From 23rd to 25th September, Penza State University will host a series of online meetings with representatives of partner organizations in Flensburg (Germany). This format was chosen due to the difficult epidemiological situation connected with the coronavirus infection.

On the first day, according to the event organizers, it is planned to agree on the documentation and agreement on implementing a joint master's degree programme "Languages, culture, media" in 45.04.01 "Philology" with the representatives of Europa-Universität Flensburg.

From the German side, Prof. Dr. Julia-Karin Patrut, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs of Europa-Universität Flensburg, Prof. Dr. Matthias Bauer, Head of the master's degree programme, Dr. Sibylle Machat, Deputy Head of the master's degree programme, will participate in the online meeting.

Joint degrees will be awarded to graduates of the master's programme of the Department of Foreign Languages and Methods of Teaching Foreign Languages of the Faculty of History, Languages and Literature, Institute of Teacher Education. The first enrollment of applicants for the joint degree programme "Languages, Culture, Media" in "Philology" is planned for the 2021/2022 academic year. Training will be held only in foreign languages - German and English.

In addition, it is planned to discuss the implementation of the DIREPA DICOME project (research supervisors - Prof. Dr. Hedwig Wagner, Ekaterina Aleshina, Candidate of Historical Sciences) in the difficult epidemiological situation. The activities of this project are planned in an online format.

On the same day, an online meeting between representatives of the PSU Polytechnic Institute and the Flensburg University of Applied Sciences will take place. PSU and FU researchers will present their scientific findings, as well as discuss the prospects and possibilities of submitting joint applications to scientific grant foundations.

The agenda of September 24th is dedicated to medicine: leading specialists from the DIAKO clinics in Flensburg and the Malteser hospital will share with Penza doctors their experience in treating patients with Covid infection, as well as the organization and logistics of providing medical care to patients in Flensburg. Moreover, it is planned to discuss the organization of internships for students of the Medical Institute of PSU, as well as possible forms of "virtual" cooperation with N.N. Burdenko regional clinical hospital: conducting video consultations, online meetings on the treatment of patients.

On September 25th, it is planned to summarize the results, as well as discuss the future congress, which is to be held in September 2021, in Flensburg.

Simone Lange, Mayor of Flensburg, Petra Stöckl, regional plenipotentiary of the German Embassy in the Penza region, Swetlana Krätzschmar, ex-president of Flensburg, as well as coordinators of cooperation at Europa-Universität Flensburg - Prof. Dr. Julia-Karin Patrut, at the University of Applied Sciences - Prof. Dr. Antje Labes, at the DIACO Medical Complex - Prof. Dr. Henning Stolze, are planning to take part in this online meeting.

The international cooperation of Penza State University with the organizations of Flensburg: Europa-Universität Flensburg, the University of Applied Sciences, the DIACO medical complex and the St. Francis Hospital is a successful example of implementing the dialogue of cultures between Russia and Germany. Within the framework of concluded cooperation agreements since 2013, more than 200 people have been trained within academic mobility programmes.