The 15th EU-Russia Summit in Moscow highlighted the importance of close cooperation in education training between the two neighbors.  The summit was broad in nature focusing on economic space, freedom justice and security, and research, education and culture.  In this last dimension, the two partners emphasized the importance for the convergence of university course formats and qualifications while promoting cultural and linguistic diversity. Further, a European institute in Moscow, co-funded by the EU and Russia, is to be set up in 2006.

EHEA: In the field of education Russia has already initiated the integration into the European Higher Education Area via its recent accession to the Bologna process and participation in the EU Tempus Programme. The recent creation of the EU Erasmus Mundus Programme opens the way for increased co-operation. The two agree to encourage integration and a closer co-operation within the framework of the new European Higher Education Area via the following activities:

• Increasing university cooperation between Russia and European Union;
• Promoting student and teacher mobility between the EU and Russia universities;
• Assisting in training Russia’s national promoters of the Bologna Process;
• The founding of a European Institute at the appropriate Russian Institute in Moscow

Further cooperation: Beyond these items, the EU and Russian governments support cooperation aimed at a closer link between awarding degrees by encouraging collaboration at the Master's level and awarding joint or double diplomas; cooperation in the setting up in Russia of a system of monitoring and check-up of the quality and certification (accreditation) of curricula and higher education institutions as a whole; exchange of information, expertise, and best practises through joint seminars and workshops between the Russian Federation and the EU.  Practical tools of Russia’s cooperation with Europe in these fields are regular ministerial meetings of the Bologna Process member nations and international Bologna Team, as well as the Tempus, Erasmus Mundus and Youth Programmes and the relevant external assistance instruments.