UDC 378.4
N. V. Kraysman, E. E. Valeeva
COOPERATION OF KAZAN NATIONAL RESEARCH TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
WITH FRANCE
Ключевые слова: мировое сообщество, академическая мобильность студентов, международное сотрудничество,
лингвистические стажировки, интернационализация.
В статье рассмотрено сотрудничество между Казанским национальным исследовательским технологическим университетом и Посольством Франции в Российской Федерации. Определена академическая мобильность студентов КНИТУ благодаря выигранным грантам, стажировкам и обучению в высших учебных заведениях Франции. Отмечены соглашения о сотрудничестве в научной и образовательной сферах между КНИТУ и высшими учебными заведениями Франции.
Keywords: world community, academic students' mobility, international cooperation, linguistic trainings, internationalization.
Cooperation between Kazan National Research Technological University and Embassy of France in the Russian Federation has been examined in the article. Academic mobility of KNRTU students has been defined due to the won grants, trainings and study at French higher education institutions. Cooperation agreements in science and education spheres between KNRTU and some higher education institutions of France have been pointed out.
The integration processes happening in the world community in all spheres of human activity also have effected the system of higher education. Vast social developments, scientific and technical progress, as well as an enormous and still growing amount of new information are basic characteristics of modern changeable society. Against a background of various changes a function of knowledge, competence and skills is rapidly growing. Alterations that occur nowadays make ground for consecutive transition from national moderation to collaboration and interaction in the world community [1].
Social and economical changes occurring nowadays form new educational requirements. The society sets the creation and constant university research improvement as the main aim of higher education. Global nature of changes in education lies in global renewal of educational and scientific aims, education globalization extend [2].
The open educational space assumes the growth of students mobility and cooperation of university teachers of different countries [3]. In recent years Kazan National Research Technological University (KNRTU) has intensified the international cooperation with many countries of Europe and Asia, including France.
A highly qualified specialist has to know foreign languages in order to have steady position in the world of severe competition, and has to work effectively in international business context [4]. One of the most learned foreign languages in Russia is French. The Russians are interested in the establishment of the Russian-French business relations in the sphere of trade, production, education, exchange of scientific and cultural experience.
French is an official language of a large number of international organizations and one of the most studied foreign languages. According to different data, from 220 to 260 million people around the world speak French today, among which 26% of the population of the European Union - that makes it the third language on prevalence in Europe (after English and German). The population of more than 43 countries speaks this beautiful language and it is an official language of 33 countries.
Students study some foreign languages, including French, at the Department of Foreign Languages for Professional Communication of KNRTU. Teachers of the Department of Foreign Languages for Professional Communication together with the Department of International Affairs of KNRTU closely cooperate with Embassy of France in the Russian Federation. Embassy of France in the Russian Federation and KNRTU signed the agreement on 01.02.2014 regarding the joining network of language partners. According to this agreement KNRTU promotes teaching and studying French and French culture.
There is a Resource Center of French Language at the Department of Foreign Languages for Professional Communication of KNRTU which has computer and audiovisual equipments, provided with basic literature on studying French, French imaginative literature, reference materials on advancement of French culture. There are also specialized documentation, informing students about the higher education in France.
Students of KNRTU constantly participate in linguistic trainings for students who do not specialize in languages organized by Embassy of France in the Russian Federation and they win them. Some students studied in Brittany and in Brest. Also, students of KNRTU participate in grants organized by Embassy of France in the Russian Federation. In 2014 two students won a joint grant of the Republic of Tatarstan and Embassy of France in the Russian Federation "Henri Poincare" within the "Algarysh" program to study for a master degree in France. The winning grants, training and study at French higher education institutions increase the academic mobility of students of KNRTU.
The development of academic mobility of students is now particularly relevant due to implementation of the principles and provisions of the Bologna Declaration in the field of higher education in Europe, including the Republic of Tatarstan. The aim of academic mobility development is improvement of education quality, amelioration of mutual understanding between different peoples and cultures, education of
new generation, prepared to live and work in the international information society.
