Student exchange between SPbU and Japan’s top private university
The delegation from the Kindai University, Osaka, has visited SPbU to discuss with the Senior Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, Extra-Curricular Affairs, and Methodological Support Ekaterina Babeluk a project of academic exchange between students.
They were primarily concerned with the short-term student exchange programmes. The students, during their trip to Japan, can visit a number of Japan’s enterprises, says the Vice-President of International Affairs of the Japanese university Ioshikiko Hosoi.
The Japan’s Ministry of Education has allocated 2 mln dollars for implementing the project to ensure that the Japanese students in various fields of study can gain an insight into what the industry of the partner-country mainly focuses on and choose their career.
Professor Ioshihiko Hosoi
The collaboration between the University and employers benefits the University, says Ekaterina Babeluk. “The SPbU’s Final Examination Commissions consist mostly of the employers: they give recommendations on what topics to choose for our theses. We have an e-list of the topics where we can find the information who has provided the topic for research. If a student has found an employer and proposed the topic they are interested in, they can type this information into the e-list of the topics. Another area for our collaboration is to develop educational programmes. Most educational programme the University offers are developed in close cooperation with the employers”, — said Ekaterina Babeluk.
Fruitful cooperation with Japan, says Ekaterina Babeluk, plays a vital role in the University’s international affairs. SPbU has signed agreements with all the universities of Japan, and the SPbU’s school of Japanese studies is the oldest school in Russia. What is more, the University is trying to incorporate Japanese aspect into education.
This year, the University has opened an educational programme in International Management that offers the Japanese language as a foreign language to study. Next year, we are planning to open an educational programme in Law with a specific focus on Japanese law and language.
Senior Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, Extra-Curricular Affairs and Methodological Support Ekaterina Babeluk
Today, we have to identify the key areas for cooperation with the University of Kindai, says Ekaterina Babeluk.
The Japanese colleagues are primarily interested in the industry-related natural sciences. “We would be glad to have chemists and physicists on our exchange programmes in Japan”, — said the head of the Japanese delegation.
Also, Ekaterina Babeluk suggested the Japanese colleagues should take part in our scholarship programme for international students.