African Students from Russian Universities Complete an Advanced Training Course at TUSUR

TUSUR University is participating in the Russia-Africa Summer Multidisciplinary University, a project by the Russian African Network University consortium.

TUSUR University is participating in the Russia-Africa Summer Multidisciplinary University, a project by the Russian African Network University consortium.

Over the course of two weeks, 25 graduate and postgraduate students from universities in Tomsk, Irkutsk, Ufa and Samara have been undergoing advanced training in Innovation-Driven Entrepreneurship in IT, provided by TUSUR University. This program is designed to equip young researchers from African countries with essential entrepreneurial skills that they can contribute to the development of their national economies.

“Before submitting our program for consideration for the Russia-Africa Summer Multidisciplinary University, we analyzed African economies and found that they could benefit from solutions that would be independent from natural resources. In some cases, the countries possess the technology, but lack the essential skills for promotion, commercialization, legal formalization of intellectual property. We believe that the new knowledge that our students gained through this course will help them build successful businesses, whether they choose to create them in Russia, or back in their home countries,” said Head of the TUSUR Division of International Cooperation Maria Afanasyeva.

As part of the course, the African students attended lectures by professors of TUSUR University, learned about business planning, financial planning, investment, and other economic aspects of entrepreneurship, participated in express acceleration at the TUSUR Student Business Incubator, and got a tour of the university’s infrastructure and top innovations. 

The key outcome of the course is presentation of students’ own projects that they might someday develop into actual businesses. On September 20, the students presented their ideas that they had developed working in groups to a board of experts. Upon completion of the course, the African students participated in a startup meetup hosted by the Student Business Incubator. At the event, business speakers shared their journeys toward the ideas at the center of their businesses, talked about challenges that they had to overcome and what their experiences taught them.

As part of the Summer Multidisciplinary University, students of TUSUR University had the opportunity to join courses at partner universities in Irkutsk, Samara and Arkhangelsk.

“The Russian-African Network University provides a unique opportunity to African students to explore Russia, its universities and the programs available through them, and to acquire new knowledge. Our students learn about Russian culture and history, and complement the degrees they pursue at their home universities with additional skills. I am confident that all of that will help them to become highly competent professionals who will be in demand both in Russia and back in their home countries,” says Maria Afanasyeva.