Win-Win Partnership

11:24, October 23, 2012

Ural Federal University is strengthening its partnership with Czech universities

The new Consul General of the Czech Republic in Ekaterinburg Karel Boruvka visited Ural Federal University on 19 October. The UrFU Rector Victor Koksharov warmly welcomed the diplomatic official in his office and at once suggested changing over to German (in 2004-2009 Karel Boruvka worked in Munich).

The Consul politely declined this offer – once he took up this position in the capital of Ural, he has been trying to practise as much Russian as possible. The main topics which were discussed during the meeting were education, science and culture. Mr Boruvka observed that Ural region has a great potential and that the Ural Federal University is playing an important role in its development. Good academic traditions and hospitality of Ekaterinburg residents make the city and the university particularly attractive, the Consul noted.

He also pointed out the importance of maintaining the existing connections between Russian and Czech universities, saying that UrFU teachers and students can always count on the Consulate’s assistance, including visa services. In his turn, Viktor Koksharov assured the official that the university, its staff and students are ready to serve as a platform for cooperation between the two countries.

Ural Federal University has long-standing partnership relations with Czech universities: it has cooperation agreements with Brno University of Technology, the University of West Bohemia, Tomas Bata University, Higher School of Economics in Prague, Carlow University and Masaryk University. Cooperation includes academic exchange programmes for students and teachers, joint research projects and a double-degree programme (“Innovation Management in Industry”).

There are training programmes for teachers of the Ural Federal University realized annually in Prague, Plzen and Brno. Ural researchers participate in symposia and conferences held by Czech universities. This semester five UrFu students are studying at Tomas Bat'a University in Zlin and there are two students from Masaryk University currently studying at UrFU.