The French-Russian University held several working meetings

Aix-Marseille Université, one of the largest in France, was admitted to the French-Russian University on July 11, through universal voting at the extended meeting of the FRU Council. To discuss cooperation within FRU, the visit to Moscow was arranged, where there are 4 out of 5 Russian higher education institutions – FRU members, including the Presidential Academy. The delegation included: Yvon Berland, président (President), Aix-Marseille Université; Marie Masclet de Barbarin, vice-président du Conseil Administratif (Vice-President of the Administrative Council); Pierre Chiapetta, Vice-President for Research; Thierry Paul, Vice-President for Education; Virginie Perret, Chief of President Cabinet.

One July 21, the French delegation met the management of the Presidential Academy and the Russian Foreign Trade Academy of the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia (RFTA). On behalf of RANEPA, Vladimir Mau, Rector of the Academy; Igor Bartsits, Director, the Institute of Public Administration and Civil Service (IPACS); Larisa Taradina, Director for International Education and Cooperation Development of the Academy, attended the meeting. The meeting was conducted by Sergei Sinelnikov-Murylev, Vice-Rector, RANEPA Russian Foreign Trade Academy, on behalf of RFTA.

On July 22, the delegation of Aix-Marseille Université and representatives of FRU visited the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI. At the meeting with representatives of MEPhI headed by Oleg Nagornov, First Provost, opportunities of scientific cooperation, short-term academic mobility and organization of dual-diploma programs in various training areas of partner universities were discussed. In addition, the delegation visited the Engineering and Laser Centers, Nano Center, Bionanophotonics Laboratory and Scientific and Educational Center NEVOD.

At the end of the visit, representatives of Aix-Marseille Université visited the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN) to meet the management of the University headed by Vladimir Filippov, Rector, the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, and visited the RUDN Center of Collective Use (Scientific and Educational Center).

Following the meetings, some agreements were reached. Representatives of Aix-Marseille Université were invited to the conference to be held on October 31 in Paris and shall take part in a working meeting of FRU in the area of methodology (Paris, October 30). Representatives of Aix-Marseille Université were invited to the Gaidar Forum (January 15–16, 2020, Moscow), where a regular meeting of the FRU Council and an FRU round table on interaction with business shall be held (approximately on January 14, 2020).

The cooperation plan for the following months was approved: in September, visits of working groups headed by deans shall take place for in-depth familiarization with programs of the universities; in October, the work on the plan of interaction between the universities shall begin with the focus on development of joint programs (diplômes conjoints/double diplômes) and interdisciplinarity. Proposals on the joint programs shall be discussed and approved at the working meeting on October 31. By January 2020, it is planned to be able to sign agreements on joint programs.

In addition, arrangements were made to share curricula in the educational areas of interest; interdisciplinary programs, short-term programs and mobility programs for term 1 are of special interest. The most important task was set for the future: to develop student exchange infrastructure inside FRU, eliminate organizational barriers through implementation of simple rules and procedures.

Reference: Aix-Marseille Université (AMU) is a comprehensive university established in 2012 through merger of three educational institutions: the University of Provence, the University of the Mediterranean and Paul Cézanne University. Nowadays, it is one of the largest universities in France and the largest in the Northern Mediterranean. 78,000 students and post-graduates study there (out of them 10,000 are international), there are over 8,000 employees and over 3,300 researchers. The university offers education in 6 major profiles (energy, environment science, humanities, healthcare, biology, STEM and engineering sciences).  AMU is located in 10 cities; the major buildings are located in Marseille and Aix-en-Provence.