IKBFU in the Global World: International Project Recap

In 2024, IKBFU considerably improved its global standing. The University gained new partners in Armenia, Belarus, Brazil, China, Cuba, India, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, South Africa, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Zimbabwe, and established more than 20 agreements with educational institutions from the listed countries.

The launch of the IKBFU Representative Office in India in the format of the Centre for Russian Pedagogy, as well as the opening of the Russian-Mexican Centre for Neuroscience and Education at the University of Guadalajara became important international achievements. The IKBFU Representative Offices in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, as well as the IKBFU Centre of Russian Language and Culture in China continue to be active.

In 2024, two joint master's degree programmes were launched between IKBFU and Belarusian State University in Linguistics and Chemistry. A total of 20 students are currently enrolled in the programmes and on the track to graduate with two diplomas.

The University continues to promote student and faculty international academic mobility: in 2024, 56 students took part in semester-long mobility programmes with partner universities in Belarus, China and Kyrgyzstan, 13 educators from foreign partner universities gave guest lectures and completed research internships at IKBFU. During the year, students and faculty participated in almost 300 international events, with more than 50 students and 80 staff members attending international events at foreign educational and scientific organisations.

IKBFU continues to preserve and promote the Russian language and culture in the world: in 2024, more than 7,000 people from 100 countries took part in events aimed at popularising the Russian language and culture ("Russian Dictation Online", "Russian Language Online Intensive", "Second International Pedagogical Olympiad in Russian Language", "Russian Lecture Hall", etc.). IKBFU became a platform for the implementation of the project of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science "Promotion of the Russian language and Russian education in African countries" for the second time, within the framework of which the university hosted advanced training courses for teachers from Namibia and Zimbabwe.

This year the University hosted 8 holiday schools, more than 20 major international conferences, forums, Olympiads, round tables, including such large and significant events for the University as the International Kant Congress "World Concept of Philosophy" (770 Russian and foreign participants from 31 countries), the Second International Student Olympiad in Philosophy (600 Russian and foreign participants from 24 countries) and the II Forum of the Union State "Russia and Belarus: Common History, Common Destiny".

The number of international students enrolled in 2024 increased by 8.4 per cent compared to the previous year and now stands at almost 1,500. The countries of origin of the students are also expanding: this year, for the first time, representatives of the Republic of Chile, Guinea-Bissau and the Central African Republic came to IKBFU to study.

In addition, in 2024 the university broke the record for the number of international graduates with 171 students from 26 countries, with 26 students graduating with honours.

Over 25 large-scale international student events were organised during the year, among the most significant of which were the KANTeen Youth Cultural Festival, Russian Language and Culture Marathon, Navruz Spring Festival, Indian Extravaganza and the Lunar New Year. International students met with the President of the Russian Federation twice: during Vladimir Putin's visit to IKBFU on Student Day and at the World Youth Festival.

In 2024, international students created DifFriends, a student community dedicated to international friendship, the main focus of which is aimed at the integration of students whose native language is not Russian. The community creates podcasts about university life, culture, and organises various contests and competitions.

Throughout the year, international students have excelled in the spheres of:

• sports (1st place in the National Student Golf League, 1st place in the IKBFU Spartakiad in men's badminton);
• science (1st place in the section of the 78th International Scientific and Practical Conference of Students and Young Scientists of Medical Universities "Achievements of Fundamental, Applied Medicine and Pharmacy" in Samarkand State Medical University; 3rd place in the student interregional scientific conference "From Diagnosis to Treatment", 2nd place in the entrepreneurial course within the framework of the youth entrepreneurship development programme «Я в деле» “I’m in”);
• art (2nd place in singing and 1st and 2nd place in dance of the regional creative festival "Resonance", II degree diploma in the "Street Dance"category and special prize in the "String Instruments" category).

We wish our international students and colleagues Happy holidays, great success and prosperity!