- 12.07.2026 07:25
They speak Russian and enter universities, or 117 new friends of Russia
More than one hundred and ten citizens from dozens of countries now speak Russian and are ready to pursue higher education in Russia - all thanks to Tula State University.
Among the summer graduation ceremonies at Tula State University, a special place is occupied by the certificate award ceremony for international students in additional pre-university educational programs. These programs are offered by the Department of General Theoretical Disciplines and Russian as a Foreign Language within the Institute of International Education at Tula State University. Classes are held in small groups of up to ten students. The university provides international students with all the necessary teaching and methodological materials. The department's faculty has extensive experience teaching Russian as a foreign language to audiences from literally all over the world.
In the 2025/2026 academic year, 117 international students from 30 countries, including the CIS, North and sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia, studied in pre-university training programs at Tula State University. Training was conducted in five areas: engineering, technology, economics, biomedical science, humanities, and natural sciences. At Tula State University, the students studied Russian and the subjects they would need to pursue their chosen higher education programs: mathematics, chemistry, biology, physics, economics, history, computer science, and others.
“A certificate for the pre-university training program is a very important document that paves the way for you to pursue higher education in Russia”, Olesya Yevgenyevna Labadze, Tula State University's Vice-Rector for International and Project Activities, addressed the graduates. “Today, you are taking an important step in your lives, opening up new opportunities and prospects. Your choice to study in Russia is not just a decision to receive a high-quality education, but also an opportunity to immerse yourself in our country's unique culture and learn about its traditions and customs. We believe in your potential and are ready to support you at every stage of your education!”
Certificates were presented to the graduates by people who have become their closest friends in Russia over the past year: Olga Dmitriyevna Gladkova, Director of the Tula State University Institute of International Education; Irina Marselyevna Lagun, Head of the Department of International Relations; and Tamara Dmitriyevna Kartashova and Alexander Viktorovich Obodzinsky, Deputy Directors of the Institute of International Education. They all wished the students continued success, and yesterday's students prepared videos about their studies, in which they kindly and humorously recounted how their first months in Russia went.
Life at the preparatory department was rich and interesting. Students studied general subjects in Russian, but they also participated in the Russian language club, international competitions and conferences, went on excursions, and learned about Russian culture and traditions.
“Russian is considered one of the most difficult languages to learn: grammar, orthography, punctuation, declensions, moods, and a huge number of exceptions - all of this can really baffle a foreigner”, noted I.M. Lagun. “However, studying in the pre-university program at Tula State University in a highly international and friendly environment relieves this initial stress, especially since our main focus is on developing and strengthening phonetic and communication skills. And judging by the expressions of gratitude expressed today, we have succeeded once again!”
Dmitry Litvinov
Photographs by Viktoriya Shevchenko
