Cooperation with Italy discussed in IPACS
On May 23, the Institute of Public Administration and Civil Service (IPACS) of RANEPA hosted roundtable Prospects of Russian-Italian Cooperation: Science, Culture and Education.
Igor Bartsits, Director, RANEPA IPACS, welcomed Italian colleagues and noted that the institute is actively working on expansion of cooperation with universities in partner countries. He told that the opportunity to get a degree in another country is a good incentive for modern students. ‘We greatly appreciate our partners from a number of Italian universities, as when we face joint programs and projects, they also show reciprocal energy in work,’ Mr. Bartsits said.
According to the Director of IPACS, education under joint programs has great political significance. If young people spend some time abroad, they will respond differently to what they read in press and see on TV. Igor Bartsits noted that student exchanges help maintain conditions for cooperation in complex modern realia.
Karen Lawrence, President of the Managing Committee of the Italian Italo Calvino school, noted that cooperation between the Embassy of Italy and the Academy is vitally important, as it contributes to a higher level of perception of the country. ‘I was particularly surprised with expression of love and interest for Italy in your country… the Italian culture has been always playing the key role in the world, but in Russia it plays a special role,’ she noted.
Karen Lawrence told about the Italo Calvino School, called it the outpost promoting the Italian language and values in Russia. Today, students from Russia and Italy, and also other countries study at this school. ‘We are very glad that many Russian students decided to study Italian language, the language of Dante and Mandzoni, while staying in the motherland of Pushkin and Dostoevsky… Our curriculum is standard for an Italian school, but takes into account the specifics of Russia,’ she said and added that, due to the work with partners, many universities in different countries are ready to accept students of the school.
Riccardo Valentini, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, told about his vision of cooperation between the countries. He thanked Russian colleagues for the invitation to come to our country, with which he is closely involved. Riccardo Valentini drew attention to the fact that in the modern world it is very important to maintain contacts with each other, as the ‘humanity is in a complex situation… past economic models no longer conform to the modern realia, and this is beyond national problems.’
According to Riccardo Valentini, winner of the Nobel Prize, Russia and Italia are knit together by love for art and history that are the foundation of Europe, and the contribution of the both countries to the European culture is great. ‘We are looking for opportunities to expand the dialog and I believe that such a conversation might be held in Italy,’ Riccardo Valentini added.