Tomsk State University, with the financial support of the Russkiy Mir Foundation, launched a new international project aimed at promoting the Russian language and culture in West Africa. A series of seminars on the Russian as a foreign language and culture of Russia for students from the Republic of Ghana started in a distance format in mid-March. The project attracted more than 500 applications for 300 available places.

The main goal of the course is to master the Russian language at an elementary level (TEL/A1). The program is designed for 120 academic hours and includes not only the study of language norms, but also acquaintance with Russian culture. Classes are held entirely in a distance format, which makes it easier to join the training from anywhere in Ghana.

The choice of Ghana as a pilot site is not accidental. This state is one of the leaders in West Africa in terms of economic development and political stability. In recent years, sub-Saharan Africa has seen a significant increase in the interest in Russian education and culture.

— There is still a high demand for new competencies in the field of high technologies, energy and humanities in Ghana, – comment the project managers. – The prerequisites for a surge of interest in the Russian language are caused by the fact that our countries are intensifying international cooperation, the presence of Russian companies in Africa is expanding and the need for Russian-speaking personnel is growing. For many Ghanaians, this opens up the opportunity to get a prestigious education in Russia and build a career in international relations and business.

The audience of the project is quite diverse. The age of participants varies from 18 to 35 years. Among them are students of gymnasiums and lyceums, students of local universities interested in continuing their studies in master or post-graduate courses of Russian universities, and young specialists – economists, engineers, IT specialists. They see their knowledge of the Russian language as a tool for cooperation with Russian companies operating in the region, and as teachers, translators and government officials.

The study process for such a large group in a distance format is based primarily on practical activities. The key feature of the course is the combination of synchronous and asynchronous learning. Live communication with the teacher using video conferencing complements work in the electronic educational environment of TSU with numerous exercises, audio files, tests and other materials.

We shall remind that within the framework of a joint initiative with the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Russia TSU developed an educational online platform “In Russian”. This resource is designed to study the Russian language and Russian culture and provides foreign citizens with unique opportunities to master the language and get acquainted with the cultural traditions and norms of Russian society.

— In the project for Ghana, we focused on the introductory phonetic course. Particular attention is paid to pronunciation, since the phonetic systems of the languages of the Akan group, common in Ghana, are significantly different from Russian. From the first lessons, students learn not only to read and write, but also to perceive speech through listening exercises – this is critically important for those who are planning full-time education in Russia, – add the project managers.

The project program includes not only a linguistic, but also an extensive cultural and educational component. It was important for the African audience to form a reliable and multifaceted image of Russia, avoiding stereotypes.

— During the course, we tell the students about large and small cities of Russia, acquaint them with the architecture and natural sights of Siberia, literature and cinema, – the project managers note. – We pay attention to the multinational nature of Russia, family values, holidays. When preparing materials, special attention was paid to the visual component. The emphasis is on shared values: respect for elders, the importance of education, hospitality – and it perfectly resonates with students.

For Tomsk State University, this project is the starting point of a large-scale presence in West Africa. During the series of seminars, university staff will conduct career guidance events for Africans and advise them on how to enter TSU.

Daria Tarakanova, director of the Center for State Testing in Russian as a Foreign Language, TSU Institute of Distance Education, says that this is an important step in the development of educational ties between Russia and African countries. TSU is pleased to offer Ghanaians a quality education from a leading Russian university and open doors for them to the world of the Russian language. Moreover, this is not just a language course, but a systematic work to form a community of graduates who in the future will become guides of Russian education, science and culture in Africa. By participating in this project, TSU confirms its status as a leader in the field of international education.