Nizhny Novgorod State Linguistics University has a global strategy whose aim is to implement new international academic exchange projects at the core of which are the resources available, complemented by innovative education methods.
LUNN projects seek to promote education across the borders, widen the range of international educational systems to apply, and strengthen cross-cultural relations.
Main elements of the University’s international activities are establishment and development of partnerships with national and international educational institutions, and research centers.
LUNN has cooperation agreements with over 50 foreign universities in Europe and Southeast Asia. The map of the University’s international cooperation has been expanding: beside the universities in Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain, LUNN is successfully collaborating with universities in Serbia, Switzerland, CIS countries (Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan); there were Academic partnership agreements concluded with universities in South America (Brazil, Argentina). In 2015, LUNN made new Agreements with the University of Basel (Switzerland), Padjadjaran University (Indonesia), a Supplementary Agreement of launching language courses with the University of Mons (Belgium), a Supplementary Agreement of academic mobility programs with Minsk State Linguistic University (Belarus).
Most of the Agreements allow international exchange for students and professors: the LUNN students can study or do an internship in a partner university for one or two semesters.
Last year 53 LUNN students participated in exchange programs in Austria, Belgium, China, Germany, and France, among them 34 went for a long-term program, and 19 for a short-term one. The number of foreign citizens (including students from CIS and Baltic countries) at LUNN last year was 94, among them 39 students were enrolled full-time, and 55 students studied Russian as a Foreign Language (the majority of them came from China and South Korea).
In all four schools of the University there are foreign students taking part in a credit-offering exchange program. Their courses include Russian Language and Russian Literature, Translation and Translatology, International Relations and Russian Politics, Theory and Methodology of Teaching Foreign Languages. Over 160 local and foreign students have also participated in summer schools at LUNN and partner universities.
The partnerships have significantly developed thanks to cooperation of foreign offices of the Rossotrudnichestvo, the Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation.
LUNN is looking eastward as well: the University participates in a state-run program promoting the Russian language. Within this framework Schools of Russian language are established in partner universities. There are Schools operating at the College of Foreign Languages and Cultures of Sichuan University, and at Sichuan Normal University (China). Pursuant to the cooperation agreement signed by LUNN and Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (Seoul, South Korea), and following the commission of Russian Ministry of Education and Science, the Pushkin Institute was established at the Hankuk University. In September 2016 during the visit of LUNN representatives to the Hankuk University, the local Pushkin Institute was contributed fiction and scientific literature in Russian, including dictionaries, fiction books, textbooks etc.
In November 2015 within the framework of the ‘Education in Russia for Foreigners’ project run by the Ministry of Education and Science, and in accordance with the cooperation agreement signed by LUNN and Thammasat University (Bangkok, Thailand), the LUNN representatives participated in an inauguration ceremony at the Russian and CIS Studies Center in Thammasat University.
As compared to the previous year, the number of the expatriate professors has seen a four-time increase – this year three professors from China and one from Serbia have started working at LUNN.
Every year for several years now the Department of educational programs for foreign citizens grants admission to over 160 international students, and expatriate professors who teach at LUNN, on a state-run credit-offering academic exchange program. The program participants come from Austria, China, Germany, Hungary, Italy, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam and other countries, to study Russian language and culture.
The Department offers ten educational programs designed to satisfy the needs, interests, and qualifications of the students.
LUNN has also organized summer schools that have guided tours as a part of the program.
In 2014-2015, LUNN organized advanced training courses for German, French, South Korean, and Nizhny Novgorod region professors who teach Russian as a Foreign Language.
Actively cooperating with the University on development of international partnerships are Embassies of Belgium, Germany, France, Hungary, Luxembourg, Serbia, and Switzerland. In 2014-2016, LUNN was visited by Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Cyrpus, Czech Republic, Iraq, Portugal, Serbia, and Qatar.
The newly introduced internships at Foreign Embassies become increasingly popular. In 2015, students of School of Translation and Interpreting, and Department of International Relations, Economics and Management were invited to three single-day internship sessions to the Embassy of Luxembourg, Embassy of Hungary, and Embassy of Cuba in Moscow. These internships are run by Foreign Ministry’s Nizhny Novgorod office to enhance the expertise of LUNN students in international relations and intercultural communication.
Meetings between the professors, University Council and German Embassy Deputy Head of Mission Ute Katzsch-Egli have become a tradition. At the meetings, the participants discuss the plans of establishing and developing relations between LUNN and German universities, as well as new academic mobility opportunities.
In February 2016, within the framework of cooperation between Nizhny Novgorod and Japan on higher education (especially on Japanese Studies in Nizhny Novgorod universities) LUNN Council had a meeting with Minister-Council, Head of Information Section at the Japanese Embassy in Moscow Otsuki Kotaro.
