NON-STATE UPPER VOLGA INSTITUTE
Yurij.Lotoshko
Yurij.Lotoshko at tversu.ru
Thu Aug 27 11:34:27 UTC 1998
NON-STATE UPPER VOLGA INSTITUTE
The initiative to establish an Institute belonged to a group,
guided by a Distinguished Member of the Russian Academy of
Science, Dr.Piotr Nikolaev, and was composed of Dr. Irena
Aksenova and Dr.Taisia Dolgova who started up the Institute in
August 1993. The project was supervised by the International
Educational Center, Tver Committee on Municipal Property, Tver
State Technical University Administration and Educational
Institution, Polinom.
Upper Volga began with such part-time courses as <Social Worker>,
designed for employees of orphanages, assisted care facilities
etc. of the federal and local authorities. Additionally, courses
in management for personnel of Tver Committee on Municipal
Property were offered. Joint American-Russian academic programs
began with <Small Business in the USA>, designed for people
contemplating starting up a business, as well as the already
established businessman. A popular course, <TOEFL> (Test of
English as a Foreign Language), provided a course in the English
language for foreign students and post graduate students,
preparing to take the international <TOEFL> test.
Many outstanding and well-known doctors and professors held their
courses at the Upper Volga Institute. By contacting numerous
international organizations and committees, funds were made
available to the Upper Volga Institute to invite foreign
professors that made the academic programs even more popular and
sought after.
Through the CDC (Citizen Democracy Corporation Washington-Moscow)
Upper Volga Institute established contacts with businessmen from
the USA who held seminars on such topics as <Real-Estate
Operations in America> (given by Mr. Greg Vine, realtor from
Venice, Florida, USA); <Small Business Organization in the USA>
(given by Mr. William Webb, practical businessman from Venice,
Florida, USA); <How to Get Foreign Investments & Joint Ventures>
(given by Prof. Henry Saunders of the University of Maine, USA;
<Bank and Banking in the USA> (given by Mr. Tom Conner,
bank-owner from Indiana, USA) as well as other guest speakers,
prominent in their respective fields.
After three years of educational activities, the Institute was
issued a State License (signed by the Minister of Higher
Education of Russian Federation, Mr. Kinelev) authorizing the
Institute to act as a Non-State Institution of Higher Learning,
with the right to confer a Bachelor's Degree. Four departments
were formed: Economics, Psychology, Linguistics & Sociology.
The aim of the Upper Volga Institute is to integrate the
institute into an international educational structure. This will
enable it to award an internationally accepted certificate of
completion (Diploma), start reciprocal academic programs;
exchange specialists & experts and teaching methods & techniques.
Upper Volga Institute is favorably located on the highway between
Moscow and St.Petersburg - and is within easy reach of all
leading scientific-educational institutions in these cities.
Goals of Upper Volga Institute.
The goal of the project is to achieve an active participation of
the Institute in the stable development of the Russian education
concept, by means of creating an international scientific center,
designed to train specialists in various fields such as
economics, sociology, psychology and many others. The Institute
is seeking to resurrect the traditions of classical Russian
education, combined, however, with the newest world achievements
in this sphere.
It is hoped that the Institute will become a meeting place for
many scientists from all over the world, who will come to share
their ideas, thoughts and discoveries. This will enable Tver's
scientists to acquire new contacts in the academic world.
This project will also demonstrate the common interest of both
state and non-state educational institutions in the problems that
exist nowadays in all higher education systems.
Marketing Research.
According to the data published in <Guide Book for College &
University Applicants>, 1997 edited by A.Obolensky, there are, in
Tver, 7 registered State Universitites, as well as 5 non-state
Universities & Institutes. Of these, only 3 are situated in the
central city area, convenient to transportation, libraries, etc.
And the Upper Volga Institute is fortunate to be in this
exclusive group.
Even under these circumstances, many students, well qualified
both academically as well as psychologically could not be
accommodated by the State Universities & Institutes which brought
about the need for alternative institutions such as the UVI.
However, students are not accepted at the Upper Volga Institute
indiscriminately, but, on the contrary, require examination and
acceptance by our certified <Board of Psychological Testing> to
determine their suitability for placement. As the UVI is
sanctioned as a non-profit, or not for-profit, institute, fees
have been established at a minimum US $ 1,000 for one year at
full-time departments and US $ 500 dollars part-time per annum.
