Saratov University and Luhansk State Pedagogical University (LSPU) have signed an agreement on scientific and educational cooperation on January 13. The document was signed by SSU Rector Aleksei Chumachenko and LSPU Rector Zhanna Marfina.
After the People's Republic of Luhansk became part of the Russian Federation, the integration of curricula became an important task. Partner universities will conduct joint educational and methodological work, develop and implement curricula, professional retraining, and advanced training of researchers and pedagogues.
As SSU Rector Aleksei Chumachenko noted, Saratov Region actively cooperates with the People's Republic of Luhansk. Since 2014, students, staff, and university volunteers have been collecting humanitarian aid, conducting classes with children, and providing psychological support. In 2022, the region took patronage of Svatov District of the PRL.
‘Saratov University has been training teachers for a long time, and at this difficult moment of transition to Russian educational standards, we have the opportunity to help the strongest university of the PRL and use this opportunity as much as possible,’ he said.
According to the agreement between SSU and LSPU, it is planned to exchange experience, give lectures, conduct joint research, exchange students, and teaching staff. The priority areas of cooperation between universities will be education, science, and youth policy.
‘We are sincerely grateful for the comprehensive assistance provided by partner universities today. This support strengthens our spirit, gives us strength and a powerful support in our desire to become full members of the Russian educational environment. We hope that the agreement between SSU and the LSPU will be a confident step towards our joint fruitful work,’ Zhanna Marfina commented.
The event was attended by Vice-rector for Youth Policy and Organisational Work, SSU, Anton Golovchenko, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs Igor Malinskii, Chair of the Board of Trustees, Deputy of the People's Council of the PRL Pavel Pilavov, First Vice-Rector of LSPU Yurii Filippov, Vice-Rectors for Research and Pedagogical Work Elena Dyatlova, Tatyana Roters, Olga Zhdanova, Nikolai Klipakov, and Vice-rector for Administrative and Economic Work, LSPU Gennadii Vorontsov, the directors and the deans of the university institutes and faculties, and Head of the International Office Igor Marshuba.
To sign the documents, the visit of the SSU delegation to Luhansk was organized with the support of the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education. During the visit, Anton Golovchenko gave a lecture to Lugansk students about social design and told them about the opportunities and grants provided by the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education and the Russian Federal Agency for Youth Affairs. Igor Malinskii held consultations and working meetings with the LSPU staff on education cooperation – how to succeed in state accreditation, the transition to Russian educational standards, and personnel exchange. Head of the Student Sports Club, SSU, Alexander Nevryuev introduced the students to the system of youth sports organisations and invited them to join the Association of Russian Student Sports Clubs and take an active part in the 2023 competitions.
A guided tour of Luhansk University was held for the SSU delegation: the guests visited the Archaeology and Ethnography Museum, the Geology Museum, the Zoology Museum, the university museum, the scientific library, and the Large Assembly Hall, as well as saw the classroom fund and laboratories of the university.
In addition, the delegates donated new office equipment and laptops necessary for the training to their Luhansk colleagues.
