Institutional Cooperation

The Institute's research fellows have always been paying great attention to educational activities and training younger generations of scholars. A lot of the researchers of the IAS teach at universities. The IAS maintains contacts with over 15 universities in Moscow and other cities of Russia and has entered into cooperation with 8 of them on a contractual basis.

In 2013, the Department of African and Arabic Studies was established at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN) with the aim of facilitating the integration of scientific and educational spheres, with researchers of the IAS forming the backbone of the staff of the new department.

The Department of African and Arabic Studies is chaired by Alexei Vasiliev, Academician of the RAS and the Honorary President of the IAS. The educational and scientific activities of the department aim to equip students not only with research skills, but also to share the practical experience of working with Africans and Arabs. Some of the theoretical and practical classes are held at the IAS.

Over the past 6 years, the Department, which now offers to students 15 distinct disciplines, has achieved significant results in academic and scientific work. Every year undergraduate and graduate students of the Department undergo on-site training at the IAS. Among the undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate students of the Department there are both Russian and foreign nationals.

The Institute has also developed close relations with the Institute of Asian and African Studies of Moscow State University, Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO University) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, National Research University Higher School of Economics, The Russian State University for the Humanities, Moscow State Linguistic University, Saint Petersburg State University, The Yaroslavl Demidov State University and other institutions of higher education. The cooperation activities include holding joint conferences, writing textbooks and teaching aids, publishing in university journals, lecturing, accepting students for pre-degree training, preparing feedback on theses and dissertations, etc.

The Institute for African Studies continuously involves undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate students in its research and forum activities with the aim of building a human resource base for subsequent studies and employment at the IAS. For the same purpose, the Institute has developed and implemented a mentoring program, within the framework of which experienced Africanists advise students interested in Africa. The annual School of Young Africanists, which specifically targets students and young university scholars, also plays an important role in attracting young specialists to work at the IAS and improving their professional qualifications.