Models of network interaction between Russian teacher education universities and Chinese educational institutions: A comprehensive analysis of the conditions for sustainable cooperation

Introduction. The primary objective of the study is to address the current lack of research on the conditions and forms of sustainable international network cooperation between Russian teacher education universities and Chinese universities, particularly in the context of the growing importance of such cooperation in promoting Russian humanities education abroad. The purpose of the article is to identify the characteristics of network interaction models between Russian teacher education universities and educational institutions in the People’s Republic of China, to evaluate their effectiveness, and to assess the conditions and prospects for further development of cooperation, taking into account international university ranking systems. Materials and Methods. The methodological basis is an integrative approach, combining the following theoretical and empirical research methods: analysis and systematisation of Russian and international research investigations on the problems of implementing network interaction both among educational institutions in general and between Russia and China in particular; content analysis of the official websites of Russian teacher education universities, allowing us to identify and study the forms and models of their international network cooperation with Chinese educational institutions; and frequency, comparative, and correlation analysis of the data obtained, which was presented by the authors in the form of an interactive map. Results. It has been found that cooperation between Russian teacher education universities and Chinese higher education institutions is in a stage of active development. Joint educational programmes in various formats are the dominant form of network interaction. The role of Russian (teacher education) and Chinese universities in the implementation of joint educational programmes has been clarified. The authors have established that the main problems hindering effective Russian-Chinese network interaction are related to legislative barriers, asymmetrical geographical distribution of partnerships, and insufficient public information about joint programs. Conclusions. Despite the large number of Russian-Chinese agreements between educational institutions, cooperation is uneven (both in terms of geographical coverage and content). In addition, the official websites of these institutions do not provide sufficient information about existing forms and programmes of cooperation, joint curricula, etc., which hinders the dissemination of accumulated experience in cooperation. The conditions for further Russian-Chinese cooperation between teacher education universities, which is considered to be a strategically promising area of international politicy for promoting Russian education abroad, are as follows: shifting the focus to new Chinese regions, improving the management of joint programmes, resolving legal and financial difficulties at the government level, as well as expanding joint educational projects, digitalization, and the development of intercultural dialogue with the aim of improving the quality of education for the global market.