A conference “German-Russian relations and career: what prospects German program graduates see for Germany and Russia” was held from September 12 to September 14, 2013 in Kuban State University (Krasnodar).

The conference brought together about 50 participants – graduates of German programs trained in or sent for probation to German higher education institutions, organisations and enterprises.

German-Russian Forum, DAAD, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany and the association “Hallo Deutschland!” have become the event organisers.

Kazan Federal University was represented by an Associate Professor of the Department of the German Language of the Institute of Language, Ms. Ekaterina Alekseeva.

The conference program was very heavy. During the first day of the conference its participants were welcomed by the program coordinator of the German-Russian Forum, Mr. Artyom Lysenko, and the Rector of Kuban State University, Mr. Mikhail Astapov. The head of the Russian representative office of Henry Bell Fund, Mr. Yens Zigert, has become the moderator of the introductory discussion about Russia and German-Russian relations.

The following issues have become the topics for sessions of the second shift of the first day: what the differences between modern Russian and German societies are (in historical, sociocultural, economic, political respect); what connects them; what is considered to be important in interstate relations in the XXI century, etc. Doctor Ralf Bendish (the honorary consul of Germany in Krasnodarskiy region, Director of CLAAS, Ltd. in Krasnodarskiy region) and Oleg Zharko (chairman of the South regional committee of the European Business Association in the RF) took part in the round table “German-Russian relations development in Krasnodarskiy region”. The conference participants got information on how to encourage German companies to open branch offices in Russia. On the second day of the conference German program graduates participated in the master class “Project management – introduction to coaching”. In the framework of this master class they got an opportunity to present their own projects and discuss them.

German colleagues’ reports have become the final stage. One of them was devoted to modern state and prospects of cooperation between German and Russian higher education institutions (by the example of Berlin University of Technique and Economics and Kuban State University). The report about summer schools organised in Germany and Russia was of no less interest for the audience. The summer school format is widely spread abroad and now gaining popularity in Russia. The Russian and German parties’ representatives shared their valuable experience in this field.