Anicet Gabriel Kotchofa, Ambassador of the Republic of Benin in the RF, deputy head of the Board of Trustees of the Association of International Students in Russia, paid his third visit to Penza State University on the 12th of March, 2014. His open lecture gathered teachers, head administrators of the university, and a big number of students.

The key topics of the lecture were the education of international students in Russia, recent changes and the possibility of strengthening international relations via export of educational services. Mr. Kotchofa stressed that overseas students first of all take into consideration such factors as higher education quality, language of instruction, university fees, standard of living, and life safety.

In total, more than a million of professionals have graduated from universities of the Soviet Union and Russia. First-rate professionalism allowed them to take senior positions in the sphere of politics, economy, education, and culture of their native countries.

‘Currently we are witnessing strengthening economic ties between Russia and African countries. It is obvious that further economic integration is impossible without involving professionals. I think that the major impetus toward developing these relations is establishing close links with graduates of Russian universities who presently work in various sectors of politics and economy of their countries,’ Mr. Kotchofa said.

Gabriel Kotchofa has a personal experience in dealing with the difficulties of being a foreign student in Russia. In 1981 he left his country to become a student of Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas. ‘The only things that my parents managed to give me were fifteen dollars, some canned food and a warm sweater. I packed my physics and maths notebooks, put on my jeans, jacket and trainers, and went off to Russia. There were eleven kids in my family, and my mom never had any proper education, but she believed that only good education could give us an opportunity in life. And we all received education,’ said Mr. Kotchofa.

Gabriel Kotchofa admitted that Penza has become a centre of attraction for international students, which might be due to excellent education quality, thoughtful city infrastructure and high degree of safety. He also noticed that Penza State University is doing a lot for improving housing conditions of students in halls of residence, which is one of the crucial factors for students.

Gabriel Kotchofa concluded his overall informative and emotional lecture with an artistic rendering of Pushkin’s poem ‘Recognition’.