International activity as a strategic development trajectory of PSU: outcomes of the roundtable session

The roundtable session “International activity as a strategic development trajectory of Penza State University” took place at Penza State University on May 21, 2024. It was dedicated to the 35th anniversary of international education at the university.

Vice-Rector for International Affairs of Penza State University Gleb Sintsov, having welcomed and thanked the honorary guests of the university, noted that the meeting will give new impetus to mutually beneficial cooperation between the countries.

Sukhrob Abdulloev, Attaché for Educational Affairs of the Embassy of the Republic of Tajikistan in the Russian Federation (Republic of Tajikistan), made a proposal to create a Tajik Cultural Center under the auspices of Penza State University, which could become a kind of people’s friendship society through sport and cultural events.

Ilias Majdouline, Vice-President for Academic Affairs and Research, Dean of the Polytechnic School of Universiapolis – International University of Agadir (the Kingdom of Morocco), welcomed the participants and thanked Penza State University for hospitality. “Our cooperation began only 3-4 months ago, but in such a short period of time we have already achieved a lot and launched some initiatives. In the future, we will focus on several areas for joint research. By visiting the university, we have a better insight into what your academic staff do and what we can do together. We invite the representatives of Penza State University for a return visit,” said Ilias Majdouline.

Mutual interests in academic exchange and scientific cooperation have become key in multilateral dialogue.

Salim Bouslikhane, Dean of the School of Natural Sciences and Health Technologies of Universiapolis – International University of Agadir (Kingdom of Morocco), emphasized that he was impressed by the scale of Penza State University: “We got acquainted with a small part of it, but it interested us very much. We have talked with the research teams and believe that we have established some common ground for collaboration”.

Anand Yagneshbhai Joshi, Director for Research of Parul University (the Republic of India) thanked Penza State University for the strategic vision of international activity: “We believe that combining our efforts will contribute to closer contacts and even more beneficial cooperation between our countries. Whether it is modeling of electrical activity of the heart, processing materials by cutting without cutting fluids, developing new materials and methods for treatment of surgical patients, developing hierarchical nanomaterials for sensors, we are seeing the results of our joint efforts in many domains”.

Adel Ali Omar Maqbol, Chairman of the Association of International Students of the Penza Region, who is a Penza State University graduate and young scientist, admitted that it was once his dream to come to study in Russia. “I had a dream to come to Penza. I was the only representative of Yemen at that time. Nowadays, our university educates about 800 international students from Arab countries,” noted Adel Ali Omar Maqbol.

Aleksandr Guliakov, Rector of Penza State University, emphasized that Russia is a supporter and proponent of equal, mutually beneficial and respectful relations. “Our university operates in line with this policy. If we consider that there are 195 countries in the world, then we cooperate with 50 of them. At the state level, the Russian Federation has adopted a whole package of measures aimed at promoting international education. Therefore, all conditions have been created to intensify international activity both in our country and at the university,” summed up Aleksandr Guliakov.