SPbU develops networking with the centre for gifted youth in Syria
The University hosted a meeting with the representatives of a Syrian delegation. They discussed the prospects for cooperation with SPbU for the sake of creating joint educational programmes as well as in the issue of teaching talented school students.
Greeting the guests, Sergey Andryushin, SPbU Deputy Rector for International Affairs, noted that St Petersburg University appreciates its cooperation with the Syrian Arab Republic and is planning to actively develop it in order to strengthen bilateral academic mobility. "SPbU is the oldest university in our country, it was founded almost 300 years ago and today it is a modern world-class science and education centre featuring practically all areas and fields of knowledge," Sergey Andryushin noted. "More than 3,000 international students are trained at the University at present, including citizens of your country." He added that SPbU is interested in employing Syrian scholars, including teachers of Arabic.
Mohammad Amer al-Mardini, Educational Programmes Director at the National Centre for Distinguished Students, said that St Petersburg University has built a strong reputation among the educated people of Syria. "The reason for that is not only the information sources, but also the respect earned by your graduates working in various fields of science and social life of Syria," he said.
SPbU's ratings among the universities of Russia and other countries of the world are quite high, that is why it is an honour for us to cooperate with your university. We are all aware of the important issues discussed by the heads of our states in the field of political and military coordination, yet we believe that this is only part of our potential cooperation.
Mohammad Amer al-Mardini, Educational Programmes Director at the National Centre for Distinguished Students
Mohammad Amer al-Mardini stated that the visit of the delegation of the centre will help contribute to strengthening the networking potential between the two countries in science and social projects.
Within the framework of the meeting, the opportunities for creating joint research and educational programmes, strengthening academic exchange and opening new online courses at SPbU were discussed.
The most interesting areas of science for the Syrian centre are biomedical research, mechatronics, laser technologies, renewable energy, digital technologies and communications. In their turn, the specialists of the Centre have developed several master courses that can be co-taught by SPbU scientists. As to the SPbU students of Arabic, they can have placements at the research centre in Damascus. During the meeting, it was discussed that online courses were currently the best form of training, allowing both the students and teachers not to interrupt the educational process by moving to another country. At present, about 70 different courses have been opened at SPbU and new ones are regularly developed. Now the possibility of developing several online courses especially for the Syrian centre is being considered. Also, Syrian students, along with applicants from other countries, have the opportunity to participate in the competition and apply for admission to St Petersburg University.
Iskandar Munif, Director of the National Centre for Distinguished Students, said that the work of the organisation encompasses the entire bulk of Syrian schools. Every year thousands of candidates are sent for testing, and only a small group of the best students is selected. For example, this year these few included only ten people. They are transferred from their schools to the centre where they are gradually involved in more advanced academic programmes, and the students who have reached a high level are sent to study in different countries of the world. Now five graduates of the Syrian Centre for Distinguished Students study at SPbU. Only schoolchildren older than 16 can seize the opportunity to take part in the selection and be accepted to the centre, although it is planned to start testing at an earlier age, which will make it possible to discover talented children at the secondary school level. Sergey Andryushin said that St Petersburg University was also developing a programme for working with gifted children in Russia. This programme includes not only the methods for young talents discovery, but also training academic staff capable of teaching such students, so a mutual exchange of experience between SPbU and the centre will be of help here.
Following the meeting, it was decided to sign a memorandum of intent outlining the possible formats and areas for cooperation. Also, in the future it is planned to consider implementation of double degree programmes — joint educational programmes for postgraduate students.