LUNN to Open the Russian Language Center in Syria

The Linguistics University of Nizhny Novgorod (LUNN) and the University of Aleppo (Syria) signed a Cooperation Agreement aimed to implement the LUNN strategy on international activities: to expand a network of international contacts and step up exports of education.

The University of Aleppo (جامعة حلب) is the second largest university in Syria after the University of Damascus.

"Cooperation with Arab countries is one of the trends of the Russian foreign policy. This has been emphasized by President Vladimir Putin in his statements on the international agenda," said LUNN Rector Zhanna Nikonova. "The University of Aleppo is from now on our strategic partner. Activities provided for in the Agreement are important for both the universities since they involve exchange of students and academic staff, joint curricula and academic programs, participation in conferences, research projects, exchange of scientific publications, research and methodological materials in order to facilitate training in Russian and Arabic," the Rector added.

According to Natalia Makshantseva, head of the LUNN Institute of the Russian Language, the University of Aleppo takes pride in its Institute of Languages with Russian taught there among many other foreign languages. However, the Institute has no Department of the Russian Language so far. LUNN is planning to establish the Center of the Russian Language at the University of Aleppo. The Center will offer workshops and training courses arranged by LUNN tutors for Russian language teachers.

"The University of Aleppo in turn will help us master the methods of teaching Arabic," says Natalia Makshantseva. "As part of the Philology major, there are various options to specialize in, including "Russian as a Foreign Language, Arabic and English." This is indeed a unique program. It has no analogues in other humanitarian universities. Assistance in teaching Arabic is important to us and we hope that the University of Aleppo will send us Arabic teachers. Likewise, our instructors will travel to Syria to deliver lectures on the Russian language and Russian culture. There is a growing number of students from Arab countries that enroll in pre-university courses at the LUNN Institute of the Russian Language as they later plan to enter LUNN or other Russian universities. Classes are currently held in the mixed format. Training is arranged in 4 areas: humanities, medicine and biology, economics, and natural sciences.

LUNN and the University of Aleppo are expected to kick start online cooperation next week.