CAMPUS NEWS
Week of April 9, 2001

Cal Poly Pomona Cooperates with Russian University

Cal Poly Pomona and Petrozavodsk State University in northeastern Russia have been collaborating for two years in the area of distance education under a State Department grant.

Recently, the president of Petrozavodsk State University visited Cal Poly Pomona from Feb. 6 to 9. President Victor Vassiliev was accompanied by Anatoliy Voronin, first vice president, Natalia Ruzanova, vice president for information technology, Vladimir Akulov, dean of the economics division, and Eugenia Sokolova, senior instructor.

President Bob H. Suzuki and President Vassiliev signed a letter of intent for cooperation between Cal Poly Pomona and Petrozavodsk State University. Suzuki also signed an agreement for the Northern European Open University, a consortium of universities dedicated to developing the Russian European North.

While here, the Russian delegation also participated in classes taught by College of Business Administration faculty Gail Waters and Jerry Rogers. President Vassiliev also signed a letter of intent for cooperation with James Burke, dean of the Collins School of Hospitality Management.

Back in January of 2000, eight faculty members from Petrozavodsk State University came here to learn about distance education, and five Cal Poly Pomona faculty visited Russia in August and September of 2000.

The International Center has submitted a proposal for a follow-on State Department grant in the areas of small business and tourism development in hopes of furthering the cooperative efforts between Cal Poly Pomona and Petrozavodsk State University.