On October 14th, professor Dmitry Endovitsky, Rector of VSU, met with Galina Ivanova, the First vice-director of the Regional Department of Education, Culture and Youth Policy, Elena Alexeeva, Head of the Department of French Philology at the Faculty of Romance and Germanic Philology and Head of the Regional French Centre, and Mireille Cheval, Chief coordinator of the French Culture Foundation Alliance Française in Russia (French Embassy). They discussed the opening of a French Cultural Centre of the Alliance Française Foundation on the site of the Regional French Centre in June 2015.
– The objective of the Alliance Française Centre in Russia is to promote the French language and culture and provide a foundation for business collaboration between France and Voronezh Region. The Foundation also carries out educational activities, and provides further professional training for school and university teachers. It also runs student exchange programmes, – said Mireille Cheval.
– VSU is not just a regional university; it is a university on a global level. We have contacts with many European universities, and it is an honour for me that you have decided to open a Alliance Française Centre in Voronezh. I am sure that we will see the results really soon, – said Dmitry Endovitsky.
– Opening a Alliance Française Centre in Voronezh will promote not only the French language in the Region, but encourage people to study the history of France and the French culture. The Department of Education will provide all the necessary support. We are eager to improve the knowledge and skills of our teachers, – said Galina Ivanova.
Ms Cheval told Dmitry Endovitsky that Jean-Maurice Ripert, the French Ambassador to Russia, has received the invitation and is now considering visiting VSU in the June 2015.
