Penza State University management met with graduate students from India and their parents on 10th July 2019.

The first class of Indian nationals studying General Medicine at PSU Medical Institute graduated this year.

Aleksandr Guliakov, Rector of Penza State University, commended students’ parents for taking their time to travel to Penza and to attend the commencement events.

“Your devotion and focus on children appeal to me. It is you who supported them in their striving to obtain medical degree in Penza. We are actively cooperating with India in the field of education. Almost 500 Indian citizens are studying in the Medical Institute. This year we are planning to enroll about 115-120 individuals,” Aleksandr Guliakov stressed.

PSU Rector wished the alumni further success and expressed his hope for further mutual and fruitful cooperation between them and the university. “I am not ruling out the fact that some of you will embark on science and defend PhD theses. We are open to any kind of collaboration. Keep a tight fix on us and always remember your Alma Mater,” he addressed the graduates.

Medical training of Indian nationals at PSU started in 2013. Vladimir Volchikhin, then-Rector and current President of Penza State University, reminded those present of forming and fostering of cooperation between Russia and India in education.

In 2013, the idea of qualifying specialists from India was challenging. This was the first experience of enrolling foreigners in the Medical Institute. We needed to rationalise and work out all the details associated with living, studying and socialising of Indian people in Russian province. It was crucially important to arrange and manage high-quality educational process so that the students may successfully complete the academic programme. We did it! Today we are excited to announce that the first alumni from India are trained doctors, who mastered General Medicine programme. My congratulations on this occasion,” Prof. Volchikhin welcomed the audience.

Aleksandr Mitroshin, Director of the Medical Institute, also congratulated the graduates on successful completion of their studies and noted: “We made every effort for you to receive excellent higher medical education at PSU. We did our best to create favourable learning and living environment for you. Hope that we managed”.

Yuvraaj Solanki, CEO of the RUS EDU Corporation and committed partner of PSU, emphasized the significance of foreign students’ socialisation in Russia. This was enabled by creating immaculate living conditions, satisfy dietary habits and arranging culture and leisure events.

The alumni parents thanked PSU Rector and all lecturers of the Medical Institute for high-quality training provided for their children.

“I believe that knowledge and expertise shared with students at PSU are great. I constantly examine my son in various fields and disciplines. His performance is impressive. Since childhood he wanted to be a doctor, it was his goal. He was really grad when he entered PSU. His dream comes true thanks to Penza State University,” Dr. Pradip Patil, Director of Mansi Hospital in Navsari, medical doctor and father of graduating Rohit Patil.

His view on the high level of training at PSU was shared by other parents who attended the meeting.

Several results-oriented proposals for further improvement of teaching and learning process and confirmation of diplomas were submitted during the event. In particular, one of them dealt with the mandatory proficiency confirmation (diploma nostrification).

“That would be great if Russian universities diplomas are immediately recognized in India, as diplomas of European universities, so that our children would not have to confirm them by passing screening tests.
“Decent education and thorough knowledge, which students gain specifically at PSU, do not require formal confirmation,” Mr. Deepakkumar Africawala, father of graduating Anand Africawala, said.

In his turn, Aleksandr Guliakov promised to put forward the proposal concerning possible solution of this issue to the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation.

PSU alumnus Bhunisha Yadav, who was awarded the university diploma with honours, described her studies in the Medical Institute and appealed to PSU Rector with the proposal to extend teaching disciplines in English to the 5th study year.

Another graduate Mayankkumar Pande, who was greatly involved in student life of the university, shared that participation in various social and cultural events along with Russian students broke the language barrier.

The meeting resulted in signing the agreement between PSU and Shivaay Hospicare on arranging and managing medical internship of the Medical Institute students in India.

PSU Rector conferred the letters of acknowledgement to the parents present at the meeting.

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