On June 1st-4th KNRTU hosts MODEST (Modernization of Doctoral Education in Science (DTC) and Improvement of Teaching Methodologies) Partnership Meeting under Erasmus+ Program. The event is held in the mixed format. The representatives of several Russian and Armenian universities have managed to come to Kazan. KNRTU welcomes offline participants from National Polytechnic University of Armenia, Yerevan State University, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Moscow State University of Geodesy and Cartography, and Russian State Vocational Pedagogical University. Online participation is available via Zoom conference for the Consortium Coordinator – the University of Latvia, and others members of MODEST Consortium from Armenia, Belarus, Poland, and the Great Britain.

As a part of the program, KNRTU has created a distributed DTC for PhD students. Department of Foreign Languages for Professional Communication will be engaged in the development of soft skills. Research skills in chemistry will be trained at the Department of Physical and Colloid Chemistry. Postgraduate Studies Department will coordinate the activities of the divisions with general financial support from Erasmus+ MODEST Project by European Commission.

On June 1st, the Department of Foreign Languages for Professional Communication held the opening ceremony of the first DTC at KNRTU. Dr. Julia Ziyatdinova, the Department Chair, together with Elmira Kushaeva, Head of Postgraduate Studies Department, pressed the symbolic button and presented the possibilities of the center in soft skills. Artem Bezrukov, Associate Professor of Physical and Colloid Chemistry Department, demonstrated the equipment for interactive activities at the Center. He invited the Consortium members to test a virtual reality headset and virtually visit the University of Latvia.

Gulnaz Fakhretdinova and Ekaterina Tsareva, Associate professors of Foreign Languages for Professional Communication Department, demonstrated the work of a video studio where the guests were welcomed to record their greetings and comments.

The event will be complemented by cross meetings with the representatives of another Erasmus+ Consortium, called ENTER (Engineering Educators Pedagogical Training) where the University participates as well. Dr. Mansur Galikhanov, the leader of ENTER project at KNRTU and his colleague from Tambov State Technical University Elena Mischinko, Vice Rector for International Activities, took part in the opening of DTC. Dr. Mischinko noted that the Project was very important for the nurturing of a new young generation of researchers and their diversified education.

During the meeting, a course in Presentation Skills module (as implemented at KNRTU) and a meeting with KNRTU doctoral students who finished this course were held. The presentation of the module was conducted by Liliia Gazizulina, Associate Professor of Foreign Languages for Professional Communication Department. A course in Academic Writing module (as implemented at Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology) was given by Elena Bazanova, Director of the Language Training and Testing Center.

Gevorg Margarov, Head of Information Security and Software Department of National Polytechnic University of Armenia, noted the importance of this project for cooperation between Russia and Armenia and reminded that within the framework of this seminar will be signed an agreement on cooperation between our universities.

Armen Sargsyan, Head of Postgraduate and Doctoral Studies Department at Yerevan State University, noted that the Consortium will unite universities and research institutes in Russia, Europe and CIS countries.

The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

⚹The European Commission's support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.