Kazan Federal University in the System of Russian-Chinese Relations As the Center of Attractiveness for Chinese Enrollee

QUID 2017, pp. 1487-1494, Special Issue N°1- ISSN: 1692-343X, Medellín-Colombia

KAZAN FEDERAL UNIVERSITY IN THE SYSTEM OF RUSSIAN-CHINESE RELATIONS AS THE CENTER OF ATTRACTIVENESS FOR CHINESE ENROLLEE

(Recibido 05-06-2017. Aprobado el 07-09-2017)

Alfiya Rafisovna Alikberova Ramil Ravilovich Khairutdinov Kazan Federal University, Institute of International Kazan Federal University, Institute of International Relations, History and Oriental Studies Relations, History and Oriental Studies [email protected]

Abstract. The relevance of the problem studied is caused by the entry of Russian higher educational institutions into the global market of educational services, where the foreign students are the main criterion of competitiveness. In addition, the Kazan (Volga) Federal University has great potential and resources, in connection with which the university has a difficult task to enter the list of the top hundred universities of the world and become a weighty player in the international educational arena, attracting foreign students, including from countries of Asia and Africa, for studying in the Kazan (Volga) Federal University. The purpose of this article is to study the factors of attractiveness of the educational environment of the Kazan (Volga) Federal University for students from the People's Republic of China. In the course of our study, we studied the experience of Kazan University, made a comparative analysis of academic mobility and the most popular areas of training for enrollees from China in the Russian Federation and in Kazan. The leading approach to studying this problem is the systematic method and comparative method, which enabled us to compare, analyze and identify the brightest and most attractive aspects of Russian education, in particular, of studying at the Kazan Federal University. The work presented may be useful to the international community for applying the experience of Kazan University in attracting foreign applicants, experts and specialists working in the departments of external relations and international departments of the higher educational institutions.

Keywords: education, international relations, Kazan Federal University, Russian-Chinese relations, China, Chinese enrollee.

Citar, estilo APA: Alikberova, A. & Khairutdinov, R. (2017). Kazan federal university in the system of Russian-Chinese relations as the center of attractiveness for Chinese enrollee. Revista QUID (Special Issue), 1487-1494.

