24 March 2016. Extended ceremonial meeting of KFU Academic Board was dedicated to conferring Honoris Causa por Kazan University to Prof. Michael Schmitz of the Institute of Agricultural Policy and Market Research, Justus Liebig University Giessen.  

Rector Ilshat Gafurov mentioned that the Board gave a unanimous decision to award Prof. Schmitz, a renowned expert in agricultural politics and economics, who made an invaluable contribution to the development of cooperation between Kazan University and Justus Liebig University Giessen by becoming Partnership Supervisor in 2013.

In particular, owing to the effort of Prof. Schmitz and his Kazan colleagues in 2013/2014 school year a new double-degree joint master’s program in Management was established. This program became the first international Master’s program at Kazan University, where part of the lectures was delivered in English. With direct involvement of Prof. Schmitz DAAD awarded a grant to finance exchange semester studies for Kazan and Giessen students. 9  students have already successfully completed this program and were awarded a double-diploma.

“We hope, that Professor Schmitz will bolster our future initiatives to design and implement double-degree programs in natural sciences, including the one on the basis of the KFU Institute of Environmental Sciences” summed Prof. Gafurov.

The newly-awarded professor expressed his gratitude to KFU staff and the Rector and added that this university is one of fastest growing higher education institutions in Russia. “I am delighted to be a part of this development. Honoris Causa of Kazan University Award will require certain commitment, which I proudly promise to make”.

At the end of the awarding ceremony, Honoris Causa delivered a lecture.