The Academic Council Discusses Overseas Education

The meeting of the Academic Council began with an awards ceremony for members of university staff. BSNRU Rector, Professor Oleg Polukhin presented Irina Kaluj, the Deputy Head of the Personnel Development, with the 'Honoured Worker in the Education Sector of the Russian Federation' badge from the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation. He went on to present Galina Gaidukova, of the Department of the Rector, with a Certificate of Honour from the Ministry of Education and Science in recognition of attaining Category I level in the Department of Planning and Organisation the Educational Process and Management of Educational Policy.

Dr Vladislav Kuchmisty, Vice-Rector for International Cooperation, presented the BSNRU Strategy for the Development of Export Potential up to 2020 to the members of the Scientific Council. He also introduced the University's Development Program for 2018-2020, which fulfils our role as part of the Consortium of Educational Organizations and Exporters of Russian Education.

Dr Kuchmisty reminded the Council that BSNRU was admitted only last year to the Consortium of Educational Organisations and Exporters of Russian Education, and since then the University has become one of the most advanced and authoritative in the field of educating foreign citizens. This lays great responsibility on us and imposes certain obligations, which are reflected in the strategy. It has been developed with a three-year period in mind, and identifies five priority regions of the world where we might export educational services. The main themes of the strategy include the creation of high-quality educational products, promotion and marketing in priority regions of the world and the creation of a positive environment and infrastructure for foreign citizens.

The Development Program provides for an increase in the total number of foreign students enrolled at the university, an increase in the number of cooperation agreements with alumni associations, online courses for foreign students in Russian and other foreign languages, and an increase in the number of foreign students coming for training for at least a semester.

In their speeches, Alexander Mamatov, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs and Informatisation, and Alexander Galtsev, the Director of the Centre for Pre-University Preparation and Reception, mentioned the problems of language adaptation for foreign students and the organisation of admission for foreign citizens wishing to study at the University. Proposals were made to create an online course in Russian language, to expand the number of programs for secondary languages, as well as introducing a remote form for the submission of documents and streamlining admission tests for foreign applicants.

The Rector supported the proposals for introducing a remote form for foreign applicants to the university and suggested that this system be worked out in the current semester. The Scientific Council approved both strategies.