Petrozavodsk State University Internationalization strategy

As a Flagship University of the region, Petrozavodsk State University aims at the development of 10 ambitious strategic projects. One of the prerequisites for the successful implementation of the projects is intensive collaboration with our international partners in the priority areas of development such as: Education, IT and Math, Health care, Social work, Tourism, Finno-Ugric Studies, History, Forestry, Agriculture. A Flagship university is a distinct status awarded to the institutions capable of being the drivers of the regional development, demonstrating excellence in education, research and outreach.  We have a long history of cooperation within the framework of bilateral Agreements of Cooperation with over 110  partners, where academic mobility of students and teaching staff is an indispensable part. These partners are the centers of excellence in the designated areas, we have had a sustainable and fruitful cooperation with them over a number of years, we have established professional networks, and successfully implement about 30 ENI Karelia and ENI Kolarctic, Erasmus+, Barents+ international projects annually . Over 500 international students from 35+ countries are enrolled in the programs of higher education, in the study programs of Preparatory Faculty and Linguistic Center.

In 2019 PetrSU ranked number 13 -14 among 327 universities in the Internationalization parameter of the National University rating of the Russian Federation.

The Internationalization strategy of the university is harmonized with the Federal project « Export of education in Russian Federation» within the National Project  «Education». There are 4 basic target models within the federal project, two of which are employed by PetrSU, namely target model 1 «Internal internationalization», target model 2 «Joint educational programs”. The implementation of model one includes enrollment of larger number of international students (the expected outcome is a trippled number of international students admitted to Russian universities by the year 2025, 710 000 international students in 2025 versus 220 000 enrolled in 2017). Model 2 is aimed at the enlarged number of joint educational programs implemented by Russian universities in close collaboration with their international partners. To achieve the goals of the priority program and boost the export of higher education in Russia, it is necessary to offer versatile educational programs at all levels in English. According to statistics, the most demanded programs among the international applicants offered by Russian universities are those in the area of Engineering (22,8%), Medicine (20%), Economics and Management (13,2%). Though most of the programs are in Russian, to boost the numbers and compete with world leaders of the international education, it is crucial to offer programs in English.

Main tasks and goals of the internationalization policy

Vision: Internationalization involves all the stakeholders: the academic staff, personnel  and students of PetrSU, business and social partners, local population. It utilizes versatile tools, such as academic mobility, development of innovative study programs, international collaboration in research and outreach.

Mission: To create an effective educational and research international ecosystem which will facilitate the growth of the university competitiveness in the global educational landscape.

Goal 1.Promotion of the educational and research activities of the university in the European North and Arctic

Tasks:

• Sustainable development of partner collaboration with Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark is the priority area
• Active utilization of the regional trans-border programs (Barents+, BSRUN, ENI, SI, SIU, Nordic Council of Ministers, FIRST+) and other instruments  (Erasmus+, DAAD)
• Development of the global communications of the university
• Development of the joint educational programs, including trans-border Master’s programs

Goal 2. Growth of the international student enrollment

Tasks:

• Development of the Preparatory Faculty
• Reaching out to the educational markets of China, India, Baltic States, Kazakhstan and other
• Development of the modern educational products for the international student (new Bachelor’s and Master’s Programs, e-learning, intensive courses and schools in English).

Goal 3. Development of project activities and competences of the university in the global agenda

• Networking and training of project managers
• Collaboration with the pool of experts
• Diversified pool of project proposals
• Growing number of supported and implemented projects
• Dissemination and sustainability of the project results, follow-up and evaluation

Priority areas of Nordic and Arctic research:

• Wellbeing and wellness in the North and Arctic
• Nanotechnologies
• Development of food products
• Aquaculture
• Information EU center in the Barents region of RF
• Indigenous people and languages