On 8 June 2018, Penza State University hosted the delegation from Lebanon.

The delegation included Salim Assi, President of the Lebanon-French Hospital, Fadi Assi, Adviser to the Director of the Lebanon-French Hospital, and Bashir Samaha, Chairman of the National Arab-Russian Association.

We recall that the official visit of the delegation from the private hospital was preceded by the trip of PSU officials to Lebanon. Sergey Vasin, Vice-Rector for International Affairs, Aleksandr Mitroshin, Director of the Medical Institute, and other university staff visited the country. In February this year, Rector Aleksandr Gulyakov took part in the first Forum of Russian and Arab Universities, which was held in Beirut.

First Vice-Rector Dmitry Artamonov greeted the guests in the hall for official delegations. He thanked them for their interest in Penza State University. “Our higher education institution devotes special attention to training of medical personnel. We look forward to mutual fruitful cooperation in science and education, including programmes of practical training,” Dmitry Artamonov emphasised.

Representatives of the Lebanon-French Hospital visit Penza for the first time. Sergey Vasin, Vice-Rector for International Affairs, delivered a presentation about Penza and PSU.

Speaking about the prospects for collaboration with Lebanon, Sergey Vasin stressed: “Firstly, this is the implementation of educational programmes together with Lebanese universities. The agreements on cooperation were signed during the Forum of Russian and Arab Universities in Lebanon. Secondly, this is the launch of practical training for students of PSU Medical Institute in the clinics of Lebanon, in particular in the Lebanon-French Hospital. Thirdly, this is undoubtedly academic mobility”.

A day earlier, the guests from Lebanon got acquainted with new technologies in medicine at the Innomed exhibition and commended the scientific advances presented by scientists of Penza State University, among others.

“Russia now plays a significant role in the world. We highly appreciate our cooperation,” Salim Assi thanked for hospitality.

“The signing of agreement will benefit both parties and will give a great impetus to the next round of our harmonious relations,” Dmitry Artamonov added.

“I was at large hospitals in Lebanon. They are well equipped. They have favourable conditions for practical training of students. The system of higher education slightly differs in Russia and in Lebanon. So that it will be useful for students to examine another system of medical education. It will certainly expand their horizons. Our students will have the opportunity to adopt best practices from the Lebanese training system,” Aleksandr Mitroshin, Director of the Medical Institute, expressed his views.

Bashir Samaha has been the Chairman of the National Arab-Russian Association in Russia for almost 16 years. He noted that Russian students have limited knowledge of the Arab countries. “We strive to collaborate in more productive way, so that our friends from Russia have the opportunity to visit the Arab countries,” he said.

Mohammed Ali, 5th-year student at the Faculty of Dentistry from Lebanon, shared his experience of studying at PSU: “My arrival in Penza and enrollment in PSU feel like yesterday. Time passed very quickly. We have excellent teachers!”

The signed trilateral agreement presupposes that the Medical Institute students of PSU will undergo practical training in the Lebanon-French Hospital. This applies to students from Lebanon, studying at Penza State University, and to Russian students.

The agreement was signed by Dmitry Artamonov, First Vice-Rector, Salim Assi, President of the Lebanon-French Hospital, and Bashir Samaha, Chairman of the National Arab-Russian Association.

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