Novosibirsk State University, together with the Center for Public Diplomacy and the Novosibirsk Region Administration, organized the international "Russia – Africa Forum ". The event took place in August as part of the XI International Forum "Technoprom". The goal of the project is to promote strengthening comprehensive and equal cooperation between Russian regions and African countries in the fields of education, culture, economics, scientific, technical, cultural, and humanitarian spheres. The Forum was attended by education ministers, rectors, ambassadors extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the Russian Federation of the Republic of Mali, the Republic of Chad, the Republic of Guinea, Burkina Faso, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, and the Republic of Niger from West Africa. On the Russian side, the Forum was supported by universities and organizations from Novosibirsk, Tomsk, Izhevsk, Chelyabinsk, Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Yaroslavl.
Evgeny Sagaydak, Head of the NSU Education Export Department, explained,
An important outcome of the Forum was the decision to create a Consortium of Russian universities and organizations to develop mechanisms and areas of inter-university cooperation with West African countries. The focus of the Consortium is on the training of highly qualified personnel for science and knowledge-intensive business on the African continent. In the initial stage, 20 Russian universities will take part and, in the future, more than 40 Russian universities will be involved in the activities of the Consortium.
The Russia — Africa Forum also hosted signing agreements on multifaceted cooperation between Novosibirsk State University and Thomas Sankara University (Burkina Faso), Abdou Moumouni University (Niger), and the Center for Public Diplomacy.
In October, NSU will open a preparatory department online in two areas: Medicine and Biology in French and Natural Science in Russian. Within the framework of the agreements, NSU will develop joint educational programs with dual degrees with leading universities in West Africa in the following areas of study: management, mathematics, and information technology. Two educational programs are possible: Bachelor's degree with 2 years in Africa and 2 years in Russia and Master's degree with 1 year in Africa and 1-2 years in Russia. It is proposed to conduct training in English.
NSU will organize and conduct popular science lectures in the natural science’s field. The University is ready to compile a list of lectures at the request of African universities and invite renowned scientists to give them online. NSU can also organize scientific internships for students from Africa with renowned scientists in the natural sciences. The internships can vary from three to six months.
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