Rector of VSUES Tatiana Terentyeva: International contacts — a strategic resource for the development of the University

VSUES celebrates a significant date - 30 years ago, in November 1991, the university opened the era of international cooperation. How it all started, what successes the university is proud of in this area today, says the rector of VSUES, Doctor of Economics, Professor Tatiana Terentyeva.

— Tatiana Valeryevna, how did international cooperation at the university begin?

— It was in the early 90s. VGUES was then called the Far Eastern Institute of Technology; it was actively developing, opening up new areas of activity. International cooperation has become one of our priorities. In November 1991, by order of the rector, an international department was established at the university. However, it is easy to say. A lot of preparatory work preceded the creation of the new structure, it was necessary to do a lot to get a certificate in the state register of participants in foreign economic relations. Only this status gives the right to engage in international activities.

— Who was among the first foreign partners of the university?

— We quickly began to get used to a new area for us. This is a feature of our university and our entire management team and academic environment: to discover and develop promising areas, approaches, formats, and do it as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Already in 1992, VSUES signed its first international agreement — on cooperation with one of the largest automobile corporations in Japan, Honda Motors Ltd. As part of the document, the partners gave us modern equipment for training future car engineers - students of our department of service and technical operation of cars.

Thanks to cooperation with foreign colleagues in the most difficult years for the country and higher education, we won several large grants, with the funds of which we were able to significantly update the material and technical base of the university, strengthen the quality content of educational programs.

— What events in the field of international cooperation do you consider the brightest, the most significant for VSUES?

— There are a lot of them. I would especially like to mention 2008, when the Institute of International Business and Economics of the VSUES entered the 1000 best business schools in the world. This is, of course, a high indicator of the university''''s competitiveness at the global level.

In 2013, a world-class educational cluster was opened at the site of VSUES, which included the International School of Hotel Management of VSUES-PIHMS, an International Linguistic School and a Sports and Recreation Complex.

We hold many international events. The Russian language contests of the Northeastern provinces of Heilongjiang, the Spartakiad of foreign students of universities of the Far East, the intercollegiate festival "I study in Russia" have become a good tradition. I really hope that today''''s pandemic will finally end, and we will return to the old, face-to-face format of communication.

— How is it possible to preserve the international life of the university in the conditions of a pandemic?

— The difficult epidemiological situation has become another impetus for the development of the digital environment of VSUES. Thanks to the active use of modern online technologies, our university continues full-fledged cooperation with foreign educational organizations.  Today, 70 universities from 15 countries are among the university''''s partners. We are implementing 37 joint educational programs: academic exchange programs, the "two diplomas" program.

— Under the "two diplomas" program, which universities do you cooperate with?

— These are Heilongjiang Institute of Foreign Languages, Beihua University, Dalian Oceanological University, Shenyang University of Chemical Technology, Northeastern University of Forestry, Chinese University of Culture (Taiwan), as well as SolBrige International Business School (South Korea).

— How many foreign students do you have?

— 500 foreign students study at the higher and secondary vocational education programs at VSUES, another 240 people are students of additional educational programs. The training takes place in a mixed format, including the use of distance learning technologies and online learning.

Due to the geopolitical position of our region, the university pays special attention to strengthening ties with our neighbors in the Asia-Pacific region. Most of the foreign students who study with us are from China. We have been actively cooperating with Laos for the last few years. In 2015, VSUES and the National University of Laos opened a joint educational center in Vientiane.

VSUES is a member of the Russian-Chinese Association of Economic Universities, the Association of Universities of the Far East, Siberia and the North-Eastern Regions of China and the Association of Design Universities of the Asia-Pacific countries. Membership in these organizations allows us to solve many important issues, implement interesting joint projects, promote our educational services in the Asia-Pacific region, increase the recognition and international prestige of VSUES.

— Which areas of education are the most popular among foreign students?

— The preferences of foreigners are the same as those of Russian students. Young people choose economics, management, linguistics, design, tourism.

— Is there an adaptation program for foreign students at the university?

— For these purposes, we have created a special volunteer structure that deals with the adaptation of foreign students to the educational process, familiarization with our culture and traditions.

Specialists of the Department of International and Cultural Affairs of VSUES, together with students participating in the VSUES International Club, conduct diverse activities aimed at the successful adaptation and integration of foreign students into the educational and socio-cultural environment. We are always close to international students, starting with a meeting at the airport or at the railway station, accommodation in a hostel, acquaintance with the university campus.

— Do foreign students study on a contractual basis?

— Not only that. Foreign citizens study at the VSUES also at the expense of the federal budget in accordance with the quota of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia.

— What are the university''''s immediate international plans?

— We intend to expand our international contacts using such a powerful mechanism as the Russian-Chinese Association of Economic Universities, of which VSUES is a member. We are taking the initiative to create an "educational platform" for the implementation of network projects of regional and international academic mobility of students and university teachers who are members of the Association. In addition to academic mobility programs, it is planned to develop joint online courses on the political, economic and social order of the Asia-Pacific countries.

— How does the university celebrate the anniversary date?

— We do not arrange big celebrations, the epidemiological situation does not allow. For everyone who is interested in the history of our university, we have organized an exhibition dedicated to this event. Here is the chronicle of the international direction of the VSUES activity. I take the opportunity to congratulate our employees, teachers, and everyone who once worked and is now working in this field on this historic date! I wish you successes, health and well-being!