LUNN professors and postdocs have been awarded scholarships and grants of international foundations (DAAD scholarships, Maison des sciences de l'homme Foundation scholarships, the Fulbright Program scholarship), as well as research and internship scholarships of the Embassies of France, Japan, Italy, and other countries. LUNN also works on joint research projects, e.g. the German-Russian research on Russian youth values, or the academic partnership on development of Translation and Interpreting education and others.
Another important activity of the University is the development of its academic image through holding international scientific conferences, workshops and seminars. During the last three semesters LUNN has held several international scientific events, including Assises universitaires du français 2015 « Enseigner le français avec le numérique : quelles nouvelles pratiques pour la classe de langue ? » (September 2015), (October 2015), XXVI Annual International Academic Conference «Language and Culture» and First Tomsk Workshop on Cognitive Linguistics and Pragmatics (TOWOCOLP) (October 2015). Together with DAAD, the LUNN School of Translation and Interpreting has organized a workshop for Translation and Interpreting professors from across the country.
LUNN keeps actively cooperating with Minsk State Linguistic University (Belarus), University of Education Weingarten (Germany), Antwerp University (Belgium), University of Duisburg-Essen (Germany) and other universities. LUNN academic staff has gone on 46 academic trips abroad to participate in international scientific conferences, symposia, internship programs at foreign universities. The examples of such work are: participation in International Partner Week at Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg (Mannheim, Germany) and within it in the international symposium «The Importance of foreign languages in higher education»; in international conferences organized by the University of Belgrade; in German-Russian social research project «Values of the Young» (LUNN and University of Education Weingarten, Germany). In May 2015 after the project was finished LUNN held an international conference titled “Youth and Globalization Issues”.
Another partnership has also been actively developed, the one within the University League of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (further referred to as CSTO UL). The partners are Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Serbia, and Tajikistan. The CSTO UL has organized such activities as First CSTO Youth School; CSTO Courses on Information Security; the roundtable on “Today’s Issues of Eurasian Security”.
In September 2015, within the framework of International Business Summit-2015 International Research and Practice Conference, “Harmonizing Inter-Ethnic Relations in Global Community”, LUNN held a discussion event on “Issues of Inter-ethnic, Inter-faith Conflict Management in CSTO Countries”.
As per initiative of the CSTO UL Board, the Institute of Linguistic Security was established at the Linguistic University of Nizhny Novgorod.
The Institute has served as a platform for VII Youth Research and Practice Conference, “Translation as a Factor of Science and Technology Development in Modern World. Issues of Linguistic Security”, organized by the LUNN School of Translation and Interpreting.
In November 2015, LUNN representatives participated in the seminar at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union of Belarus and Russia on the Union State construction on «The issues of military-technical cooperation between Belarus and Russia amid the ongoing innovative processes and import-substitution».
In February 2016, LUNN participated in a situation analysis on the tendencies of development of a military-political situation in the post-Soviet region in the conditions of activization of ISIS terrorist activity, which was carried out by the Institute for International Research (MGIMO) in partnership with the CSTO Analytical Association.
In March 2016, the III International School of Young Political Scientists took place in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, with LUNN participating as a CSTO UL member.
LUNN School of Translation and Interpreting students have participated in the IV International Business Forum as volunteers working with foreign guests. The Ministry of International and Foreign Economic Relations of Nizhny Novgorod region highly appreciated the students’ language skills, reliability, and sense of duty, and awarded them souvenirs and letters of gratitude.
LUNN has also held the first roundtable on the topic “Education is a way to future, terrorism is a way to nowhere” involving foreign students of all the universities of the region, organized within the framework of International Research and Practice Conference, “Harmonizing Inter-Ethnic Relations in Global Community”, as per initiative of the Ministry of Education of the Nizhny Novgorod region and the Foreign Youth Council.
Another important activity of LUNN is the one performed by its 7 foreign language and literature centers that facilitate studying and learning.
“Nizhny Novgorod International Model United Nations” is an international educational youth project that has also been successfully developing.
LUNN actively supports the development of relations with China, especially in education, science, and culture. Opened at the initiative of the Ministry of Education, the Chinese-Russian scientific and educational center “Confucius Institute” at LUNN held several big events last year: the “Three rounds: lectures by Chinese professors” initiative with top Chinese universities, scientific research organizations, art and culture centers actively participating (April 2015); “Three rounds: a performance by the College of Foreign Languages and Cultures of Sichuan University” (October 2015); a Chinese-Russian performance show dedicated to the World War II 70th anniversary commemoration, “I Choose Peace” (November 2015); Chinese cuisine festival (December 2015); “The Feast of Spring. Pelmeni” (February 2015, February 2016). In their speeches the participants, 8 of whom emerged as prize-winners, expanded on the Chinese New Year celebration, what it looks like in comparison with Russian New Year traditions, and about the Chinese Lantern Festival traditions.
In spring 2015, the annual Regional Culture and Community Festival “This Great World” gathered local and international students from over 30 countries, who came to study at universities in Nizhny Novgorod and the region.
