Oxford Russia Fund Is Interested in Students and Scientists of Samara University

During the meeting, which took place on Friday, April 26, Trustees of the Oxford Russia Fund Alastair Tulloch, John Nightingale, Boris Saltykov and Assistant Head of the ORF Representative Office in Moscow Tatiana Lisitsyna discussed prospects for cooperation between Samara University and ORF with Acting Rector Vladimir Bogatyrev, Vice Rector for Academic Affairs Mikhail Leonov, and coordinator of the ORF programmes at Samara University Maria Mikheykina. 

The Oxford Russia Fund scholarship programme has been implemented at Samara University since 2007. That was the first time when the Fund trustees visited Samara and Samara State University. During this time, more than 1,300 students (bachelor's degree, master’s degree and postgraduate students) of Samara University have become scholarship holders.

The Trustees of the Fund arrived at Samara University to monitor the implementation of the scholarship programme, to meet with the ORF scholarship holders, staff and professors of Samara University, participating in the implementation of the Fund scholarship programme.

“The support programmes offered by the ORF are very significant, they help the representatives of the socio-humanitarian areas to contact each other, to establish scientific and personal ties, to broaden their horizons, to form a more holistic view of the world and the processes occurring in it. Such interaction will allow the researchers to work together on global issues, and our university has joined this large-scale process”,  – said Acting Rector Vladimir Bogatyrev.

The trustees of the Oxford Russia Fund told about a new pilot project “University Tutor”. Tutoring in Russia is just beginning to develop, and the UK is ready to share experience in its implementing. This direction involves an individual approach and the implementation of an individual educational trajectory for the best students of the university. The goal of the tutor (mentor) is to help the student to realize his potential in the best way. Tutors analyze the potential of a student, his needs, opportunities, preferences in science and help him with the choice of specialization, topics of course or graduate papers, the choice of magistracy, with the selection of additional training courses, etc. The Fund invited Samara University representatives to participate in different events (conferences, seminars) to get acquainted with this experience.

John Nightingale spoke about the Hill Foundation scholarship programme. It gives Samara University students an opportunity to study at Oxford University (magistracy, postdoc programmes), while the Hill Foundation pays all expenses for tuition, accommodation, meals for 1-3 years. The list of disciplines is extensive, among them there are not only humanitarian areas, but natural sciences and technical specialties. The main condition for Hill Foundation programme participants is to pass tests at Oxford University successfully, and return to Russia after studying.

During the meeting, the ORF trustees met with Head of Samara University library Oksana Petrova, got acquainted with Samara University library fund and with the collection of books that was donated to Samara University by the Fund. The trustees also asked how the access to the collection of ProQuest Ebook Central e-books, freely provided by the Fund to Samara University users (4500 editions in various subject areas), is set up.

"Modern university libraries should change the format to attract young people. Our experience suggests that the most advantageous solution is when a traditional library works in the co-working zone mode and becomes an informal place for students to be attracted. This is a place where it is pleasant and convenient for them not only to read, but also to communicate. It is important so that students want to be there, because the interaction that is born in the team is no less valuable than the reading itself”, – said trustee of the Oxford Russia Fund Alastair Tulloch.

For reference

Samara University is one of twenty leading universities in Russia which the Oxford Russia Fund cooperates with. The fund is supported by humanitarian areas, for Samara University it is a large scientific unit: Institute of Social Sciences and Humanities, Institute of Economics and Management and Faculty of Law. Annually, according to the results of the competitions, 85 ORF scholarships are awarded to bachelor’s  and master’s degree students and postgraduate students of the first year of study. The Fund also supports academic mobility of scholarship holders.

Photo: Nikita Bondarenko