20.02.2025
On February 19, a meeting was held at RSUH between Acting Vice-Rector for International Cooperation Vera Zabotkina and the President of the Association of the Ethiopian Community and the Union of African Diasporas in Russia, Mr. Kinfu Zenebe Tafesse. The discussion focused on developing international cooperation between RSUH and Ethiopian universities in education and joint research.
The central topic of discussion was the preparation and publication of an encyclopedia on Ethiopia's history and cultural diversity. The project, aimed at studying Orthodoxy in Ethiopian culture, is being developed in collaboration with RSUH Center for Religious Studies and the Social Anthropology Center of a university in Addis Ababa. As Dr. Zabotkina emphasized, the plans include conferences, exhibitions, and research publications:
"Ethiopia is currently a focal point for Russia, and we see our main priority in collaboration with African countries."
Acting Rector Andrei Loginov recently expressed support for expanding the range of African languages taught in RSUH educational programs. During the negotiations, both sides highlighted the shortage of specialists in African language studies and teaching in Russia. In response, Mr. Kinfu Zenebe proposed involving members of the Union of African Diasporas in addressing this issue:
"We can send students from the Union of African Diasporas to teach African languages at RSUH," said Mr. Kinfu Zenebe Tafesse.
The meeting also covered the upcoming Summer Multidisciplinary University "Russia-Africa", held annually for students from African institutions. Dr. Zabotkina presented a preliminary plan for cultural and educational activities for the University’s guests and invited Ethiopian students to participate.
