CITS Creates Immersive English-Speaking Environment for ASU Scientists

The Caspian Higher School of Interpreting and Translation of Astrakhan State University has launched a new project — a platform for English-language dialogue between scientists and developers of the university and representatives of the regional and national business communities.

The idea of ​​creating such a platform was conceived last year — Rector of ASU Konstantin Markelov has repeatedly spoken about the importance of knowing English as a means of international communication and a tool for interaction between scientists from different countries. However, due to the pandemic, the start of project “Immersive Linguistic Environment in the Caspian Higher School of Interpreting & Translation” had to be postponed. Finally, the university held the first meeting of representatives of the ASU academic community, the business community of Astrakhan region and Skolkovo Innovation Centre.

The event was attended by Yulia Shevyakova, Head of the Skolkovo Foundation Department for Regional Development, and Narmina Velieva, CEO of Fabrika Technopark, Astrakhan. The experts evaluated a few projects of ASU scientists — developments by Head of the Artificial Intelligence Project Office Aleksandr Koshkarov, Director of the Institute of Physics & Mathematics Aleksey Rybakov and Head of the Organizational & Analytical Centre Yulia Tomashevskaya.

The key condition of the meeting was that the entire dialogue between the participants was to be conducted in English, from the first greeting words and presentation of the projects to the Q&A session and informal communication of the participants at the end of the event.

So, those who participated in the CITS event were not only able to present their projects to the experts but also to try overcoming the language barrier, practise their spoken-language skill and get the practice of English-speaking communication, which is so necessary for conducting successful research at international level.