On a mission to positively impact the lives of 1 billion youth
in the SCO region by 2050
Our Story
SCOLAR stands for Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s Leaders with Aspiration and Respect for one another.
SCOLAR Network (SCO Countries Youth Platform) was founded in April 2017 as a grassroots community to bring together young people from the SCO region. Later, we received support from the SCO Secretariat and SCO Business Council Secretariat. Today SCOLAR serves as a platform to strengthen connectivity, promote empathy and dialogue, create social impact and contribute to the development in the SCO region.
Our values
We believe in the shared traditions, civilizational history and values of our neighboring countries. This is why SCOLAR takes the “Shanghai Spirit” principles as a guide in its mission to strengthen the role of youth in developing their countries and the Eurasian region as a whole. The “Shanghai Spirit”, as a combination of the founding principles of the SCO, includes mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for cultural diversity and pursuit of common development.
Our projects
SCOLAR aims to support university students and young professionals from the region by pursuing projects & establishing connections with relevant stakeholders. The goal of our projects is to find creative solutions to the challenges young people face. Our anchor projects include “Model SCO” intellectual game, “Agora: SCOLAR Vision” youth conference and educational project SCOLAR Academy. These projects bring together thousands of people, including students, graduates, private sector, media representatives, and other organization.
1
%
of the world population
1
%
of Eurasian landmass
1
%
of the world GDP
1
median age across member states
Recognition of SCOLAR Network
Read what SCO countries’ leadership say about SCOLAR.
SCOLAR Network was highlighted by the Ministers of Education of the SCO member states as an important youth-led initiative. They supported the idea of establishing similar youth organizations in other SCO countries to create a common platform for dialogue and exchanges among young specialists and students, as well as their engagement in the development of their respective countries and the region.
– 17 October 2018, Astana, Kazakhstan
“Model SCO” was supported by the Council of Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) of the SCO Member States in 2018 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, and 2019 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Meet our team
Co-founder
Olim R. Alimov is a China and SCO region expert specializing in policy and trade. Olim is the Head of Beijing’s Office of the United Center for Business Cooperation under the SCO Вusiness Council Secretariat (UCBC). A graduate of Peking University with a Master’s degree in International Relations, Olim has lived and worked in China for 12 years. He is a co-founder of a Beijing based advisory and management firm Shanghe House. His hobbies include documentaries, basketball and procrastination.
Co-founder and President
Victoria Khu is a Russian born Chinese, Co-founder and President of SCOLAR Network. Victoria is a TEDx speaker and a member of Global Shapers community, an initiative of the World Economic Forum. She is inspired by the energy generated through the cross-cultural connections between the young people, and strives to contribute to the regional development through building educated and empathetic communities. Victoria has received MA from Tsinghua University in Journalism and Communication. She enjoys dancing, baking and learning Spanish.
Content Creator
Batsanaa Ganbat, from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, holds a Master’s degree in International Politics from Beijing Language and Culture University. Since 2018, she has served as the Media Head of SCOLAR Network. With nine years of experience in Beijing, she is passionate about live music, singing, travel, photography, language learning, and social media. Batsanaa is dedicated to positively impacting young individuals, fostering language acquisition, and spreading good vibes.
Chief Community Officer (CCO)
Shikha Thapa Magar, from Nepal, holds a PhD in Agronomy from Hebei Agricultural University. She is Chief Community officer at SCOLAR Network. She is the Founding Curator of SCOLAR Kathmandu Hub, the first hub outside China, focusing on empowering Nepalese youth, enhancing leadership skills, and fostering connections with SCO countries. Shikha has actively volunteered in environmental, educational, and disaster relief projects.
Olesia Ermakova
Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)
Olesia Ermakova is the CMO of SCOLAR, a Beijing-based youth initiative uniting young SCO leaders for professional growth and regional connections with China. She studied at Beijing University and the University of Communications of China. Over 10 years, she volunteered for the UN, and her goal is empowering youth. She is involved with Tencent THINC Fellowship and the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers Community, promoting advanced technology and sustainable development in China. In 2020, she spoke at the UN Conference on Biological Diversity COP 15 in Kunming.
Liu Ruina / Olia
Administrative Director
Liu Ruina / Olia is from China. She has graduated from Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University in Russia with a Master’s degree in Financial Management. She was an assistant manager of the development department of the Network Television Center at the Central Committee of the Komsomol, and the Founder of the Ouliya Russian-Chinese translation studio. She joined SCOLAR in September 2021 as a head of administrative affairs and CEO assistant. Olia is responsible, passionate about education and culture and is ready to contribute to youth cultural exchanges!
Hub Coordinator
Sheharyar is the Hubs Coordinator at SCOLAR HQ. He’s interested in poetry, languages, tech, entrepreneurship & international relations. In his free time he loves going on long drives, playing with his dog or listening to music. If there is an obscure thing you’re interested in – there’s a high chance he’ll know about it. Feel free to reach out!
Media About SCOLAR
*SCOLAR Network was formerly known as SCO Countries Youth League
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