3rd Caspian Forum of Foreign Students: Erasing Boundaries!

It is already the third time that Astrakhan State University has become a venue of the Caspian Forum of Foreign Students. For five days, foreign students of Russian universities have been discussing their common issues, sharing experience, studying, and entertaining. By the last day of the Forum, which took place at the Beryozka Camp of Recreation & Education, both organizers and guests of the Forum had already had certain impressions of that event, which they have gladly shared with us.

Dr. Yao Nicaise Adu, President of the Foreign Students Association in Russia and a guest of honor at all the three Forums, has emphasized that such events are crucial both for Russia and for countries of foreign students’ origin. “Each country that makes it possible for its citizens to get high-quality education is developing in the right direction”, Dr. Adu considers. “Investment in education is of long-term nature, but its ultimate yield is high. Our Association faces numerous issues to tackle, but our joint efforts help resolve them all. We can provide the right conditions for an efficient and a successful educational process at universities. The public organization I’m heading contributes to execution of the current migration educational policy, and such events are of great value for that. I’d like to thank Astrakhan State University for its hosting this Forum at a high level. I’m looking forward to continuing such efficient cooperation with ASU. I’m really eager to see what the 4th Caspian Forum of Foreign Students look like!”

Mr. Vladimir Chetiy, Director of the Alumni and Friends Association of the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, has been another distinguished guest at the Forum. He has arranged the briefing session “Role of Associations of Foreign Alumni in Promotion of Russian Education”, which has accentuated importance of foreign alumni’s keeping in touch with their Russian alma maters upon their graduation. “Upon their return to their home countries, alumni tend to lose links with their alma maters. Education must be of continuing nature. For example, a professional retraining course may be covered in any country, but it’s much more comfortable to do that at your alma mater. Our Association, together with the Federal Agency for Affairs of CIS, Compatriots Living Abroad and for International Humanitarian Cooperation, is planning to arrange the Single Day of University Alumni on an annual basis (most likely, in November). Embassies or Cultural Centers are supposed to host it. Besides, we’re going to obtain a Presidential grant to publish a collection of our Association dedicated to foreign alumni. I’d like to thank the Organizing Committee of the Caspian Forum of Foreign Students, as such events make it possible to discuss a wide range of issues, in particular, the issue of foreign alumni’s migration”, this is what Mr. Chetiy said.

Professor Alexander Treshyov, Vice Rector of ASU for Academic Activities, has been supervising all the stages of the Forum arrangement: “In my opinion, we haven’t done everything as we planned: we wanted to make everything perfect, but we did something not so perfectly as we wished. Actually, we have something to enhance and to learn. I’m really glad to welcome our guests: they’re so interesting and so different. The more similar events we arrange, the less issues that our students face will remain unsolved. We’re planning to contact the Federal Ministry of Education and Science and other authorities to request that Astrakhan should become an international site to exchange students’ ideas”.

Mr. Sanan Gamidov, Director of ASU’s Unit of Strategic Planning & Student Projects Management, and Ms. Farida Rekesheva, Chief of our Public Relations Unit, have played an enormous role in arrangement of the Forum. As they both confess, “The Forum has really been splendid. We’ve realized its entire agenda. Of course, we faced some problems, but we overcame them all. We have an idea to hold two events at once next year: the 4th Caspian Forum of Foreign Students and the Caspian Forum of Foreign Alumni. That’ll help solve the issue of generation succession; it’ll also contribute to foreign graduates’ efficient social adaptation upon their return to their home countries”.

The participants of the Forum liked all its activities; they regret that the five days have faded away so quickly. They agree that such events are of enormous value for foreign students studying in Russia, that there is a site for them to discuss and resolve their issues, to make new friends and find new colleagues, and to adapt to the Russian culture and everyday life.

Interviewed by T.Yu. Gavrilkina (the Innovative Laboratory of Information Linguistics of ASU)

Russian original photo source: K.R. Ekshembeeva (the Innovative Center of Information Technologies in Education of ASU)