1. INTRODUCTION It should be noted that this phenomenon is the result of systematically developing Russian- There is a challenge before the system of Russian Chinese cooperation in all spheres, including higher professional education, which includes educational one. Due to strengthening cultural universities with a long history and international interactions between our peoples, strengthening reputation - to meet current pace of world China's economy and spiritual culture, more and development, without losing the glorious academic more Chinese families rationally and purposefully traditions (Arefiev, 2008). The project on choose their study abroad, including in the territory increasing the competitiveness of leading Russian of the Russian Federation. Studying abroad universities among the world's leading research and becomes a mandatory direction for the educational centers is designed to increase the development of Chinese education in general research potential of Russian universities and (Weilong, & Gerasimov, 2010) (People's Daily). strengthen their competitive positions in the global And Russia is gradually becoming a popular market of educational services (Kosevich, & educational destination. Kozhina, 2016) (Zhurakhovskaya, 2013). The launch of Project 5-100 has become a new vector 2. METHODS in the process of modernization of Russian higher education, and one of its key indicators for The methodological basis of the work presented is increasing competitiveness is the attraction of the principles of historicism and scientific foreign students, undergraduates, graduate students objectivity, systemic nature, as well as the and teachers (Denisenko, Efremova & Tkach, description and analysis of specific situations, 2013). Kazan Federal University is a participant of international projects, their explanation, this project. comparison and generalization. The analysis of the interrelation of intra- and foreign-policy, economic Today, 4252 foreign students are studying at the and social factors that influence the formation of a Kazan Federal University, 713 of them from East positive image of the KFU abroad during the Asia, including 574 from China (Official web-site period we are studying enables us to present an of the Kazan (Volga) federal university). objective scientific picture of the evolution of attractiveness of the Kazan Federal University for Table 1. Dynamics of the PRC citizens studying at the Chinese enrollee and Russian education in general. Kazan University since 2002. 3. RESULTS 2002 2 2003 0 Having summarized the data of the Russian 2004 1 embassy in China, the organizations of foreign 2005 1 students, and the materials published in Russia, we have come to the conclusion that currently about 2006 27 40,000 Chinese students are studying in Russia, 50 2007 52 to 60% of them are in Moscow, St. Petersburg or in 2008 72 adjacent areas (Lanyi & Alikberova, 2017). In 2009 93 addition, the number of Chinese students studying 2010 126 in small cities of the Far East region, central and 2011 138 western Russia has increased in recent years. Due 2012 162 to the continued fruitful cooperation of the Kazan 2013 243 Federal University with the educational and scientific institutions of the People's Republic of 2014 273 China, the recognition of the brand of the Kazan 2015 362 University and the city of Kazan is high. 2016 403 2017 574 According to official reports of the Department for External Relations of the CFU (DER CFC) for 2017, the Kazan (Volga) Federal University has Thus, it can be stated that the Kazan Federal already signed the agreements with twenty-five University really is the center of attraction for (25) Chinese universities and organizations. It Chinese students. should be noted the positive dynamics of work with the Chinese direction. The number of the KFU is widely known in Russia and abroad, partnership agreements has quadrupled, and the that this is one of the best higher educational area of joint scientific developments has expanded institutions in Russia. by 2017 (Official web-site of the Kazan (Volga) Federal University). Within the framework of the In addition to general information on the web-sites development of bilateral regional relations, there is also more specific and urgent information cooperation between the Kazan branch of the RHS on the cost of training, the procedure for passing (Russian Historical Society) and the Xinjiang formalities, living conditions in the hostel, even the Historical Society, the multiethnic region of China, climate in Kazan and some pieces of advice on where the Turkic peoples live, has great prospects. winter clothing especially important for Chinese In addition, to attract foreign students from the students from the south. Many Chinese people PRC, the Department of External Relations of the share their experience of living in Kazan and KFU is actively working on organizing recruitment studying at the KFU, and many can find the most and exhibition activities in the PRC. flattering reviews about the Universiade Village. Such positive assessments of Chinese students of Also, the Kazan Federal University is a member of the KFU attract Chinese youth to come to Kazan international associations supervised by the more actively. It is not surprisingly that more and People's Republic of China, which also promotes more Chinese students come every year. recognition among Chinese enrollees and increased competitiveness among Russian higher educational According to the statistics of the "Special section institutions that attract young people from China of "People's Daily" about foreign countries" (人民 for higher education. Thus, the Kazan Federal 日报), Chinese students in Russia choose the same University makes a lot of efforts to expand specialties that are in the US and Europe, mainly cooperation with the Chinese side, as well as to this is finance, accounting and management. The popularize the brand of the Kazan University. areas of studying related to the Russian language also constitute a large percentage (Arefiev, 2010). In China, the KFU is known as an educational institution with excellent infrastructure and Figure 1. Choice of specialties by Chinese citizens extensive laboratory resources, as a higher studying in the Russian Federation educational institution with a rich history. A similar characteristic can be found on many portals, as, for example, on one of the main Chinese Internet sites zhidao.baidu in the section "Questions", where absolutely any information about the KFU is available to Chinese students. The Chinese information portal Global Education devoted to studying abroad provides detailed information about the world's leading higher educational institutions, including KFU (Chinese information portal Global education). This section describes the university's history, its structure, specialties, and the number of students and Анализ специальностей Analysis of specialties teachers of various ranks, lists grants, describes research centers, university contacts and how to Ряд 1 Row 1 apply through this site. Zhongguo Sanwen Wang Ряд 2 Row 2 write on the website that the KFU is one of the Ряд 3 Row 3 main universities in Russia, which is located in the Финансы, бухучет, Finance, accounting, city of the highest level of culture and history, the управление management center of education, science and enlightenment. The Kazan University strives to give students not Русский язык Russian language only scientific knowledge, but also encourages the Искусство Art all-round development of students: music, songs, Медицина Medicine dances and other creative directions. The new Другое Other information on the international ratings of 2016 did not also remain without attention of the Chinese Internet: the web-site "All for Students" writes that In recent years, the number of those who want to Figure 3. The share of citizens of the PRC in KFU for study at the Bachelor degree course has doubled, 2016/17 academic year (as of February 9, 2017) and an increase in the number of those who chose to study in the Master degree course, on the Master Postgraduate Pre- Bachelor degree training Trainees university Total contrary, has slowed down. For this reason, degree course "rejuvenation" of students has become a new trend course program courses in the field of foreign education in China. 201 94 15 72 192 574 According to the statistics of the Educational Department of the Russian Embassy in China, the percentage of Bachelors studying in Russia is 45%, Masters - 35%, and doctoral students - 20% (Lanyi, Li & Alikberova, 2017).

