Russia's Synergy Uni Creates Association of Private BRICS Educational Organizations

The university announced the establishment of the association at the recent BRICS summit in South Africa. More than 124 partner organizations from India, China, Brazil and other countries have been invited to join.

Russia's Synergy University unveiled the newly-formed Association of Private Educational Organizations of BRICS countries last week in Johannesburg, South Africa, as part of efforts to develop a consolidated position among education sector participants in friendly countries, as well as to build a dialogue with relevant agencies.

The association plans to assist in opening branches of educational institutions in the BRICS countries, as well as develop network programs and academic mobility. In addition, it seeks to increase the availability of quality education that will meet the requirements of innovative economic development and the needs of society and citizens.

Russian Program "Priority-2030"

In the future, it plans to unite the concepts of national educational programs to create a common rating of universities in the participating countries, in particular through the Russian program "Priority-2030", which provides for increasing the scientific and educational potential of universities. The programs of the Network University and the BRICS University League will also be taken into account.

Synergy University, which initiated the creation of the association, is among the top three universities in Russia in terms of the number of international students. Currently, about 7,000 people from 89 countries study at the university. About 2,000 foreigners study full-time, with half of them coming from Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Kenya, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Somalia, Ghana and Ethiopia. More than 300 students from African countries will enroll at Synergy in 2023.

"Synergy is actively building up educational and economic ties with African partners. This will allow to multiply the number of students from Africa on our educational programs and open completely new areas of study in the future," President of Synergy Corporation Vadim Lobov said.

"Russia has been cooperating with African countries for many years in a variety of areas, especially in education. Tens of thousands of the continent's inhabitants have studied in our country and subsequently made a significant contribution to the development of their states.

Now, on the instructions of the president of Russia, this cooperation is reaching a new level. Contacts are being strengthened... There are plans to establish Russian-language schools in Africa," Lobov added.

Educational cooperation between Russia and Africa is not new. Daria da Conceição's documentary film "Black to USSR" tells about the long-standing cooperation between Russia and Africa in the field, and Synergy was a partner of the film's distribution at the BRICS summit. The film tells about students from Mozambique and South Africa who studied in the USSR and Russia.

Among the characters are Nelson Mandela's associate and friend Mosima Gabriel "Tokyo" Sexwale and one of the seven princes of South Africa Siphiwe Dlomo, who is involved in initiatives in the fields of nuclear energy and automotive industry. The film won numerous awards at various festivals.

In addition to African countries, Synergy is expanding cooperation with other BRICS members.

A dual degree program with a partner university in China has already been developed and implemented, and this year Synergy will open a representative office in the country.

Representative offices in India are likewise planned, with positive feedback on the move from Synergy's Indian counterparts BSSS.

"We at BSSS are happy to learn that Synergy University initiated the establishment of an association of private educational organizations at the BRICS summit. As a partner organization we will definitely support the initiative.

We firmly believe that it will provide a platform for students and faculty to exchange ideas and thoughts from management and allied fields. This is a new chapter for India as a nation in terms of educational relations with Russia," Prof. Amit Kumar Nag, the director of BSSS Institute of Advanced Studies's international department in India highlighted.