VSU Rector Dmitry Endovitsky visited Argentina together with representatives of other Russian universities. He had a series of meetings with members of the academic community in Argentina and took part in a meeting of the Business Council of the two countries organised by Rossotrudnichestvo and the Trade Mission of the Russian Federation. Dmitry Endovitsky also visited the National University of Comahue, one of VSU’s partners.
“We are initiating new projects. Thus, we agreed that our faculties should hold video conferences so that our researchers could determine their interaction prospects”, said the rector.
The universities plan to organise international conferences and to submit a joint application to the Russian Science Foundation for the support to international and interuniversity research groups.
“We have an opportunity to obtain such grants, and our colleagues from Neuquén are very eager”, said Dmitry Endovitsky.
Researchers from the National University of Comahue will also be able to publish their articles in the best VSU journals free of charge. VSU’s researchers, in turn, can publish their articles in the journals run by the National University of Comahue. The parties also discussed the prospects of opening a network academic programme, with some courses taught by professors from Argentina, and others by professors from Russia.
“It’s a very good thing. Our pilot project will include the Faculty of Political Sciences of the National University of Comahue and the Faculty of International Relations of VSU. The Faculty of Law of the National University of Comahue is also considering joining the project”, said the rector of VSU.
At the meeting of the Business Council, Dmitry Endovitsky also made contact with representatives of other universities in Argentina who are eager to become partners with VSU.
He also had a meeting with the Ambassador of the Russian Federation and the head of the Russian House and arranged for a photo exhibition dedicated to Voronezh State University. They also discussed quotas for students from Argentina.
“Another idea that we discussed and that received a hearty support from both the Ambassador of the Russian Federation Dmitry Feoktistov and the head of the Russian House in Buenos Aires Olga Muratova was to submit an application to the Russkiy Mir Foundation in order to open a centre of Russian language, culture, and business in Patagonia. The centre will be based at the National University of Comahue”, said Dmitry Endovitsky.
The National University of Comahue has the Faculty of Linguistics, which can run an additional education programme in the Russian language.
“We are very much interested in the project, because, although there are quite a lot of people who’d like to learn Russian, Patagonia does not have the corresponding academic facilities. It will present new study options for students and for everyone in Argentina”, said the VSU rector.
He pointed out that VSU has extensive experience in creating such centres. There are centres of the Russian language and culture in China and Europe opened by VSU.
“Local people are usually attracted to such centres, because there is often a kind of information vacuum or even a negative information background with regard to Russia. The centres play a great educational role”, said Dmitry Endovitsky.
He also said that the Russian Rectors' Union is planning to organise a forum of university rectors from Russia and Argentina.
“The Russian Rectors' Union is going to suggest to the Ministry of Education of Argentina to hold the first Russian-Argentinian forum of rectors. Such forums can be very beneficial. I think we will be able to come to an agreement within a year”.
During his visit, Dmitry Endovitsky also had meetings with VSU alumni.
