From 30 October to 2 November 2024, the Russian House in Dar es Salaam (United Republic of Tanzania) held a large-scale career guidance and cultural and educational event – and educational forum “Time to study in Russia”. Representatives of 12 Russian Universities from Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Kazan, Maykop, Novosibirsk, Rostov-on-Don, Samara, Sevastopol, Tomsk, Tula and Khanty-Mansiysk addressed the Tanzanian applicants.

Andrey Leonovich Avetisyan, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Tanzania, attended the opening ceremony of the educational forum and Darya Sergeyevna Ilyenko, Acting Head of Russian House in Dar es Salaam, in her message to Tanzanian applicants emphasized that scientific, educational and cultural cooperation between Russia and Tanzania will continue to strengthen and develop, and the number of quotas for studies in Russian universities allocated for Tanzanian by the Government of the Russian Federation will increase annually. Darya Sergeyevna was echoed by representatives of the Ministry of Education of the United Republic of Tanzania, emphasising the high relevance and importance of strengthening educational cooperation with Russia within the framework of training national personnel for Tanzania within the quota of the Government of the Russian Federation.

Tula State University was represented at the educational forum by Olga Dmitriyevna Gladkova, Director of the Institute of International Education. She, as well as other representatives of leading Russian universities, came to Tanzania to present her university – to tell potential applicants about the educational programmes, the departments and institutes implementing them, the specifics of the educational process and opportunities for academic mobility, the university`s Summer Schools and opportunities to study at its Digital Department, research activities and scholarships, campus infrastructure and vibrant student life. And, of course, about the Hero-City of Tula – the city of gunsmiths, samovars and gingerbreads, the third museum capital of Russia, the birthplace of the greatest Leo Tolstoy – the city that has already become so dear and favourite for many Tanzanian students.

After the presentation block there was a stage of live communication between university representatives and Tanzanian applicants – children and their parents were actively interested in Bachelors, Specialists and Master`s degree programmes implemented at TulsU, in particular in the field of the mechanical engineering, civil engineering, oil and gas engineering, electric power and electrical engineering, economics, management, sociology, linguistics, IT, chemistry, biotechnology and other fields.

The second and third days of the educational forum ‘Time to Study in Russia’ were busy: Russian universities participating in the forum, including TulSU, conducted career guidance work at secondary schools in Dar es Salaam - Benjamin William Mkapa High School, Minaki Secondary School, and Kisutu Girls' Secondary School. 

And on the last day of the Education Forum, a delegation of Russian universities travelled to the island of Zanzibar, where they made a presentation of Russian educational opportunities to young people at the Central Library of Zanzibar.

TulSU participation in the educational forum ‘Time to study in Russia’ is timed to coincide with the start of the admission campaign on the website ‘Education in the Russian Federation for foreign citizens’ in order to attract talented Tanzanian youth to study at the University within the quota established by the Government of the Russian Federation for the academic year 2025/2026.

At the end of each presentation of Russian education at each Tanzanian venue, representatives of Russian universities answered questions from Tanzanian schoolchildren for a long time: what is the lowest temperature in Russia in winter, how does snow feel, do they speak English and Swahili in Russia, is it possible to learn Russian in one year of the preparatory programme, what is the secret of successful study at a Russian university, do they eat traditional African pies ‘mandazi’ in Russia, is it easy to travel in Russia and much more.

Text and photographs by Olga Gladkova