“We are certain that this meeting of rectors will contribute to stronger ties between institutions in the two countries, and support the perfecting of Cuba's educational system."
With these words, Dr. José Ramón Saborido Loidi, minister of Higher Education, opened the third meeting of university rectors from the Republic of Cuba and the Russian Federation, which took place in Havana, May 22-24.
Additionally participating in the exchange among representatives from higher learning institutions were authorities from the Ministry of Higher Education, and directors from other entities in both countries.
During the first work session, present were His Excellency Mikail Kamynin, Russian ambassador to Cuba; consul at the Russian Federation embassy, Serguey Reshchikov; Rector of Lomonosov State University in Moscow, Dr. Victor Sadovnichi; and on the Cuban side, Deputy Minister of Higher Education Oberto Santín Cáceres.
The first meeting of university rectors from the two countries was held in 2010, when it was agreed to hold the gatherings every two years.
The 2017 agenda included the signing of cooperation accords directed toward student and faculty exchanges; joint projects; scientific publications; double masters and doctoral programs; bibliographic exchanges; and participation in joint academic events.
Parties to the agreements include the Cuban universities of
Havana, Granma, Holguín, and Artemisa. Lomonosov State University is to participate in six of the plans, with the Federal University of the South and the Peoples' Friendship University also among the signatories.
A BIT OF HISTORY
Collaboration between Cuba and Russia in the area of higher education goes back to the 1960s. Over a period of almost 30 years (1965–1993), 16,372 Cuban students graduated from Soviet universities, among them more than 3,000 PhDs.
Cooperation continued in subsequent years, and in the 1990s, the countries signed an inter-governmental agreement which included higher education, among many other areas of collaboration. Later, specific programs were agreed upon.
In the new millennium, Cuba's Ministry of Higher Education prioritized strengthening ties with the Russian Federation, which led to meetings on a ministerial level and important accords such as the granting of 100 scholarships annually by the Russian government, financed by its state budget; the strengthening of Russian language instruction in Cuba; as well as the establishment of research collaboration in the areas of nanotechnology, information technology, communications, and the environment, among others.
Currently 161 Cuban scholarship students are taking courses at Russian universities.
Among the projects of the Cuba-Russia inter-governmental commission is the organization of a Russian language course for Cuban television, and the re-introduction of this language in elementary and middle schools, as a another option.
THE PUSHKIN INSTITUTE
Within the context of the third meeting of rectors, Russian dignitaries participated in the inauguration of the Russian Language Department at the University of Havana's (UH) Pushkin Institute - a research and teaching entity devoted to the development of Russian Studies in Cuba. The initiative comes as a result of a cooperation agreement in the area of education signed at the highest level of government in 2016.
Participating in the ceremony were Dr. José Ramón Saborido Loidi and UH rector, Dr. Gustavo Cobreiro Suárez. Representing the Russian Federation were Dr. Margarita Rusetskaya, dean of the Pushkin Institute, and Ambassador Kamynin.
During the event, Dr. Cobreiro emphasized the symbolism of the new school, saying, "Many of us studied in Russia. Part of our development we owe to the solidarity of the Russian people with the Cuban people. An important part of Cuba's scientific workforce was trained in this country."
The study of Russian will continue to be offered within the Foreign Languages Department at UH, where 80 students are currently being trained as specialists in this important language.
Dr. Margarita Rusetskaya emphasized during the inauguration, "We want the Russian language to be in Cuba again, and this is a very important step, not only for our institute, but for our government, as well."
Saborido expressed his confidence in the project, saying, "Our colleagues on the faculty will make a great effort to ensure that the Russian language is studied and learned correctly… We admire the scientific and academic level of Russian institutions."
For his part, the Russian ambassador indicated, "Today the relations between our countries are developing very dynamically. We have big projects in different areas underway, and we must work on these projects, so we need Cuban specialists who speak Russian."
Also noted at the inauguration was the fact that the development of Russian language studies at the University of Havana will contribute to the opening of such programs at universities in all of the country's provinces.
