From October 9 to 12, 2024, a delegation from PSU consisting of Gleb Sintsov, Vice-Rector for International Affairs, and Sergey Ivanchin, Head of the International Education Office of the Institute of International Cooperation, visited the international educational exhibition and educational institutions of Turkmenistan at the official invitation of the Representative Office of Rossotrudnichestvo (The Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States Affairs, Compatriots Living Abroad, and International Humanitarian Cooperation).

"PSU international activities in the countries of Central Asia are our good tradition, and we are glad that we managed to develop relations with educational institutions of Turkmenistan. All planned meetings were held, and the agreements exceeded expectations," commented Gleb Sintsov, Vice-Rector for International Affairs.

The international educational exhibition, which was dedicated to the 300th anniversary of the Turkmen poet Makhtumkuli, was held in a series of events during the working visit of Russian President V.V. Putin to Turkmenistan. Russian universities were represented with the largest stand, which aroused great interest among Turkmen applicants. On the sidelines of the exhibition, negotiations were held with the First Secretary of the Russian Embassy in Turkmenistan, Head of the Russian House Yulia Zaitseva. Representatives of PSU discussed the possibility of holding trial entrance examinations for Turkmen applicants on the territory of the Russian House. This will allow the admissions committee to conduct its work more effectively and improve migration and visa support for Turkmen citizens who want to enroll at PSU. The management of the Russian House responded positively to this request, agreed to begin coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and facilitate its implementation. A meeting was also held with Azat Atayev, Deputy Minister of Education of Turkmenistan. Gleb Sintsov presented Penza State University and plans for developing cooperation with educational institutions of Turkmenistan. The Deputy Minister fully supported the presented initiatives and instructed the ministry employees to provide comprehensive assistance.

The PSU delegation paid a visit to the Magtymguly Turkmen State University and was received by Orazgeldi Ovezsahedov, Rector of TSU, who conveyed words of gratitude to Aleksandr Guliakov, Rector of PSU, for the proposal to sign a cooperation agreement, and also informed that the agreement is already being coordinated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan. In turn, Gleb Sintsov noted that both universities are classical, and the areas of training of our universities coincide, which allows for the wide organization of bilateral cooperation. During specialized meetings, Sergey Ivanchin held a meeting with the staff of the Department of Psychology on the possibility of opening a joint educational programme for Turkmen students and organizing joint scientific activities, presented the methodological developments of the Department of General Psychology in the field of supporting international students. Colleagues from TSU responded to the proposal with interest and agreed to exchange curricula.

The programme of the visit included a visit to the Alexander Pushkin Joint Turkmen-Russian Secondary Comprehensive School. The school headmaster, Irina Kuminova, organized a meeting with senior students. Gleb Sintsov spoke to potential applicants and introduced Penza State University.
A meeting was also held with Maksat Bugraev, Dean of the Faculty of Russian Language and Literature of the Turkmen National Institute of World Languages named after D. Azadi. During the meeting, the Department of Russian as a Foreign Language of the Institute of International Cooperation of PSU and the new educational programme “Pedagogical Education. Russian as a Foreign Language” were presented for Turkmen applicants. They were invited to take part in the upcoming scientific events of the department to devise a joint project for developing the Russian language in Turkmenistan.

"Currently, more than 500 Turkmen students are studying at PSU in various fields of study, most of all at the Institute of Teacher Education. It should also be noted that PSU is on the list of Russian universities whose diplomas are recognized by the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan," said Sergey Ivanchin, Head of the International Education Office of the Institute of International Cooperation.