The seven students who came here this year from various parts of Russia, courtesy of the UC Rusal sponsorship, for a half-year exchange program may be called 'the Magnificent Seven'. They are almost split evenly between undergraduates and postgraduates. They represent some of the best students from Russia. They hail from Russian universities spread across the length and breadth of this vast country, including Siberian Federal University, Urals State University, Urals Federal University, MV Lomonosov Moscow State University and Irkustsk State Technical University. According to these students, interest in and competition for placements at HKUST was quite intense. Hence the high caliber of participants in this program.

The presence of the Russian students is part of HKUST's promotion of internationalizing the campus and university education. Far from being passive participants, some of the students even performed at our 20^th Anniversary Celebration Party in a song and dance routine. Others are learning to sing in Putonghua. All are fulsome in their praise of the jaw-dropping, state-of-the-art library and our splendid academic and sports facilities. They fall in love our breathtaking seaside location, and the sounds and sights of this world city.

UC RUSAL is a listed company on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. We are grateful that through it, there is more of a Russian presence in Hong Kong. For HKUST, the exchange students from Russia represent yet another tributary to our widening international stream.