The 8th Meeting of Ministers of Education of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Member States (hereinafter referred to as the Meeting, Parties and the SCO) was held on 18 April 2024 in Moscow (Russian Federation).
The Meeting was organised with the assistance of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, and the Rector's Office of the SCO University.
The Meeting was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of India, Ministry of Science, Research and Technology of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, the Ministry of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Tajikistan, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus.
The Meeting was chaired by Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation Valery Falkov.
During the Meeting, the heads of delegations gave priority attention to the development of cooperation in academic exchanges, joint research, vocational education, language training, intensification of youth cooperation, as well as digitalisation in education within the SCO.
The Meeting participants discussed the development and modernisation of national education systems of the SCO member states and priority areas of cooperation in education and science for 2024−2026 as part of the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 4.
The SCO University Parties noted the effective functioning of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation University in training students in seven current areas, and approved the updated Concept of the SCO University, supplemented with new areas of training: agronomy, journalism, medicine and law.
The heads of delegations approved the Action Plan for the implementation of the Agreement Between the Governments of the SCO Member States on Cooperation in Education of 15 June 2015 for 2024−2026. The SCO University Parties also approved the composition of the SCO University Coordinating Council and the number of members of the SCO University Board of Trustees.
They approved Regulations on the title "Honorary Education Worker of the SCO" and Regulations on the "Honorary Education Worker of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation" badge of the SCO member states’ education ministries.
The heads of delegations agreed to hold the 15th Education Week of the SCO Member States "Education without Borders" in the People's Republic of China in 2025.
The Parties reached an agreement to organise the next (9th) Meeting of Ministers of Education of the SCO Member States under the chairmanship of the People's Republic of China.
The participants in the Meeting expressed their gratitude to the Russian side for its hospitality and the high level of organisation and conduct of the 8th Meeting of the Ministers of Education of the SCO Member States.