Techno-capital Tomsk goes global to advertise for students.
The city is one of Siberia's oldest - and boasts the region's oldest university - yet today it has the youngest population anywhere in Russia. Picture: The Siberian Times
The historic city of Tomsk founded 410 years ago is well-known as an internationally-connected high-tech university hub, and now it is trumpeting this message to the world in search of foreign students, especially from Asia.
A new advertising campaign for the city and its oil-rich region launched this week on BBC World TV.
'Tomsk became the first region of Russia east of the Urals to be promoted on BBC,' said regional PR chief Alexei Sevostiyanov. 'We started this project nine months ago, and today it will be seen by the audience of BBC World News in the Asia-Pacific region.' It neatly encapsulates the region's strengths - T for Technologies, O for Oil, M for Medicine, S for Sport and K for Knowledge.
Tomskб founded 410 years ago is well-known as an internationally-connected high-tech university hub. Pictures: The Siberian Times
A growing trend in Siberian universities are programmes of study in English, the language in which the promotion is made. 'Today in our universities, the defining face of Tomsk, are students from 70 regions of Russia and from 45 countries,' added Sevostiyanov. 'And one of the main goals of the campaign is to attract to Tomsk a greater number of Asian students. 'In addition, we are announcing a summit of Asian cities, which will be held in Tomsk this week.'
The Asian push is consistent with Russia's current emphasis on seeing the Pacific region, rather than Europe, as its key market in the coming years.
The city is one of Siberia's oldest - and boasts the region's oldest university - yet today it has the youngest population anywhere in Russia.
In Soviet times, Tomsk was a 'closed city' - but now has a more open and fun feeling than almost anywhere. A useful snapshot guide in English is provided here by Tomsk Polytechnical University - one of the region's great educational institutions with a worldwide reputation.
Tomsk State University (up) and Tomsk Polytechnical University (down). Pictures: The Siberian Times, Vladimir Lavrentyev
For would-be students we have identified the following as a far-from-exhaustive list of study programs available in Tomsk:
Tomsk State University
Master’s programs in English:
Applied Mechanics : Mechanics of BioComposites, Design and Modeling its Structure
Regional Studies Russia : Siberian Region, Russia and the World
Management : Environmental Management - double degree program with the University of Vilnius (Lithuania)
Philology : Text creation and translation techniques
Philosophy : Humanitarian informatics
For more details look here.
Tomsk Polytechnic University
Bachelor-degree programs in English:
09.03.01. Computer Science and Technology
15.03.01. Mechanical Engineering
13.03.02. Electric Power Engineering and Electrical Engineering
38.03.02. Management
http://iie.tpu.ru/en/3_programs_english_bachelor.php
Master's programs in English:
22.04.01. Computer Simulation of Material Production, Processing and Treatment
22.04.01. Non-Destructive Testing Devices and Techniques
13.04.02. High-Voltage Physics and Engineering
11.04.04. Electronic Devices and Facilities
09.04.01. Networks and Communications
Comments (5)
To the lucky students...good luck with your studies.
I became more appreciative of this planet's beauty, My knowledge of how we should live in this world became even more acute. Now that is what the flora ,fauna and scenery did to me ,but of more significance importance were the inhabitants of this vast siberian region. A truly honest hard working people whose hearts are warmer than the siberian sun. Their strengths being their undeniable acceptance of the hardships ,isolation and those very icy winters
Will never forget all the Siberians I met. also will never forget a trip that turned from trepidation to exhilaration, An unexpected wonderful mind blowing experience that mesmerises me till this very day
Patrick