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PROFESSOR ALAN SMITHERS' VISIT TO MOSCOW

Monday 28 April 2008

Alan Smithers, Lyubimov Lev and Brook Horowitz

Professor Alan Smithers (left) with Professor Lev Lioubimov (State University Higher School of Economics) and Brook Horowitz (Executive Director, Russia, IBLF)

Professor Alan Smithers visited Moscow from 16-19 April at the invitation of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science and Prince Charles' International Business Leaders Forum. At the second Global Education Congress and Exhibition he shared the press conference and the main plenary session on the Economy of Knowledge with education experts from Russia, Germany and India, in which he praised Russian successes but also suggested what might be learned from England's experience in reforming education.

Professor Smithers was among the honoured guests at the opening of the exhibition by Nikolay Bulaev, Head of the Russian Agency for Education (essentially the body responsible for implementing policy), against a backdrop of ceremonial guard. It was followed by a private informal round table with Mr Bulaev.

Professor Smithers was a lead speaker at a seminar on the Modernization of Education held at the State University Higher School of Economics, which explored in particular funding, the tension between educating specialists and the populace, and how to put in place good ladders from school to work (national service helps!).

He later participated in a round-table discussion with Andrei Melville, the Vice-Rector, and other senior staff of MGIMO, the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, a university run by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, whose visiting dignitaries have included, among many others, Margaret Thatcher, Bill Clinton, Jacques Chirac and, most recently, Mahmoud Abbas. The topics covered included Buckingham as an international university, the Bologna Process, league tables and competency-based education.

Professor Smithers was expertly piloted around Moscow by Brook Horowitz and Aneta Szpyrka of the International Business Leaders Forum, taking in the Bolshoi ballet, the Kremlin and Red Square, with some great meals.

Report by the Web Team