Foreign citizens’ department

The competitiveness of the Russian system of education can be achieved on the basis of an effective strategy of educational services’ export, which is a profitable sector of the economy for many countries, an important line of policy and an indicator of social and cultural development.

In this regard, the main task of the University is to evaluate the promising opportunities for the development of educational services’ export, creation of conditions for increasing export of education on the basis of an adequate assessment of export potential and prospects of its development and generation of the competitive educational products.

A small number of agricultural universities accept foreign students from far abroad countries. Following the line of internationalization of education in 2009/2010, our University began to enroll the foreign citizens from far abroad countries on the training. The educational programs for foreign students’ training have been developed by the preparatory department; the material-technical base has been created. Currently the citizens of such African, Asian, Middle Eastern and CIS countries as: Syria, Algeria, Zambia, Namibia, Botswana, Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya, Congo, Benin, Morocco, Ghana, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo, Algeria, Lebanon, etc are trained at the University.
Training of foreign students is provided on three profiles of preparation: medical-biological, technical and economic.
Training of students preparatory department is carried out in groups on the following subjects: Russian language, mathematics, chemistry, biology, physics, and computer science. Lessons are held both in lecture-rooms equipped with multimedia facilities in the hostel and in laboratories of the University chairs with use of the appropriate visual aids and the experimental installations.
During the educational process the intermediate certification of students for determining the level of mastering the educational material with the subsequent correction of lessons’ subjects is carried out. At the end of the educational period students are prepared to pass the final examinations in the Russian language, chemistry, biology, mathematics, and physics.
Students who are trained according to programs of pre high school preparation enter Saratov State Agrarian University in the selected directions and higher education institutions of Saratov.
Foreign students take part in scientific-innovative activity of the University.
Foreign students meet scientists of University, learn about their scientific directions of researches and material resources of educational, scientific-research laboratories and centers (inter-chair scientific research laboratory “Commerce and trade consulting in agrarian and industrial complex”; laboratory “Business planning in agrarian and industrial complex and others), and also learn about opportunities and conditions of their use in the educational and scientific purposes.
On the basis of laboratories works to order the Ministry of Agriculture of the Saratov region, including through “Agrarian education and science” association, under direct economic contracts with the enterprises are carried.
Students of the preparatory department of the UMC participate with scientific reports in conferences: “3-d International conference “Contribution of young scientists to the development of agrarian and industrial complex” (March, 2014); “International scientific-practical conference “Problems and perspectives of development agriculture and rural areas” (March, 2014); “3-d International students’ scientific conference “Problems and perspectives of development agriculture and rural areas: youth look” (March, 2014); “8-th International scientific-practical conference “Safety and quality” (June, 2014) and others.
During the period of studying foreign students the educational work is carried out for acquiring the communication skills, familiarizing with the culture and history of Russia, social adaptation in the students’ environment.
The following actions are held:
-excursions “Sights of Saratov”;
-organizational meetings for acquaintance with the educational process, specialties and faculties of the University, rules of living in the hostel;
-visit the Open Days, chairs, laboratories, museums of the University;
-visit the Agro-business centre of the University;
-cultural review “Theatres of Saratov”;
-visit the student’s competition “Miss of Saratov State Agrarian University”;
-action “Russian winter. Celebration of New Year”;
-participation of schoolchildren in sports festival of the Saratov region “A prize of winter vacation”;
-visit performances KVN teams of the faculties in the University;
-visit the concert devoted to the holiday “Defender of the Fatherland”;
-visit the International conference devoted to healthy and proper nutrition at the technological faculty;
-visit the concert devoted to the International Women’s Day;
-visit conservatory in Saratov;
-participation in the action devoted to the Day of cosmonautics;
-excursion to the Park of Victory devoted to the Victory Day, acquaintance to exhibits of the museum Second World War.
-during all academic year students of the preparatory department and foreign students participate in career-guidance in Saratov and regions of the Saratov area.

Work with the citizens of the CIS countries and far abroad.

- advising on the procedure for registration of necessary documents for entry into the territory of the Russian Federation, registration at the place of stay, regulations of admission in University for training, conditions and forms of payment of training and living.
- through the Office of the Federal Migration Service in the Saratov region the official registration of invitations for the University entrants to enter the Russian Federation (for the countries with a visa requirement)
- registration and taking the foreign citizens off the register.
- assistance in social adaptation the standard of living in Saratov (medical facilities, banks, communications, trade companies, cultural centers, transport, etc.)

For students compatriots, being citizens of the foreign states, meetings with the leadership of the Ministry of employment, labour and migration of the Saratov region are organized to promote the program for rendering assistance the voluntary resettlement in the Russian Federation.

Main directions of the Department in export development of educational services:
1. Increase in number of students – citizens of foreign states.
2. Improving the system of quality assurance of education for foreign citizens.
3. Preparation of students in the Russian language in accordance with I-Certification level of the Russian language proficiency.
4. Creation of conditions for knowledge improvement of the Russian language in the period of study at the University.
5. Preparation of students in general and other subjects in Russian for further training on educational programs of higher professional education.
6. Social adaptation of students, formation of the positive image of Russia by familiarizing with language culture.