Both parties agreed to launch joint scientific research in fields of mutual interest.
In addition, teaching staff members will start reciprocal visits for the purpose of teaching, professional development and the exchange of research experience.
The agreement also presupposes the exchange of experience and information on educational programmes, teaching methodologies and approaches used in the educational process, and support for academic and cultural exchange among students.
The cooperation agreement with the University of South Africa is the first significant agreement with an African institution of higher education for the Financial University. It is of particular importance in the context of the integration with the BRICS countries into the university community.
The initiator of this agreement is Boris Slavin, Professor of the Institute of Digital Economy Development.
1. What benefit does this agreement with the University of South Africa bring to the Finance University? What is it important to develop this area of cooperation?
Boris Slavin: "Cooperation with a leading university in South Africa will provide an opportunity to expand the area of research through collaborating with South African scientists. Today, many research challenges, particularly in the area of digital economy, are the same in many countries, and, therefore, it will be effective to combine efforts to face these challenges. This cooperation will also be useful for education: Financial University has unique experience in organising the process of student education as well as achieving great results, which is of interest to our colleagues. We, on the other hand, will be also interested in the way our partners launch modern instruction".
2. Why was it decided to develop this direction?
Boris Slavin: "South Africa is a technological leader of its continent, and, therefore, it (more precisely its technology centers) was selected by a delegation of the IT Directors Union of Russia last year. Among the members of the delegation there were the staff of our university, and when the delegation arrived at the UniSA, the question of cooperation between the universities was immediately raised. Participation in joint conferences, collective research, exchange of experience in digital education were discussed. Despite the vast differences in history and geography, South Africa and Russia are remarkably similar, and it is no coincidence that both countries are members of the same BRICS organisation. The cooperation between the Financial University and the UniSA is a part of developing the relations between the BRICS countries".
3. And what about scientific research? What has already been achieved and what targets have been set?
Boris Slavin: "Last autumn UniSA scientists sent their reports to the SMART RUSSIA conference held at the Financial University. Further topics of interest to researchers from the UniSA Department of Science and Technology and the FinU Faculty of Applied Mathematics and IT were discussed online. It was planned that specific scientific groups would be identified during reciprocal visits of our colleagues to Russia in the spring of this year, along with signing of the partnership agreement. But due to the pandemic, the visit was postponed until next year. However, the agreement was signed electronically, and some joint works have already been started".
4. What do you think of the signed cooperation agreement with the University of South Africa?
Boris Slavin: "Today the Science and Education Centers are becoming the driving force of digital economy. The exchange of experience between them should contribute to the technological development of our countries. I believe that this agreement will play a positive role in the development of our universities and will benefit both students and teachers."
