VFU "CHERNORIZETS HRABAR" MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE KAZAN FEDERAL UNIVERSITY

13 November 2019

The President of Varna Free University Assoc. Prof. Dr. Krasimir Nedyalkov and the Rector of the Kazan Federal University Ilshat Gafurov signed a memorandum of understanding. The memorandum marks the beginning of the development of international cooperation and strengthening of relations in the field of education and science between the two universities. It enables the scientists from Varna Free University to do research in the laboratories of KFU - one of the leading in the world and to make joint scientific publications with the best Russian scientists in Scopus editions.

The Kazan Federal University is the second historical university in Russia, founded in 1804 as the Kazan Imperial University. Since 2010, it has been one of the 10 higher education schools with a federal status and one of the 15 Russian universities selected to participate in academic achievements project coordinated by the Government of the Russian Federation aimed at improving the competitiveness of leading Russian universities and placing them among the world's best research and education centers. KFU is a leader in the field of the humanities.

The signing ceremony of the Memorandum of understanding was the final stage of the meeting, attended by the Secretary General of Varna Free University - Prof. Dr. Galina Chamonina, Vice-Rector for International Relations of Kazan Federal University Linar Latipov, Deputy Director in International Affairs and Development of the Institute of Philology and Intercultural Communication “L. N. Tolstoy ”- Gulnara Sadikova, Deputy Dean for International Affairs of the Faculty of Law Rustem Davletgildeev and the Head of the Master's Studies Center of the Institute of Management, Economics and Finance Yulia Gorelova.

At the invitation of the rector of Kazan Federal University, Assoc. Prof. Nedyalkov and Prof. Shamonina visited the laboratories and colleges of the leading Russian university. Ilshat Gafurov outlined the priority areas in the development of KFU, noting that they were selected on the basis of demand. One of these areas is 21st century teacher. “Kazan Federal University is ranked 94th in the world according to the education rating system of THE, which was published a few days ago. The fact that we have made the training of teachers our priority has worked," added the Rector.

"I am impressed with what I saw at Kazan Federal University and its rich history. Varna Free University is a young university with an ambitious team. Teachers from both universities need to establish contacts, identify areas of cooperation and create common topics for them to work on”, said Assoc. Prof. Krasimir Nedyalkov, the president of VFU “Chernorizets Hrabar”.

Varna Free University was presented by Prof. Galina Chamonina. She said that our university is the first, biggest private university in Bulgaria and it is an established academic center. "We know that Kazan University is one of the strongest federal higher education institutions in Russia. I am convinced that we have a field for cooperation and I believe we will find common ground, "said Prof. Shamonina before signing the Memorandum.

Linar Latipov also spoke about the Kazan Federal University and emphasized the strong historical relations between Volga Bulgaria (on the territory of Tatarstan) and modern Bulgaria. The academic units of the Institute of Management, Economics and Finance, the Faculty of Law and the Institute of Philology and Intercultural Communication of Kazan University were presented.

The two universities are yet to partner in the fields of information technology, psychology, economics and management and the master’s degree programs in law. KFU is interested in the opportunity for its students to receive two diplomas.

Assoc. Prof. Nedyalkov invited the Rector of Kazan Federal University Ilshat Gafurov to visit Varna Free University.

Information about Kazan Federal University:

14 research and scientific institutes, five medical institutions, three institutes in the field of engineering, space research laboratories and two colleges.
More than 44,500 students are trained.
7,100 international students.
The university employs over 4,000 lecturers and scholars.
It ranks first among Russian universities in cost-effectiveness.
In the first place is the number of alumni who have become leading politicians, scientists and creators.
The University is known as the birthplace of organic chemistry thanks to the works of Alexander Butlerov, Vladimir Markovnikov, Alexander Arbuzov and as the birthplace of electron-spin resonance discovered by Evgeni Zavoiski. Count Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy studied there and world-renowned scientists, such as the linguist Jan Baudouin de Courtenay and the mathematician Nikolai Lobachevski, who was also rector from 1827 to 1846 worked there.

Photos: Kazan Federal University