Those necessary fees have been established after extensive
research of average family incomes in Tver, as well as charges
for equivalent institutions.
An advantage of the UVI is its staff, the way it is being built
and the atmosphere it produces. We are proud to say that we
invite academicians and professors from the Universities of
Moscow, St. Petersburg & Tver, as well as from abroad - the
University of Main, Eckerd College, Florida, USA; University of
Hertfordshire, GB. Leading scientists of Russia - academicians
Dr. Piotr Nikolayev, Dr. Igor Besstuzhev-Lada, Professor Vladimir
Burmistrov are on the staff at Upper Volga. Young lecturers and
instructors work side by side with the distinguished scholars who
share their priceless experience with them.
The psychologists of Upper Volga Institute have developed a
number of tests that are taken by the candidates applying to
teach at Upper Volga. Needless to say that the results of this
screening encourages a friendly and warm atmosphere & contacts
between the teachers and professors; which helps to avoid
conflicts and, as a consequence, results in positive
students-teacher relationship.
A great number of the already existing curricula (being applied
both in Russia and abroad (USA & GB)) have been analyzed and
thoroughly studied by the Academic Programs Committee, which
enabled our specialists to use the data and compile new
curricula. The fact that they combine the best features of the
existing material up-dated to the situation in Russia, and that
they meet international educational requirements, allow us to
consider the curricula universal, perspective and unique in a
way.
In May 1997 there was an Agreement of Intentions signed between
the Upper Volga Institute, and the University of Herdfordshire
(the Department of Psychology). In the very near future it is
anticipated that a number of joint academic programs in
Psychology will be worked out and, consequently, a joint,
Russian-English Certificate of Completion (Diploma) be awarded.
The facts above mentioned prove the well-timed appearance of the
Upper Volga Institute as a non-state institution. The
opinion-polls data and analytical research show that the
Institute organically fits the educational infra-structure of
Tver, and definitely has prospects in terms of development. Our
aim is to train specialists and help the community, the region
and the country as a whole.
The Design Project
For the past three years, the administration of the Institute has
followed the compulsory steps needed to obtain a license, which
was finally issued on December 6, 1996. According to this
document, the <Upper Volga Institute> is authorized to provide
educational services in the sphere of higher and professional
education. The Rector, Dr. Irena Aksenova, applied to the Tver
Committee of the Municipal Property, in order to secure a
permanent facility to house and expand its present operation.
After some time it was decided to lease the 4th floor of a 5
storey building located in the center of Tver (Mailing address:
170000 Tver Trehsvyatskaya street, # 6). The location is
favorable from the point of view of transportation as well as its
proximity to the central libraries.
The right for long-term lease (15 years) is fixed in Order # 119
of February 27, 1997 issued by the Tver Committee on municipal
property; Lease Contract # 993 of March 26, 1997 and Additional
Agreement to the Contract dated May 14, 1997 issued by the
mentioned above Committee. According to these documents, Upper
Volga Institute has rented the 4th floor of the building located
at 170000 Tver Trehsvyatskaya street, # 6. It comprises a total
of 551,9 square meters. The rented space was at one time a
workshop, and has to be reconstructed and changed to class-rooms,
lecture-rooms and offices by means of new wall erections.
The architect company <Design Center> (Russian Union of
Designers) has worked out the reconstruction project. It will
include construction works, smoothing and finishing and there
will be one rector's office; teaching staff office; manager's
office; 2 offices and several classrooms.
Project's Value
Rent costs 2,258,313 roubles + VAT monthly, and is paid by the
Institute in accordance with the Agreement. According to the
project documentation, the work will cost 441,704,029 roubles
(project dated May 18, 1997) which is approximately US $
82,000.00.
In order to equip a library, computer class-room and to buy
necessary furniture it is estimated that the total overall cost
will be approximately t US $ 20,000.
By distributing this booklet we are seeking to find sponsors, who
may be willing to support and help our new emerging Institution.
We would be happy to consider ANY of your offers, should it be a
donation of computers, books for our library or financial aid.
If you require any further information about us or our city,
please, feel free to contact us at:
phone/fax: in Tver, Russia 7 0822 314 314
e-mail: upper215 at tstu.tver.ru
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