Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Peoples'Friendship University of Russia
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Last week, African journalists visited RUDN University as part of the "TASS – Africa: Path of Friendship" press tour. They discussed with the university's leadership the university's connections to the continent and its collaboration with African higher education institutions.
Excellent students and one talented underachiever
At the beginning of the meeting, RUDN University Vice-Rector for Strategic Communications Elena Apasova shared three stories about African students with the guests.
"The first story is when a group of students from South Africa came to visit us, and I asked one of them, 'Why RUDN University?' He replied that he really wanted to become a farmer, learn how to grow and process different fruits. The second thing I want to tell you about is our annual A-Level Students' Gathering, which is approaching. Two students from Africa have been studying for 10 semesters at the Medical Institute, earning straight A's, which is no easy feat. And the third story is about our cameraman, Junior, who is filming today's event. He entered RUDN University's Physics and Mathematics Department and received many, many Ds. But we saw that he is a natural cameraman, has a keen eye, and is good with a camera. Now he is studying journalism. At our university, every student can change their professional development path," says Elena Apasova.
After sharing students' stories, the vice-rector moved on to talk about the university itself. As Elena Mikhailovna noted, the RUDN family is very large: 200,000 alumni worldwide. Our university is the most multidisciplinary and the "greenest" in the country. The university's researchers actively collaborate with their African colleagues. Together, they have written 540 publications, 10 of which are in the top 1% for citations.
"RUDN University has a grant system to support scientific research. Two African researchers (one from Algeria, the other from Egypt) received grants from the university. One research project focused on new crop management methods. The other focused on innovative methods for assessing agricultural soil pollution," said Elena Apasova.
Marina Rekets, RUDN University's Vice-Rector for International Affairs, added that 2,500 Africans study at RUDN University—from nearly every country on the continent, with the exception of Lesotho.
"We hope that next year we will have students from this country as well. We cannot help but emphasize and feel the special connection between RUDN and Africa. After all, one could say that RUDN began with Africa," said Marina Rekets.
According to her, RUDN University has trained nearly 16,000 specialists for African countries over the years. Furthermore, the university maintains partnerships with dozens of African universities.
Amazing RUDN University
The RUDN University guests eagerly asked questions about the unique aspects of studying at RUDN University, why the university was named after Patrice Lumumba, and the university's collaboration with educational institutions across the continent. They learned not only about the opportunities for African students to study and pursue research, but also about the students' creative self-fulfillment in the Interclub studios and the security measures taken on campus. At the end of the meeting, the delegation members received branded university merchandise. The African journalists were deeply impressed by the visit.
"I'm discovering Russia, it's my first time here, and it's wonderful. I was surprised at RUDN University by how many nationalities there are. I thought it would be 99% Russian and maybe two or three foreigners. But it turns out it's a small world, encompassing all nationalities and ethnic groups. Now I'm wondering if my daughter (she's 14 now) should apply here," says Tilado Apollinaire Abga, Director of Information at the Burkina Faso Press Agency.
"Your university lives up to its name. I was truly delighted to see that the Russian and African peoples are united. And that we share a common vision of respect for human dignity. I'm delighted to see so many African students coming here to study. They receive excellent training and degrees that enable them to build careers. So, I'm thrilled: I think that in the future, my children will come to study here, in Russia, at RUDN University," says Vanet Mercia Loemba, editorial director of the ACI Pointe-Noire bureau from the Republic of Congo.
"Compared to what we hear and see in other media, with the information coming from everywhere spreading negative propaganda about Russia, what we saw here was completely different. We realized that Russia is a hospitable country, a country with a high level of social responsibility, a wonderful country because you can have a good time there. Specifically, at RUDN, I liked how you value every student. You treat students like a son or daughter. You recognize each student's potential and help them find what they're best at," said Marlis Rosi Lorian Chibinda Bachi, Head of the Government Information Department.
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