During the Great Patriotic War, the teaching staff and some students of Rostov State University and Rostov Pedagogical University were evacuated with scientific equipment to the city of Osh, Kyrgyz SSR. How scientists lived and worked in the rear can be read in our historical essay "How Rostov State University saved and preserved the scientific base during the Great Patriotic War". Even today, the Southern Federal University carefully preserves all the preserved information about the days when Rostov scientists and students worked side by side with the residents of Osh, with whom they were connected for a long time by the friendship of the war years. During these years, the scientific and personnel foundation of several modern universities of Kyrgyzstan was laid.

In March 2023, a program of measures was signed to develop cooperation between Rostov-on-Don and the city of Osh for the next 5 years. The purpose of the visit of the first Osh delegation, which includes representatives of the leading universities of the Kyrgyz city, is to develop cooperation in the field of higher education. On the first day of their stay in Rostov-on-Don, on June 13, members of the delegation took part in festive events dedicated to the Day of Russia.

On June 14, the delegation visited the Southern Federal University. The guests were greeted by the Vice-rector for Project Activities Maxim Bondarev. He said that SFedU is the flagship of science and education in the South of Russia and a research-type university, and therefore is able to offer foreign colleagues cooperation in the research space.

"It is impossible to establish effective interaction between cities without cooperation between universities. We are internationalizing the scientific and educational process of the university both in the format of individual practices and complex international projects: the design and implementation of joint educational programs, the opening and operation of mirror laboratories, etc.," Maxim Bondarev shared.

The Vice-Rector added that SFedU has extensive experience in attracting industrial partners to projects, because the real needs of the economy, including representatives of technological business, in developments and personnel are the most important reference point for the development of science and education.

Vladimir Kirik, Director of the Academy of Psychology and Pedagogy, told foreign colleagues about the advanced research of the SFedU in the sciences of the socio-humanitarian block, in particular in pedagogy, where the Southern Federal University occupies a leading position in Russia.

"We are exploring the issues of reforming and rethinking teacher education very deeply, we are looking for answers to the question of how to teach those who will teach our children to live in the world of the future. We can offer educational programs, plots, resources and methods, and it is important for us to test them, including abroad," Vladimir Kirik said.

Vladimir Alexandrovich added that the pages of history when Rostov University functioned in the city of Osh have become an integral part of the cultural code of SFedU. Representatives of the Kyrgyz delegation confirmed that their universities remember and appreciate the contribution of every Rostov scientist who worked on the Osh land during the Great Patriotic War. Thus, the Osh State University studies the works of philologists of the Russian State University dedicated to the work of outstanding Kyrgyz akyns.

Alexey Samoilov, Deputy Director of the Institute of Computer Science and Information Security, told about the history of the Taganrog SFedU campus, the training of engineers and international cooperation in the field of IT. The SFedU Institute of Computer Science and Information Security is included in many international projects in the field of information security and actively exchanges undergraduates and postgraduates with universities of foreign countries.

"IT giants need personnel, so they open their representative offices and audiences at our institute. We are determined to train young professionals for the spheres and industries where they will be in demand," Alexey Samoilov summed up.

During the conversation, Russian Rostov—on-Don and Kyrgyz language centers, joint research and publications in scientific journals, participation in international scientific conferences, etc. were outlined by the parties in a number of promising areas of cooperation: double master's degree programs, the opening of language centers - Russian in Osh and Kyrgyz in Rostov-on-Don. At the end of the meeting, SFedU and the university community of Osh signed a memorandum of cooperation.