Figure 2. Analysis of the qualification level of students from China studying in Russia

Контингент граждан КНР в The share of citizens of the КФУ на 2016/17 учебные PRC in KFU for 2016/17 годы academic year

Бакалавриат Bachelor degree course

Анализ квалификации Qualification analysis Магистратура Master degree course Бакалавры Bachelors Магистры Masters Аспирантура Postgraduate training program Доктора наук Doctoral students Стажеры Trainees Подфак Pre-university courses

According to the Department of External Relations of the Kazan Federal University, the results are as follows: Table 2. Number of students in the areas of training

Training unit Number Institute of Philology and 223 Intercultural Communication Institute of Management, 110 Economics and Finance Institute of Social and 18

Philosophical Sciences and Mass Communications

Institute of International 13 Relations, History and Oriental InstituteStudies of Physics 6

Institute of Psychology and 4 Education Faculty of Law 4

Institute of Fundamental 1 Medicine and Biology N.I. Lobachevsky Institute of 1 Mathematics and Mechanics A.M. Butlerov Chemistry 1 Thus, by combining the data for Russia and for the Kazan Federal University, we obtain the following Institute results: Pre-University Courses 192

Total: 574

Figure 4 Number of students in the areas of training

Ряд 1 Row 1 Ряд 2 Row 2 Бакалавриат Bachelor degree course

Магистратура Master degree course Postgraduate training Аспирантура program Количество Стажеры Trainees обучающихся по Number of students in the areas of направлениям training Подфак Pre-university courses подготовки

