The traditional meeting of the Institute of International Education activists with the Vice-Rector for International and Project Activities Olesya Yevgenyevna Labadze took place on the 19 December.

This kind event – an international tea party - has been organised in our university regularly since 2018. There was a gap once, as it`s easy to guess, it happened during the pandemic of a new coronavirus infection. 

Opening the meeting, Olga Dmitriyevna Gladkova, Director of the Institute of International Education, emphasised that the students should use this time of communication to their advantage, in other words, not only to summarise and rejoice at the results, but also to discuss some problems. 

Olesya Yevgenyevna Labadze in turn noted that the tea party was held in a special atmosphere. A white fluffy snow was falling outside, creating a special mood, and the nature was painting pictures of Russian winter with its extraordinary colours. 

The students, who can be found at various events held by the university, gathered together at the festive sweet buffet. These are creative, energetic and purposeful students, who are actively involved in the bustling university life. Festivals, scientific conferences, Summer Schools, Olympiads - the area of their creative activity is huge and diverse. 

Olesya Yevgenyevna said that a thousand foreign citizens from more than seventy countries are studying at Tula State University. Our university is rightly considered a leader in the number of countries represented in the Institute of International Education. Such a multicultural environment, she emphasised, is the basis for the development of the potential of each international student. The University gives students the opportunity to express themselves in creativity, science, sports and entrepreneurship. 

According to the established tradition, Olga Dmitriyevna Gladkova offered everyone to watch a video dedicated to the participation of students of the Institute of International Education in various events. She warned in advance that the video was shortened. After all, if all interesting events were included, it would turn out a full-fledged feature film and it would take a lot of time to watch it. Besides, the director of IIE added, the students have a whole third of December ahead of them, so the list of events can be supplemented for the second episode of the series!

But even the short film caused a flurry of emotions. Many students saw themselves on the screen and mentally replayed beautiful moments of the events that have already become history.

Another good tradition of this tea party is a video postcard. This time it was sent by Do Thanh Huyen from Vietnam, a graduate of the Institute of International Education in Advertising and Public Relations. The girl confessed that she can`t forget the wonderful time spent at Tula State University and complained that she speaks less Russian. She wished all the participants good health, happiness and success in the New Year. And Olga Dmitriyevna Gladkova, taking the opportunity, advised all international students and residents to use Russian more often, so as not to forget it. 

Special attention during the meeting was paid to the landmark initiatives of the Institute of International Education.

Medical student from Iraq Abdulhalem Mustafa Mohammed Abdulhalem spoke about the implementation of the project “Summer School “Dive into Science””. Olga Dmitriyevna Gladkova dedicated her speech to the projects “Media Space for International Students “IMO News”” and “Intercultural Dialogue Space “Cultural Code””. All these initiatives, emphasised the Director of IIE, bring the activities of international students of TulSU to a new orbit, scaling it up and bringing it closer to federal projects.

An award ceremony was held.

Diplomas were awarded:

- for the implementation of student initiatives aimed at the development of intercultural dialogue at the university and media coverage of important events in the life of foreign students of TulSU, including on the platform of the Federal project “Adventures of Foreigners in Russia” - Abdulhalem Mustafa Mohammed Abdulhalem (Iraq);

- for active participation in the team of organisers of significant university events and participation in the Olympiad movement - Elayan Ali Wahi Zuheir (Jordan);

- for active participation in the team of organisers of landmark university events and permanent role of the gala-concert host of the International Forum-Festivals of Foreign and Russian Students “We Welcome All the Flags!” - Umedjon Nasredinov (Tajikistan);

- for creating a vivid image of the Republic of Tajikistan at the exhibition of cultural items and everyday life of the peoples of the world within the framework of the XIX International Forum-Festival of Foreign and Russian Students “We Welcome All the Flags!” - Shahboz Khayalov (Tajikistan);  

- for active participation in the events of the Institute of International Education - Mkheimid Hashem and Jmou Shawan Abdulrahman (Syria);

- for active work on the organisation of a community of students - citizens of the Arab Republic of Egypt - Abdelnaim Mohamed Hassan Elsayed (Egypt);

- for academic excellence and participation in the activities of the Institute of International Education - Chavan Shivam Asaram and Nandiyath Suresh Puja (India);

- for active work on the organisation of a community of students - nationals of the Kingdom of Cambodia - Lim Sokleang (Cambodia);

- for active work in organising a community of students - citizens of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam - Nguyen Thi Thu Siem (Vietnam);

- for successes in studies and research activities - Behairi Ahmed Imadaldin Magawri Mohamed (Egypt); 

- for active participation in the activities of the Institute of International Education - Aisha Mammadova (Azerbaijan);

- for academic excellence and participation in university events - Alexander Shuverov (Russian Federation);

- for academic excellence and participation in the media projects of the Institute of International Education - Balde Boubacar (Guinea-Bissau);

- for academic excellence and active participation in the activities of the Institute of International Education - Nalubega Grace Megan (Uganda);

- for active work on the organisation of the students' community - citizens of the United Republic of Tanzania - Ramadani Abdulkarim Thomas (Tanzania);

- for active work on the organisation of a community of students - citizens of the Republic of Sierra Leone - Williams Abdul Karim (Sierra Leone);

- for active work on the organisation of a community of students - citizens of the Republic of Angola - Manuel Ingrid Lineu Bambi (Angola);

- for active participation in the activities of the Institute of International Education - Merzhen Kurbanova (Turkmenistan); 

- for successes in research activities - Andrey Anufriev (Kazakhstan);

- for active participation in the activities of the Institute of International Education - Ksenia Lakhno (Republic of Belarus). 

On behalf of the Institute of International Education Abdulhalem Mustafa Mohammed Abdulhalem presented Olesa Yevgenyevna with a gift for the New Year.

The participants of the meeting discussed issues related to the equipment of the Institute of International Education, the creation of communication spaces in the dormitories, and the organisation of the International Club on the basis of TulSU. 

Students marked their countries on a special map “World without borders”. The ritual is already four years old, so they have almost painted their countries. And as Olga Dmitriyevna said, soon they will have to colour Russia on the map. No wonder, this is where they live, study and find friends.   

As always, the meeting ended with a collective photo session. 

Tatyana Krikunkova

Photo by Mikhail Gindin