Away from the native land
On 26 November Prof. Boris Yakimovich, Rector of Kalashnikov ISTU met with foreign teachers and exchange students studying at our university.
For the meeting participants, gathered for a ‘round table’ discussion at the Department of International Education and Cooperation, their work and studies at ISTU have become a part of their biography already, for some of them quite an important part. For instance, for Dr. Aiman AlAkkada, an Assoc.Prof. of the English Department, who came to Izhevsk from Syria several years ago. Or for the Nigerian master student Abdullahi Yakubu, or the Egyptian master student Mostafa Mansour, as well as the Syrian master student Bashar Salama, who have been studying at ISTU for some years already and have learnt to speak Russian quite well in the meantime.
Aron Kutnyanszky, a master student in architecture from Hungary came to Russia together with his wife, a young language expert studying Finno-Ugrian culture at Udmurt State University. As for the young English language teachers, graduates of Edinburgh University Craig Saunders and Holly Jones, Czech language teacher Martin Horn from South Moravian Center for International Mobility and Spanish language teacher from Granada University Angel Antonio Salvador Ferrer, who came here only two or three months ago, this is their first time in Izhevsk.
Anyhow, each of the foreign attendees learnt something new that day, both about ISTU, where they work and study, and about each other. After all, the university size, lack of time and working pressure on the teachers and students do not often let them gather together in the same place and communicate easily, moreover with the Rector himself.
Meeting moderator Dr. Alexander Elensky, the Vice-Rector for International Relations and Accreditation of ISTU, after introducing the participants, briefly reported on the main courses of Kalashnikov Izhevsk State Technical University activity, having specifically noted the aspects of the international cooperation. At present 94 undergraduate and postgraduate students from Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovak Republic, Croatia, Lithuania, Syria, Egypt, China, Nigeria and other European and ME counties are studying at ISTU. English, German, Czech and Spanish languages are being taught by the invited native-speaking teachers. Scientific cooperation is playing a very important role aside from educational cooperation with international partner universities. Joint research projects in the most diverse spheres of science and technology are being fulfilled.
Prof. Boris Yakimovich appealed to the participants, teachers in particular, expressing his gratitude for their contribution into the university development. He also said that he is willing to hear some constructive proposals, meaning to improve international students’ education process and quality of our institute. And the suggestions followed (not only flattering, though well-deserved, comments about the hospitality, talents and rich potential of Kalashnikov ISTU, both from master students and teachers, thus once again emphasizing the business-like format of the meeting. By the way, some of the participants had to answer questions not only from the Rector, but also from the local mass media representatives, taking part in the meeting. This extemporaneous press-conference for some of them was their first experience of communication with Russian mass media.
The end of the meeting was informal, as they say, warm and friendly tea-table conversation in the room of the Center of Czech Language and Culture. The attendees easily found the topic for discussion there: closer communication, exchange of impressions about life in Izhevsk, their work and study at ISTU, plans and prospects, which each of them has in abundance, taking into account the modern open-space education.
- Such meetings should be held more often! - was a laconic and sincere comment of the serious and critical Abdullahi Yakubu, one of the most active meeting participants, coming from the bottom of his warm Nigerian heart. Agreeing with him, we express our gratitude to the Department of International Education and Cooperation of Kalashnikov ISTU and want to say: “Good bye and see you again!”
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- Last Updated on Thursday, 05 December 2013 11:46