Photo: from the archive of NEFU Faculty of Philology

On November 17, on the International Students' Day, North-Eastern Federal University celebrated two events - the fifth anniversary of the establishment of the Department of the Russian Language for Foreigners of the Faculty of Philology and student NEFU International Club. According to NEFU Vice Rector for International Cooperation Vladlen Kugunurov, the department's contribution to the internationalization of the university is huge.

"The opening of the department was a significant event in the university – this is the main unit of the university engaged in teaching foreign students the Russian language", said the Vice rector. Dean of the Faculty of Philology Galina Zhondorova believes that the department's mission is to teach language students from other countries who want to be professionals in the field of the Russian language.

In 2012, there were only seven international students at the federal university, according to doctor of philological sciences, Professor Svetlana Petrova. Currently, there are about 100 foreigners. "In 2014, we started a Master's Degree Program, in 2015 – Bachelor Degree Program. Twenty students study by the master's program "Multicultural teaching Russian as a foreign language in the field of education and tourism", including graduates of Chinese universities NEFU cooperates with – North-Eastern, Heilongjiang, Jiamusi, Qiqihar Universities, Heilongjiang Institute of Foreign Languages. This year, the teachers-philologists from Yakutsk schools entered the master’s program, who work with children of migrants from Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and have difficulties in learning the Russian language. I am sure that our cooperation will be fruitful", said the head of the Department of Russian Language for Foreigners Svetlana Petrova.

According to professor, one of the major achievements of the department is the creation of a collective monograph "Russian language for foreigners at North-Eastern Federal University: traditions and innovation", which represents two aspects of the problem. "On the one hand, teaching RLF is presented by our author method, on the other hand, teaching language in the field of tourism is represented by "Semiotic map of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)", prepared by our teachers", she said. The department is engaged in the promotion of the Russian language in the Asia-Pacific region, representing the Federal University at important international forums and conferences.

The university students from Mongolia, China, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Republic of Korea, Tajikistan, Indonesia, Poland, Australia, Germany, USA, UK, Cameroon, Zambia, Malaysia and Vietnam presented their culture at the gala. The activists of NEFU International Club summarized the results of the photo contest "Yakutsk by eyes of foreigners". The president of the club Pingkan Tumbelaka congratulated students on the International Students’ Day. "Our education at NEFU would be impossible without the support of the university management and the department", said the student from Indonesia.