TWENTY-NINE Russian students were in the spotlight as Shanghai Jiao Tong University began its new semester over the weekend.

The Russians, who were checking in at the reception desk of the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, are the first class of students of a master's program jointly launched by Shanghai Jiao Tong University and the Moscow Aviation Institute.

The program is designed to serve the demand for top talent in aviation technologies for both China and Russia.