SPbU-University of Delaware cooperation
The delegation from the University of Delaware, which is one of the oldest universities in the USA, has visited St Petersburg University. SPbU’s Deputy Rector for International Affairs Sergei Andrushin discussed with our American colleagues future cooperation and implementation of the current projects.
For the last six months, St Petersburg University and the University of Delaware have been actively cooperating on the mutual project on how the programme of early intervention can influence deprived children. “SPbU offers opportunities for research of this kind, that is a unique equipment of the Research Park at SPbU. For that reason we are greatly interested in information exchange”, — said Prof Mary Dozier from the University of Delaware and a head of the department of child development. The researchers from the University of Delaware are planning to visit St Petersburg University in the nearest future and see the SPbU’s resource centres to use then in the research, said Prof Mary Dozier.
Openness and transparence is an overarching priority of the University, said Sergei Andrushin. “We offer these opportunities for anyone who is willing to use them. Any researcher can carry out his or her own researcj project and also ask for help our specialists”, — said Sergei Andrushin. He also said about the interdisciplinary nature of the research that makes the core of the SPbU-University of Delaware cooperation: “I am sure that we can implement the project and further expand it by spplying for grants in the USA and Russia”.
At the end of the meeting they agreed to sign an framework agreement on cooperation to regulate implementation of the mutual projects between the universities.
For reference:
Implementation and study of the programmes of early intervention is a pilot project carried out by the Department of Mental Health and Early Support of Children and Parents at SPbU and the University of Delaware. The research will be conducted on the children from the orphanages in St Petersburg who were adopted by the foster family at the age up to 36 months. Prof Mary Dozier is a world’s leading specialist in the field and author of the special support programme ABC: Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up, which aims to foster secure attachment of the adopted children in the foster families. The research programme, after long trials, proved to be an effective tool to positively influence adopted child and foster mother’s behaviour.