Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On the basis of the Tashkent Financial Institute, the Center for Open Education in Russian and Russian Language Teaching began its work. The project was launched by specialists of the subordinated Ministry of Education and Science of Russia, Syktyvkar State University (SGU) named after I.I. Pitirim Sorokin. The center provides an opportunity for people of all ages to receive free training in six educational programs.

The decision to open it was made after a visit by Russian teachers to the capital of Uzbekistan earlier this year. At the invitation of the Russian House (representative office of Rossotrudnichestvo), a delegation from Russia visited Tashkent, including Associate Professor of the Department of "Primary Education" of the Institute of Pedagogy and Psychology, Head of the Center for Interethnic Cooperation of the Saratov State University named after Pitirim Sorokina Valentina Maltseva.

“There are few Russian schools in the education system of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Moreover, they reduce the hours for studying the Russian language. And the department of Uzbek and Russian languages is actively working at the Tashkent Financial Institute. These circumstances prompted us to conclude a cooperation agreement and create a Center for Open Education in Russian and Russian Language Teaching,” said Valentina Maltseva.

Enlisting the support of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science and Tashkent colleagues, Valentina Maltseva prepared the project "Slavic language, in which there are no strangers." For its implementation, the teacher received a grant in the amount of almost 4 million rubles.

The Center will be useful not only to a wide range of students but also to teachers of the Tashkent Financial Institute. Their distance learning began in the summer. Teachers get acquainted with the methodology and practice of Russian education, modern creative ideas of colleagues from neighboring countries, as well as programs aimed at maintaining interest in learning the Russian language.

Both teachers from the Tashkent Institute and teachers from Syktyvkar will conduct classes at the language center. Interaction between Uzbek students and Russian teachers is planned to be carried out on an online platform specially created for the project. Children and adults will be able to study the Russian language for free, receive professional advice and have access to the language heritage through cultural, educational and information activities.

In total, six educational programs have been developed, after passing which students will receive elementary, basic or first level certificates. It is assumed that by the end of 2022, 308 people will be trained. The first educational course will end in December with the Slavonic Code festival.

This is the second large-scale international project implemented by SSU. In 2019, the Pedagogical Design project brought together students and teachers from Syktyvkar and the Kyrgyz Issyk-Kul State University named after. Kasym Tynystanov. On the basis of this university in the city of Karakol, the Center for Open Education in Russian and Russian Language Teaching was organized. To date, more than 1 thousand students from Kyrgyzstan have been trained in it.