Russia is showing itself to be the country with the most powerful diplomacy, therefore, the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Foreign Ministry's work is more important than ever, the rector of the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Yevgeny Bazhanov, told a press conference devoted to the Day of Diplomatic Workers, the correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza reports.
Yevgeny Bazhanov noted that first of all, the Diplomatic Academy prepares and re-prepares Russia's diplomatic staff. "Every employee of the Russian Foreign Ministry is required to study here every three years," he said.
The Diplomatic Academy's highest diplomatic training course is the key one. "It are designed for newly appointed ambassadors, consuls general and representatives of Russia in international organizations. Each of them has to come here for three-week courses, and only after that the Russian president may sign a decree on his appointment. In general, almost every employee of the Foreign Ministry is trained here 5- 6 times," the rector of the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Foreign Ministry stressed.
The Academy also busy prepares and upgrades skills of specialists in international relations in other Russia's government agencies and private organizations. "There are courses for the staff of the Russian Presidential Administration, for both chambers of our Parliament, for the Investigative Committee, bailiffs, for employees of LUKOIL and Russian Railways. Moscow's deputy chief doctor proposed us to start preparing health care workers," Yevgeny Bazhanov listed.
Training of foreign diplomats is a considerable part of the Diplomatic Academy's work. "We are training about 60 diplomats now. We conduct courses for diplomats from Egypt, Yemen, Burundi, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Turkey, Myanmar, Laos and even such countries as Vanuatu, Fiji, Nauru, the Marshall Islands and the Maldives. Recently, the Iraqi ambassador came here and said that they sent three groups of 15 people last year, and this year they want to send 6 groups of 15 people. They told us that we provide quality education, and most importantly, according to some experts, Russia is showing itself to be the country with the most powerful diplomacy," the rector of the Diplomatic Academy said.
The new direction of the Diplomatic Academy is opening of undergraduate and graduate programs in addition to the post-graduate degrees program. "We also have state-funded places and a presidential quota for foreign students, we accept about 130 people per year," Yevgeny Bazhanov.
The rector recalled why the Diplomatic Academy is so attractive for those seeking out diplomatic careers. "Our first plus is our history. For 82 years, we have prepared 30 thousand specialists in the field of international relations, including 8 thousand diplomats, 700 people became ambassadors. Some of our alumni have moved further in their careers, for example, the Chairman of the Federation Council Valentina Matvienko, the former South Korean President and Nobel peace Prize, Kim Dae-jung, the chairman of the Kazakh Senate Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev, the Russian Minister of Education Olga Vasilyeva," he pointed out.
There are highly qualified teachers in the Diplomatic Academy as well. "For example, a man who was ambassador in Libya under Gaddafi, in Yemen and Lebanon teaches here. Until recently, the ex-ambassador to the UK, Cyprus and Norway taught at the Academy. Now the ex-deputy head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who was responsible for our relations with the US, former Ambassador to Canada teaches here," Yevgeny Bazhanov stressed.
The Diplomatic Academy is also engaged in scientific work. "There is the Institute of Contemporary International Studies here. The Academy publishes various books, in particular a series 'Russian scientists in international affairs','' the rector of the Diplomatic Academy said.
It is also important that the international relations of the Academy are extremely developed. "Almost every day someone addresses speeches here. There is a diplomatic club, whose board of trustees is headed by Minister Sergei Lavrov," Yevgeny Bazhanov noted.
