The Education Programme Russia as Area of Business Operations
Funded by Euregio Karelia Neighbourhood Programme 2001-2006

Objective of the project

This project was aimed at designing and implementing a high-quality education programme by utilising the know-how and the existing educational structures of the University of Applied Sciences and the University Centre, which would increase the business knowledge about Russia needed in business and corporate operations, combined with the knowledge of the Russian culture and language, inter-cultural communications and cooperation.

Main activities

• Realization of education programme increasing Russian knowledge and business know-how • Seeking for new partners, clarifying the operational possibilities for cooperation between Kajaani University of Applied Sciences and the University Center to strengthen Kainuu’s competence on Russian-know-how.

Achievements

The project implemented the extension education programme Russia as Area of Business Operations according to the plan in 2006-2007. The teachers were Finnish and Russian specialists in their respective fields. New learning material was developed for the education as required. The final size of the student group was 32 people, excluding those who opted out during the programme. Out of these, 20 students completed the education. The quantitative target was thus not quite reached, but the students evaluated the content of the courses and the implementation methods as good (average score 4.1), as was the case with regard to their own participation in the education (average score 3.7). The education programme increased Russian knowledge and business know-how in addition to knowledge of the Russian language and culture together with the orientation to cross-cultural communications and cooperation in the region. The courses on Russia also improved the readiness for businesses to operate in Russia and, on their part, diversified the image of Russia and improved general attitudes. The project looked for new partners and surveyed the operational cooperation possibilities of the Kajaani University of Applied Sciences and the University Centre to strengthen Russian know-how in Kainuu: at the end of the project, the survey of the operational cooperation possibilities was not yet complete. The cooperation with the University Centre will increase in the future, along with the consortium of higher education institutes. The advanced occupational studies in Russian business did not have enough applicants in 2008 and were not implemented for this reason. The programme will probably be offered again during the next few years. Studies in the Russian language and culture are still available in the field of applied sciences. The Kajaani University of Applied Sciences has also started a development project in Russian cooperation at the universities of applied sciences in East Finland, financed by the Ministry of Education, which has partly been based on the experiences of this completed project. The educational sectors also have cooperation with, among others, St Petersburg State University.