New UNEVOC Network Member: TISBI University of Management, Kazan, Russian Federation

August 2013

The University of Management “TISBI” was established in 1992 and is one of the first non-state universities in the Russian Federation located in Kazan, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, with another three branches within the Republic. It offers programmes in Economics, Management, Humanities, Information Technologies, Law and Taxation but also secondary-level vocational programmes and continuous education classes for adult learners. The institution is also very active in terms of international cooperation, having established academic mobility programmes and links with other institutions outside the Russian Federation. The Rector of the University, Dr Nella Pruss, is holder of the UNESCO Chair in ‘Training and retraining of specialists under market economy conditions’ (since 1998) and the Secondary Faculty of the Institution is a UNESCO Associated School, which highlights the University’s longstanding cooperation with UNESCO.

The newly established UNEVOC Centre for professional education at the University of Management “TISBI” has the objective to share its progressive experience and knowledge, acquired through its wide range of programmes and activities, and contribute to the development of inclusive secondary vocational educational programs in the Republic of Tatarstan, with a specific focus on promoting access for people with disabilities.

Earlier this year, Ms Katerina Ananiadou, Programme Specialist at UNESCO-UNEVOC participated in a conference hosted by the University on “Improving the mechanisms of cooperation between UNESCO ASPnet, UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs and UNEVOC Centres for Sustainable Development: Challenges, Projects, Prospects”. The University’s application to become a UNEVOC Centre was strongly endorsed by the Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO.