How to develop academic mobility

On Friday 23 June Samara National Research University met a representative delegation from Stuttgart, twin city of Samara. The delegation was headed by burgomaster for safety, order and sport Martin Schreier. Among the participants of the meeting there were deputies of the City Council, representatives of Stuttgart youth and sport social organisations.

During this meeting Samara University was represented by Vice-rector for Educational and Foreign Affairs Vladimir Bogatyrev, Head of Department of Aircraft Engine Construction and Design Sergey Falaleev, Professor Sergey Dubinin, Director of the German information and culture Centre Vasiliy Nikitin.

 “On 29 June 1992 a partnership agreement of twin cities was made between Samara and Stuttgart. – Martin Schreier reminded. Cooperation of Samara and Stuttgart universities is the most successful example of interaction. Our priority is academic mobility support for students, postgraduate students and professors. In the course of today’s visit we would like to discuss how this cooperation can be developed”.

Vladimir Bogatyrev told about the recent transformations which led to the creation of Samara National Research University: “Both Samara State Aerospace University and Samara State University had their traditions of interaction with partner universities in Stuttgart. Now after the merge we continue this cooperation”. The Vice-rector thanked the administration of Stuttgart for the provision of scholarship: “In these years many students of our university used the chance given by this scholarship”.

The history of interaction with Stuttgart University is more than 25 years. In 1988 SSAU representative Sergey Falaleev went for internship in Germany. Since then the Department of Aircraft Engine Construction and Design and Stuttgart University Institute of Engines have been working over joint projects of the engines of the future. Sergey Falaleev told that the most difficult task was to develop summer schools for bachelors: “We have good experience in postgraduate students and professors exchange, but not in the students’ one. Several years ago Samara ceased to give scholarships to our students in the framework of the cooperation project between twin cities. The legislature was changed and financing of the activity of federal university from the municipal budget became impossible”.

Commenting this information Hans Pfeiffer, Vice-chair of the Social Democratic Party fraction of Germany in Stuttgart City Council marked: “Summer schools are an example of a live interaction of our cities. We are going to support this initiative by all means and are ready to consider your suggestions of summer schools development project”.

Sergey Dubinin told about the cooperation with the other university in Stuttgart - Hochschule der Medien – and development of German studies in Samara University. He raised the question of partnership exchange experience. “Cooperation of universities is a diplomatic dance to some extent. We want to transfer ideas, scenarios of co-creation, and search for concrete people interested in realization of joint cultural projects. And dance of interaction becomes collective. Let’s dance sirtaki!” – Sergey Dubinin suggested emotionally.

Vladimir Bogatyrev added: “We have experience of interaction on educational programmes and research in the field of engine design and construction. Samara University is ready to develop cooperation in the sphere of promotion of the German and Russian languages on the basis of the Department of German Philology and German Language Centre. We consider Germany to be our priority European partner”.

Representatives of the Stuttgart delegation met Samara students having won scholarship exchange programmes as well. At the meeting questions and difficulties of Russian exchange students in Germany were discussed.

The visit ended by excursion to Aerospace Museum.
 

Photo: Artyom Onoprienko (Photo club Illuminator)