Italian Ph.D. Student Defends His Thesis at Astrakhan State University

June 27 saw a successful defense of the double-degree Ph.D. thesis by Patricio Ignasio Barbirotto within the framework of the cooperation between Astrakhan State University and Ca’Foscari University of Venice.

The study programme, undertaken by Patricio, is quite unique as he studied both at the ASU Department of Political Science & International Relations under scientific supervision of Prof. Rafik Usmanov and, at the same time, at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice under scientific supervision of Prof. Fabrizio Marrella.

Patricio’s thesis “Political and legal processes and prospects of the Eurasian Economic Union. Comparative analysis” is quite specific due to the combination of political and legal approaches, applied by the student. In should be recalled that in May Patricio defended his thesis online in Italian, while this time he presented the work to the Attestation Commission in Russian.

ASU Acting Rector Konstantin Markelov handed the postgraduate diploma to Patricio Barbirotto and congratulated him on the successful defense.

Now Patricio is going to defend his thesis “Political and legal processes and prospects of the Eurasian Economic Union. Comparative analysis” in Pyatigorsk or Moscow State Universities. The young researcher will also continue his studies in Italy and will come back to Russia again for sure, particularly as Prof. Rafik Usmanov suggested that Patricio worked at ASU as a teacher, and the Rector supported the idea.