From 31 May until 9 June of 2007, PEN-Russia partner institutions were visited by RIT Vice President Hurwitz, PEN Director DeCaro, PEN Coordinator for Russia Shustorovich and PEN-Russia Director Stanevsky (see the attached schedule). The delegation visited TISBI (Kazan), Novosibirsk State Technical University and its Institute of Social Rehabilitation (Novosibirsk) and Bauman Moscow State Technical University (Moscow).
TISBI:
From 1 to 3 June the delegation participated in events at TISBI where they inspected the new PEN-International multimedia lab in the new academic building of the institute. The laboratory was built in part by funds provided from PEN but the large bulk of the investment in the lab came from TISBI and the Government of the Novosibirsk Region. During the lab visit, the videoconference capabilities of the lab and that of Novosibirsk were demonstrated by a video lecture between TISBI and he Institute of Social Rehabilitation at Novosibirsk State Technical University. The delegation also attended the formal presentation by one of TISBI's students who is deaf for her baccalaureate degree.
The delegation met with Rector Pruss of TISBI and the First Deputy Prime Minister of Kazan, Mr. Ravil Muratov. Dr. DeCaro and Dr. Hurwitz complimented the Vice Premiere and Rector Pruss on Kazan's progress educating men and women who are deaf at TISBI and also thanked him for the financial support that the Kazan Government has provided TISBI to educate deaf students. Minister Muratov affirmed his commitment to working closely with TISBI to help it become a center for tertiary education of men and women who are deaf in Tartarstan. Finally, Dr. Hurwitz greeted the president of the Kazan Association of the Deaf.
Novosibirsk:
From 3 to 5 June the delegation visited Novosibirsk State Technical University and its Institute for Social Rehabilitation. The delegation meet with Rector Pustovoi and expressed how impressed they were with his support for the program for students who are deaf at his university. In particular, they were struck by his commitment to bring the Institute for Social Rehabilitation onto the main campus of NSTU and to construct a new building for the Institute. This will contribute significantly to the integration of deaf students and will serve to expand the opportunities for hearing and deaf students to live and study together. Following the meeting the delegation participated in the international seminar regarding deafness at the university
The delegation spent considerable time at the university Institute for Social Rehabilitation. They found the ISR to be well run...with a coherent and achievable mission. The delegation indicated an interest in working with NSTU over the next few years to elevate the ISR to the level of a National Institute for Social Rehabilitation. With the support of the Russian Federation, the ISR can become a center of excellence for services for men and women who are deaf from across Siberia.
The delegation also met with the Vice Premiere of the Novosibirsk Region. Further, the delegation visited the PEN-International multimedia lab at the ISR. The facility was built in part with funds from PEN but the bulk of the investment was made by the university. Finally, the delegation visited classes at the ISR and participated in the awards celebration at the institute.
Bauman:
From 5 to 9 June, the delegation participated in the International Conference On Disability at Bauman. In addition, a meeting of all PEN-Russia partner institutions was held at the Center on Deafness at Bauman. The meeting was co-chaired by Dr. Stanevsky and Dr. DeCaro. At the meeting, discussions were held with two representatives of Chelyabinsk State University (Dr. Elena Martynova and Professor Daria Romanenkova) regarding the university joining PEN-Russia. It was agreed that a Declaration of Agreement to Cooperate would be signed by CSU, Bauman, NTID, PEN-Russia and PEN-International, that Dr. DeCaro would then visit CSU and a detailed agreement with CSU would be signed. Finally, Dr. DeCaro indicated to the PEN-Russia membership that it is expected that all PEN partners around the world need to move toward self-sufficiency in terms of funding since this is one of the expectations of PEN-International and The Nippon Foundation.
