Consul General of Israel Olga Slov visited SPbU

Deputy Rector for International Affairs Sergei Andrushin thanked Olga Slov for coming and pointed out how it was important to develop relations with foreign universities and diplomatic offices.

Our move forward is primarily due to our effective collaboration with the international partners.

Deputy Rector for International Affairs Sergei Andrushin

“We open programmes with a foreign focus in various subject fields and are actively engaged in research collaboration, language testing, and attract our foreign partners to become members of our councils of the educational programmes”, — said Sergei Andrushin.

Today, SPbU has councils of the educational programmes that consist of politicians and diplomats from other countries, said Sergei Andrushin. For example, the programme in German Language that is headed by Rüdiger von Fritsch, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Russian Federation, programme in Hungarian Language János Balla, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Hungary to the Russian Federation, and programme in Modern Greek Language, Byzantine, and Modern Greek Philology and Classical, Byzantine, and Modern Greek Philology by the Ministry of Education and Culture of Cyprus  Costas Kadis. Sergei Andrushin invited Olga Slov to join the SPbU’s educational councils.

 The joint research projects are another area of collaboration. In 2016, the University opened the Laboratory of Autoimmune Mosaics under the megagrant of the Government of the Russian Federation that is headed by Yehuda Shoenfeld, Doctor of Medicine, Professor, founder and director of the Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases at the Sheba Medical Centre in Israel, president of the International Congresses on Autoimmunity.

SPbU Professor, historian, biblical scholar and Hebrew scholar Igor Tantlevsky told about the Department of Jewish Culture at SPbU. “About 20 years ago, the inter-state agreement was signed to open our department, — he said. — The fact that the department was opened and now is a global research hub is mainly thanked to SPbU Rector Nikolay Kropechev”. The Department is ready to collaborate and cement ties with the Consulate General of Israel, said the Professor.  

Among other achievements is the first in Russia aspirantura programme in Hebrew Classical Religious Monuments. The University also offers master’s programme in Jewish Culture in Ancient Time and Middle Ages and bachelor’s programme in Religious Studies.

The Department regularly collaborates with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and some of the experts from Israel work at SPbU and teach Hebrew. In September, SPbU is planning to hold a conference on the Hebrew languages: languages, dialects, ethnolects of the Jewish people. The scholars also showed two journals on the Hebrew studies and Jewish studies that focus on linguistics, history, and culture. 

Consul General Olga Slov thanked for meeting and told that such projects were supported by the Consulate General. First, Israel holds a competition to award a scholarship to students who study Hebrew and are willing to study in Israel. The University’s students take part in the competition every year. The Consulate General holds regular meetings with the students in journalism in the cultural centre.

Now the Embassy of Israel is preparing an exhibition on the Memory Day of Catastrophe and heroism. It will focus on the diplomats who helped Jewish run from Germany and European countries invaded by Nazi Germany. She suggested holding the exhibition at SPbU, and the Consulate general is planning to attract several universities of St Petersburg. The initiative is discussed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, and then the Consulate General will send an official invitation to St Petersburg University.