The event was attended by the Vice Principal for Internationalization and Cooperation, Carles Padilla, who claimed that "this agreement is the culmination of a long process of deepening the relations between the Universitat de València and the most prestigious Russian academic and scientific institutions".

For her part, President Mª Vicenta Mestre thanked the Russian delegation for its presence and stated that the creation of this centre "will further promote the internationalization of the Universitat de València with a leading centre of Russian interpretation and culture unique to our territory".

The Russian Centre, the second in a Spanish university after that of the University of Granada, will be located on the Naranjos Campus, specifically the Serpis Street Institutes, and is expected to be inaugurated by the end of this year. The centre aims to stimulate relations between the two countries and at the same time promote Slavic studies with a wide range of training courses at all levels, double degrees and mobility programmes. It will also have a comprehensive library, computer resources and numerous research and development networks.

The 'Russkiy Mir' Foundation is a public institution of the Russian Federation whose main objective is to popularize the richness of the Russian language and the culture of its people. Thus, with the creation of the Russian Centre, the Universitat de València will have a valuable instrument to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the academic, cultural and scientific fields.