Sadovnichy: Moscow State University welcomes students from the Caucasus

Rector of Lomonosov Moscow State University, Viktor Sadovnichy, told in an exclusive interview with ‘Vestnik Kavkaza’ about the interaction of the Moscow State University with the republics of the North Caucasus in the field of education, as well as about the quota for foreign students who apply to the university.

Above all, he noted that the largest part of foreign students is from the North Caucasus. "We are sympathetic to this. Certainly, I would like gifted young men to return [to their republics]. It is necessary for the development of the North Caucasus republics. And we meet almost all requests for the targeted admission, which comes from the region. In addition, they enter the university on a general basis. So we have a multinational team of students," the rector said.

He also reported what departments are in demand among the applicants from the North Caucasus Federal District. "I would not say that they have any special preferences. Many people understand that it is difficult to enter the law department that is why they choose other fields. I’m mean, among others, the Department of Mathematics, as well as Economics, Physics, Chemistry’’ Sadovnichy stressed.

He also told about the work of the MSU branches in Azerbaijan and Armenia. "We have opened a new department in Azerbaijan specializing in physics, and this year we are to take students. In Yerevan we have the same departments that were opened last year. We still need to get more experience, as we are creating a new university. But I am pleased that the government of Armenia, and earlier in Azerbaijan, created all conditions for the opening of our branches – built the necessary buildings, provided support at the state level and invited our teachers. The same situation is in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan," said the rector.

According to him, those who have decided to receive education in those branches prefer to study there, but many students come to Moscow.

In addition, Sadovnichy spoke about the trip organized for the students to the Yelnya war memorial. "On this day, June 22, we have a tradition to pay tribute to the memory of those who sacrificed their lives and lay flowers. The boys will hold portraits of those whose names we know. The search teams that work there will tell us how they find the remains of the soldiers and how they identify them. That will a topic for whole different converstaion,’’ the rector concluded.