On November 14, 2018, Emperor Alexander I St. Petersburg State Transport University held the plenary session of the Vth Forum of the Association of Rectors of the Transport Universities of Russia and China within the framework of the Betancourt International Engineering Forum.

Starting the meeting Co-chairman of the Association, Rector of PGUPS A.Y. Panychev read a welcome message of the Chairman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation V.I. Matvienko to the participants of the Forum.

Head of the Federal Agency for Railway Transport V.Y. Chepets read the greeting of the Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation E.I. Dietrich. On behalf of the Federal Agency for Rail Transport and on his own behalf V.Y. Chepets welcomed the participants on the Petersburg land and wished them successful work, noting that it is not the first time when the first transport university in Russia is holding such high-level meetings and is the initiator of many important initiatives in the field of education and science.

The Forum was addressed by Secretary General of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries Mr. Li Xikui, President of the Eurasia International Corporation Mr. Feng Yaowu and Consul on Education of the Consulate General of China in Saint Petersburg Mr. Sun Lailin.

The rectors of Russian and Chinese transport universities made reports at the plenary session.

The participants of the Vth Forum of the Association of Rectors of the Transport Universities of Russia and China established a Declaration on the Principles of Creation and Functioning of the Eurasian Network University of High-Speed Rail Transport. The purpose of the university is to provide training of highly qualified personnel to meet the needs of Russia and China in the field of high-speed ground transport and promote the sustainable development of Russia and China through the spreading of knowledge and skills through joint research and educational activities.

The re-election of the co-chairmen of the Association from Russia and China took place at the meeting. Rector of Russian University of Transport (RUT — MIIT) B. А. Levin was chosen as a co-chairman from the Russian side. From the Chinese side it was the Rector of Beijing Union University Li Xuewei.

Beijing Union University was chosen as a venue for the VI Forum of the Association of Rectors of the Transport Universities of Russia and China in October 2019.