 2024, Nikita Anisimov, Rector of HSE University, visited four Japanese universities. The trip was made at the invitation of the Japanese Ambassador to Russia and was the first official visit by a Russian university delegation to the country since 2022. During the visit, the parties reached an agreement to prepare the online course 'History and Culture of Russia'. Lectures for students of partner universities are being developed by researchers from HSE University-St Petersburg.
Anna Tyshetskaya
Director of HSE University-St Petersburg
Russian culture has long aroused great interest in Japan. It shows up in various spheres—from literature and music to fine art, theatre, and ballet. Classic Russian works are translated into Japanese and adapted for the stage, and universities teach Russian. Several universities offer specialised courses on Russian grammar, literature, and history. For instance, Soka University has a Russia Centre, and Tokyo University of Foreign Studies has been teaching Russian since its foundation in the 19th century. That's why we are launching a project where our experts in Asian and African studies and humanities scholars will not only talk about Russian history but also develop the interest of Japanese students in our culture and country in general.
The trip featured the presentation of a pilot lecture of the online course. The initial material covers the history of St Petersburg from its foundation to modern times. The lecture was prepared and recorded by Adrian Selin, Dean of the School of Arts and Humanities.
'In Japan, continued interest in Russia creates a demand for knowledge about the country, its history and culture presented in a modern way. We have presented our lecture on the history of St Petersburg at ten Japanese universities. We studied the feedback and concluded that a significant part of the online course should be devoted to Russian culture and literature,' shares Adrian Selin. The lectures on the history and culture of Russia will be recorded in two languages, and the online course will last from two weeks to one month.
Japanese universities are also interested in joint projects related to online training. In November 2024, the Department of Japanese Studies of the Institute of Asian and African Studies at HSE University-St Petersburg launched an online seminar on the Japanese language together with Sophia University and Nagoya University of Foreign Studies. The initiative was an important step in enhancing the language training of students and professors and created a platform for professional exchange between specialists from both countries.
The delegation from HSE University-St Petersburg also discussed the development of joint educational courses, including ones on Russian history, with representatives of the universities. The parties expressed their readiness for efficient cooperation in these areas.
'The online courses, which will be delivered by professors of the Institute of Asian and African Studies at Japanese universities, will cover a wide range of educational areas: methods of translation from Japanese to Russian and from Russian to Japanese, the influence of Russian and Japanese literature on each other, the history of Russian–Japanese political and cultural ties, and various aspects of Russian history up to modern times,' explains Olga Klimova, Head of the Department of Japanese Studies of the Institute of Asian and African Studies at HSE University-St Petersburg.
Russia and Japan have a rich history of research, academic, and cultural cooperation. More than 700 students study Japanese at HSE, and there are students and professors from Japan at the university. HSE University supports academic mobility programmes, with 25 experts in Asian and African studies and economists currently undertaking internships at Tokai University. Among the key partners of HSE University is the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, the oldest centre of Russian studies in Japan. Now, around 300 people at the university are studying Russian, and many of them intend to pursue internships in Russia.