Институт филологии Institute of Philology and и межкультурной Intercultural Communication коммуникации The analysis is based on the calculation that the Институт управления, trainees (there are no data in Russia as a whole) are Institute of Management, экономики и Economics and Finance students who have come to short-term education финансов for several weeks to six months, and the students of Институт социально- Institute of Social and the pre-university courses are potential bachelors философских наук и Philosophical Sciences and Mass массовых and they will be full-fledged students of the KFU Communications коммуникаций next year. Thus, it turns out that the average figures Институт for the number of bachelors at the Kazan Federal международных Institute of International Relations, University in 2017-2018 academic year (taking отношений, истории History and Oriental Studies into account the number of students at the pre- и востоковедения university courses) will exceed the average for the Институт физики Institute of Physics country, and after one or two years, when today's Институт психологии Institute of Psychology and bachelors will enter the Master degree courses, the и образования Education university will reach the average indicators in Юридический Faculty of Law факультет amount of Masters. Институт Institute of Fundamental Medicine фундаментальной There is also a general trend in the areas of training and Biology медицины и биологии for Chinese students. Институт математики N.I. Lobachevsky Institute of и механики Н. Mathematics and Mechanics During the survey ("What does attract you to the Лобачевского KFU?" and "What shortcomings do you see in Химический институт имени А.М. A.M. Butlerov Chemistry Institute getting education in the KFU?") among the Бутлерова Chinese students studying at the Kazan Federal Подготовительный Pre-University Courses University (148 students were interviewed). The факультет students from China noted the following 4. DISCUSSIONS advantages of obtaining education at the Kazan University: By studying the domestic and foreign historiography on this issue (Trubnikov, 2009) 1. KFU is a classical university with its own (Zhurakhovskaya, 2013) (Kosevich, A.V. & traditions and history (69); Kozhina, 2016) (Alikberova, 2016), we see that the scientists have done a lot of work, accumulated a 2. The outstanding scientists and other famous lot of theoretical and factual material revealing the personalities, for example Vladimir Lenin, principles of image formation, the factors affecting Lobachevsky, Tolstoy, studied at the Kazan the formation of positive or negative images, and University (56); giving an opportunity for further work on the stated topic. The studies aimed at studying the factors of 3. Good reviews from other Chinese students competitiveness of Russian education and Russian (98); educational services in the world market are of particular note (Arefiev, 2008)( Denisenko, V.N. 4. Good, developed infrastructure of the city and Efremova, L.I. & Tkach, 2013) (Pimenova, n. d) university (102); (IFES, 2008). The theoretical issues of studying the image of Russia in China to a certain extent were 5. Safety (96); reflected in the collective monograph of the scientists at the IFES RAS "The main features of 6. Low price of education (79); current domestic and foreign policy of the Chinese leadership and their impact on the image of Russia 7. A wide range of proposed educational in China" (Alikberova, 2016). It should be noted programs, including in English (131); that the factors of influence of Russian-Chinese relations on the formation of the image of Russian 8. High level of housing conditions (Universiade state, as well as the positive image of Russian Village) for a low fee (127); education are studied to a lesser extent, the terminological component has also not received 9. High level of teaching the Russian language, adequate coverage in the scientific literature. professional staff of teachers and methodologists, invitation of foreign specialists 5. SUMMARY for lecturing (96); In addition, due to the increase in the number of 10. Presence of the pre-university courses (84); Chinese students at the Kazan Federal University, the Union of Chinese Students and postgraduate 11. Introduction of a grant and scholarship system students was opened with the support of the for the training of foreign citizens in the KFU leadership of the Embassy of the People's Republic (72); of China in 2013. It is worth mentioning the new project "Formation of the system of attracting 12. Well-established work of the social-educational foreign students as a factor in increasing the department, cultural and sports events (96); international reputation of the university", implemented at the Kazan Federal University. This 13. Despite the difference in cultures and mentality, initiative was approved by the Council of the a short period of adaptation due to the tolerance Association "Global Universities". of the multinational, multi-confessional population of Kazan and the Republic of The project purpose is to significantly increase the Tatarstan (79); number of foreign students and create a comfortable environment for their stay. 14. A relatively small percentage of foreigners, Methodological recommendations for attracting which allows creating a good language foreign students to Russian universities have environment for learning (123). already been developed, and a number of training and consulting activities for the specialists of the The students from Kazan indicated only the universities participating in "5-100" project were climatic conditions and the lack of direct air organized. The Ural Federal University, the Higher communication with China as the minuses and School of Economics, the St. Petersburg State shortcomings of training in Kazan. Polytechnic University, the Nizhny Novgorod, Tomsk, Novosibirsk State Universities are already Chinese information portal Global Education. ready to introduce this practice. Retrieved 15 June 2017 from: http://earthedu.com/HotSchools/Russia/kfu/con 6. CONCLUSION tactus.htm

Thus, the relations between Russia and China, Denisenko, V.N. Efremova, L.I. & Tkach, G.F. Tatarstan and China are becoming increasingly (2013). "On Evaluation of Problems and warm with the strengthening of interstate and Prospects of Increasing Competitiveness on the interregional relations. The leadership of the World Market of Educational Services by republic and the Kazan Federal University are Russian Universities", Bulletin of the Russian actively pursuing activities to attract Chinese Peoples' Friendship University. Series: entrants, to improve their living conditions and Psychology and Pedagogy, No. 2, pp. 96-109. education, to recognize the brand of the city and the university. In February 2017, a news video on IFES RAS (2008). The Main Features of Domestic KFU was released on Hunan Provincial Television, and Foreign Policy of the Chinese Leadership which could further increase the popularity of the and their Impact on the Image of Russia in university among Chinese students and prospective China. China in the World and Regional students. Thus, we can expect an even greater Politics: History and Modernity: Edition XIII influx of students from China next year, and this is (special). Moscow. the best indicator of the effectiveness of the KFU, which creates all the necessary conditions for the Kosevich, A.V. & Kozhina, O.V. (2016). "On comfortable studying of foreign students. Increasing the Competitiveness of Russia in the World Market of Educational Services", Some experts believe that the rapid growth in the Bulletin of the International Institute of number of Chinese students at the Kazan Federal Economics and Law, 1(22), 91-98, 2016. University in the last three years is entirely due to the leadership of the university, properly built, Lanyi, Li & Alikberova, A.R. (2017). "Analysis of efficient work. The Kazan Federal University is the Academic Mobility of Chinese Students," already a direct competitor to the capital's Society and State in China. V. XLVII, P. 1. universities, becoming the center of attractiveness Institute of Oriental Studies of the RAS, рр. and attraction of Chinese students. 471-482.

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