The visit of the students from Saxion University of Applied Sciences of the Netherlands

12.10.2014

On September 22-27, the Faculty of Journalism of Lomonosov Moscow State University hosted the visit of the students from Saxion University of Applied Sciences of the Netherlands. The visit took place within the cooperation between the Faculty of Journalism of Lomonosov Moscow State University and Saxion University of the Netherlands. The cooperation began in March 2014, after the subscription of the memorandum of understanding.

The students of the Dutch university already visited the Faculty of Journalism in 2014 as the participants of the annual English-speaking spring school, Russian Media and Journalism Spring School. The teaching staff and researchers of the university regularly take part in the international academic conference Moscow Readings at the Faculty of Journalism of Lomonosov Moscow State University.

The main goal of this visit was the work on the research project devoted to the difference between Russian and Dutch cultures. The Dutch students visited the Faculty of Journalism, editorial offices of Moscow mass media, conducted some interviews with Russian journalists and got to know main cultural sights of Moscow. The students of the Faculty of Journalism actively took part in planning and organization of the visit of the Dutch delegation.

The students of the Faculty of Journalism of Lomonosov Moscow State University about the visit of the delegation from Saxion University:

The organization of the visit of the students from the Netherlands required a lot of arrangements both from the Faculty of Journalism of Lomonosov Moscow State University and from Saxion University. I think, this visit lived up to all expectations. Personally I was very pleased to get to know such interesting guests. With great relish I noticed my own improved colloquial English, discovered lots of new things in the culture and traditions of the Netherlands, and of course, for my part, I tried to show not a stereotypic Moscow, but a real one. I’ll be very glad, if there is an opportunity to return a visit to the students.
(Anastasiya Pankova, 2 year)

I was very pleased to communicate with the guys, because it’s language practice, new people, new culture. It was interesting to talk to them about journalism in our countries, about different points of view on the same issues. Everything was interesting with them. I hope to see these guys again, especially since they would like to test themselves and to live in Moscow in winter. I’m glad to have such a good opportunity, glad that our guests liked everything, that they liked Moscow, and that we all had a very good time.
(Darya Koledyuk, 3 year)

This experience left only positive impressions. First of all, this is a wonderful language practice offered by our faculty. And of course, getting to know the Dutch students is the new format of communication and consolidation of connections between the Netherlands and Russia. Personally for me the most useful thing was the stories of the students about the European, particularly about the Dutch system of journalism teaching. I understood, we have a bit different approach to the fourth estate, and this is an amazingly interesting phenomenon. We perceive journalism in a different way, but this helps us teach each other showing new methods, new vision of mass media. Some of the guys already work for large Dutch mass media companies, and for me it was interesting to learn some features of work in editorial offices of this country.
(Anna Samrina, 4 year)

A walk to see the Ostankino TV tower turned out to be not very good due to the weather. Having come to the viewing platform, we and our Dutch guests didn’t see anything, except clouds, and the excursion was conducted in Russian only. But it didn’t upset our guests. In informal surroundings we discussed marketing and journalism in Russia and the Netherlands, and also talked about the campus life in different countries. Talking to the Dutch students left lots of positive emotions and new impressions.
(Olga Shmelyova, 4 year)

The week with the Dutch students was wonderful. I discovered a lot of new things. For example, I came to the conclusion that Russian and Dutch people are extremely similar, but they differently perceive the role of journalists in the society and the mission of journalism on the whole. For me this is an excellent format of talking, the only thing – I’d love to work with them on some common project. We talked a lot about journalisms, and that opened my eyes to many aspects of my profession, and it would be great to implement these ideas in practice.
(Anastasiya Bushuyeva, 5 year)