Astrakhan State University Develops Relations with Slovakia

A delegation of ASU has visited the Philosopher University in Nitra. As a result of this visit, the two parties have agreed to develop bilateral cooperation and identified its particular fields.

One of the main initiators of the meeting is Mr. Pavol Vakoš, who heads the office of Rector of the Philosopher University in Nitra. He has been in regular contact with Astrakhan Region for many years; he has taken part in a number of joint projects by Slovakia and Russia’s Astrakhan Region. Mr. Vakoš has been to Astrakhan many times – first as a representative of the Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency, then as a State Counselor of the Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic. He intends to develop links between the two countries further, this time in the field of education and science.

At the meeting, representatives of the two universities determined several viable fields of cooperation. In particular, the Philosopher University in Nitra is interested in training qualified philologists who speak Russian. In its turn, Astrakhan State University is planning to develop an educational program to teach Slovak. The two educational institutions are ready to initiate faculty staff exchange as part of academic mobility.

As for development of student exchange, our Slovak partners suggested that ASU took part in a program of grants for free education. Those grants are provided by the Government of the Slovak Republic and help foreign students get education at Slovak universities.

Fields of future cooperation in the field of research have been identified as well. At the end of the meeting, the two parties discussed an official cooperation agreement that could be signed in the future. Let us remind that the Slovak Republic and the Government of Astrakhan Region signed a similar agreement in 2012.