Jean Monnet Center of Excellence (JM CoE) at Volga State University of Technology is proposed to develop the European level research and education in the field of Environment Protection and Sustainable Forest Management (SFM). The JM CoE would provide a tool for focusing substantial effort directly on specific studies and research needs for practical applications and teaching in forestry and environmental protection basing on the current EU achievements. Also, the newly established JM CoE SUFEX will be focusing on creation of awareness among various stakeholders about actual SFM and environmental issues. The JM CoE SUFEX will be elaborating E-learning courses, textbooks, and the web portal for the students, academic and professional community. The research activities also will deal with the issues of SFM, monitoring of forest cover, and studies in Green Diplomacy. The JM CoE will be arranging workshops, webinars and conference for the wider professional community based on the center’s research activities and findings. The project team has good experience in carrying out international projects and events, as well known in Russian (GEPE, All Russian study-methodological council in the field of forestry) and the EU forestry and ecology networks and associations (IUFRO, EFI). This fact will help to engage researchers and teachers from the EU forestry universities to the center’s events, and to promote the EU Studies at the university, and on regional, national and international level. If succeeded, the SUFEX CoE can serve a role model for the Russian mid-sized regional universities, seeking for their new unique niches in the transforming system of higher education in Russia. In case of Volga Tech, which positions itself as a national leader in Forestry and Nature Management Studies, the incorporation of the modern European expertise through Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence would confirm the high reputation of the school in the Russian professional community.