The academic mobility of students and teachers requires profound learning of foreign languages including French. For this purpose French courses for students and teachers of different levels of knowledge are conducted at KNRTU. Due to these courses majority of students and teachers learn French not for their pleasure, but in the first place, because foreign language is necessary for future work or increases perspectives of further job placement. The importance of such position increases if one takes into account that academic mobility is closely associated with conception of professional mobility, supposed an ability to apply effectively obtained knowledge and skills for carrying out professional tasks in the related branches of production and pass with comparative ease from an activity to the other.
It should be noted that practical acquisition of a foreign language is connected with speaking, reading, listening comprehension, writing and translation. Students can master all these skills during the French courses. Practical acquisition of French assumes existence of the following abilities in speech activity after finishing the course: to read original literature in French, to master the main methods of annotation, summarizing and literature translation; to have skills of the monological and dialogical speech, skills of letter writing, and preparation of publications, to understand oral speech (dialogical and monological); to use actively the most common grammar, and basis of the public speech: to do messages and reports [5].
In this regard, French Teachers of KNRTU stimulate interest of students to pass the international examination DELF/DALF and to obtain international certificates on French. Students of KNRTU successfully pass these examinations and receive B1, B2 levels. Only having these international certificates students have the right to study in France.
The Department of Foreign Languages for Professional Communication of KNRTU closely cooperates with "Alliance Française de Kazan", the Center of French language and French culture. Students of KNRTU constantly participate in competitions organized by "Alliance Française de Kazan" and Embassy of France in the Russian Federation and often take prizes, even win trips to France where they pass linguistic trainings.
To attract French youth to study at KNRTU, representatives of our university participated in Russian exposition at the International educational exhibition in Paris, organized by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation. Also, representatives of KNRTU participated in the Russian-French scientific and
practical conferences organized by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation which took place in France. Participation in these conferences develops internationalization and communication strengthening between KNRTU and universities, organizations, scientific centers of France. It promotes the establishment of communications with representatives of potential partners of our university.
KNRTU signed cooperation agreements in science and education sphere with some higher education institutions of France, for example, with Institut de Recherche de Chimie Paris, Paris-13 University, International fashion school of Mod'Art International of Paris and others. According to these agreements KNRTU and the higher education institutions of France agree to encourage the following activities in particular to promote international academic cooperation: joint programs and meetings for educational and research; joint research in engineering, creation of new technical documentation and production; joint participation in European and Russian grants. Also, Scientific schools, trainings, master classes were carried out on the basis of our university and universities of France due to the mobility and cooperation of KNRTU teachers and universities of France.
Thus, international cooperation in the field of education provides KNRTU entry into the international educational space and gives new opportunities for advance of technological education on the international scene. All conditions for cooperation with France and academic mobility of students and teachers are created in KNRTU.
Литература
1. Н.В. Крайсман, Вестник Казанского технологического университета, 16, 16, 171-173 (2013).
2. P.A. Sanger, J.N. Ziyatdinova, V.G. Ivanov, ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings, 2012.
3. Э.Э. Валеева, Вестник Казанского технологического университета, 15, 19, 148-152 (2012).
4. N.V. Kraysman, 42 IGIP International Conference on Engineering Pedagogy, IGIP 2013, ICL 2013 (Kazan, September 25-27, 2013). Conference Paper. Kazan, 2013. P. 117-119. Source: Scopus
5. E.E. Valeeva, 42 International Conference on Engineering Pedagog. IGIP 2013, ICL 2013 (Kazan, September 25-27, 2013). Conference Paper. Kazan, 2013. P. 356-357. Source: Scopus
© N. V. Kraysman - Ph.D. in History, Assoc. Professor, Department of Foreign Languages for Professional Communication, KNRTU, n_kraysman@mail.ru; E. E. Valeeva - Ph.D. in Engineering, Assoc. Professor, Department of Foreign Languages for Professional Communication, KNRTU, elviravaleeva75@yandex.ru.
© Н. В. Крайсман - канд. ист. наук, доц. каф. иностранных языков в профессиональной коммуникации КНИТУ, n_kraysman@mail.ru; Е. Е. Валеева - канд. техн. наук, доц. той же кафедры, elviravaleeva75@yandex.ru.