July, 27 - August, 7, Nizhny Novgorod - 19 teachers of Anhui State Pedagocial University (China) took a further education course on 'Russian pedagogical education in global modernization framework' at Minin University.
The program of the visit was really varied: within two weeks the delegates had 9 lectures; visited sanatory educational centre 'Lazurnyi', the city of Semenov, Makary convent, Nizhny Novgorod museums and took part in a sport event in one of sport and fitness centres of the city. At the end of the visit the guests went to the capital of Russia, where they also had a cultural program, but first of all they met a networking partner of Minin University - Moscow City Teacher Training University.
Such a further education course has become the first one in modern Russian history. The significant fact is that it was the Chinese univeristy that initiated the course which means Minin University is regarded as a leader in the sphere of teacher training education in Russia. Indeed, Minin University is a member of Modernization of Higher Pedagogical Education Coordination Counsil, moreover, it has a defined and sound Development Strategy-2023, the first results of which were presented on the first Public Report in December, 2014.
During the course Russian system of pedagogical education was considered from different angles: from history of pedagogical education to the main directions of its modernization, creating new curricula and accompanying an academic process, the system of evaluating the quality of pedagogical education, organizing scientific and research work etc.
The work the university carries out in the sphere of network partnership arouse special interest. The delegates visited Ushinsky pedagogical college, a networking partner of Minin University. Within the partnership program the best graduates of the college get state budget scholarships and study at Minin University for free. At lectures the guests also learnt about networking programs with television and radio broadcasting company 'Rossiya' ('Russia'), the Institute of Applied Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, city hospital №40 and others. The Chinese partners underlined the significance of the work with socially important institutes and acknowledged Minin University as a regional university of social orientation.
At the end of the course rector Alexander Fedorov delivered his lecture on 'Managing an educational organization that carries out higher teacher training programs'. The lecture was of utmost interest for the guests. They asked numerous questions on how the University is planning to bring up a Teacher of the Future, the functions of whom are not limited by just giving lectures, but also involve those of a moderator, facilitator and tutor. Another question that drew attention was facilitation of the process of entering the profession. These and some more goals are achieved at Minin University by fulfilling the Development Strategy-2023, that includes 12 strategic initiatives.
As a result of the course our Chinese colleagues got state-recognized certificates of completion of a futher education course. The guests evaluated the organization of the course high, giving 4.89 out of 5 to the reporters' expertise, and 4.33 to the lectures and the atmoshpere at the lectures.
The visit has confirmed the significance of the partnership the two universities have established. Minin University is expecting a professor of Anhui University to arrive and start teaching as early as in September, 2015. At the same time the first Chinese students will start their studies on double-degree bachelor programs at Minin University. Russian students are expected on a similar program in China in September, 2016. Moreover, the two universities are planning to start joint master programs in the nearest future.
