Fourth-year students of Samara National Research University, Elizaveta Mischishina and Egor Simanov, completed their pre-graduation internships at leading companies in Moscow. This opportunity was made possible for future specialists in the field of international relations thanks to the support of the Russian Federation Senator and Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs Farit Mukhametshin, as well as Governor of the Samara Region Dmitry Azarov.

In 2020, at the Samara National Research University, on the initiative of Farit Mukhametshin, together with the President of Samara University Viktor Soyfer, and with the support of Governor Dmitry Azarov, the Regional Centre for the Development of Public Diplomacy and International

Relations named after Yevgeniy M.

Primakov was created. This platform has become a vital tool for expanding international cooperation and developing cultural and humanitarian ties among young people in the Samara region.

As part of the internship in Moscow, the students gained firsthand experience from experts and became more familiar with the practical aspects of their profession. Elizaveta interned at the Department of Information Security at the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications, and Mass Media of the Russian Federation. She expressed a keen interest in the field of digital diplomacy and international information security—topics closely related to her thesis.

Egor, for his part, chose to intern at the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences. He was drawn to this institution due to its high evaluations from both Russian and Western experts, as well as the opportunity to interact directly with them.

At the beginning and end of the internship, the students met with the Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs, Farit Mukhametshin.

They not only learned more about the work of the Federation Council Committee, but also discussed pressing global issues and the prospects for international relations students of the Samara Region. The students admitted that the opportunity to ask questions in person was truly unique for them, allowing for deeper insights into their chosen field.   

Both students emphasized the importance of such experience exchanges for regional development. Elizaveta noted:

— The region is interested in training qualified personnel in the field of international relations, as Samara actively develops its foreign relations. Internships like these significantly enhance the level of future professionals. There is a possibility that after getting acquainted with „big politics”, some students will want to leave for other regions. However, having such experience behind them and taking into account the region’s interest in new personnel, students will be able to get a job with their degree in the Samara Region.

Egor supports his colleague’s perspective on internships and believes such practical training should be implemented on a permanent basis:

— The work of an international relations specialist isn’t just theoretical – it requires hands-on experience. How else can we understand expert community perspectives on global events or learn how foreign policy decisions are made, if not by asking directly? How can we comprehend the work of diplomatic services or state apparatus without seeing it from within? This kind of hands-on knowledge can’t be measured by academic thesis standards, yet it fundamentally impacts both the quality of your graduate research and your understanding of the subject matter.

Photo: pixabay 

Source: sova.info