Strategy:

Promote international understanding and tolerance of differences between Tula and the Capital Region. Expand distance learning. Share the best educational practices from both cities.

This is done by:

1. Encouraging bridges in education and the arts as powerful means for creating and environment for a better life.
    
2. Supporting professional and student exchanges in educational and cultural institutions.



3. Advancing post secondary education and the retraining of adults or preparation of adults for productive employment and involvement in the global economy.
    
4. Promoting exchanges in the visual and performing arts to promote intercultural understanding and appreciation of the arts.

 

EDUCATION

An early project of the Alliance was the sponsorship of two students from Tula in the MBA program at the College of St. Rose in Albany. Both received their MBA degrees in December 1995. The Alliance organized programs for three other college students from Tula, with local colleges and universities providing full scholarships. Two students from Tula studied in the graduate language department at the University of Albany for one year. Another student studied for a semester at Hudson Valley Community College.

In January 1996, the rectors of the two main universities in Tula, Tula State University and Tolstoy Pedagogical University spent ten days in the Capital Region on a visit sponsored by the Alliance. They visited colleges and universities in the Capital Region and met with campus presidents and senior faculty members and administrators. Their visit was particularly useful for future planning of student and faculty exchanges, and for determining the specific needs of these important institutions of higher learning in Tula.

Subsequently, two professors from Tula State University spent the Fall 1996 semester at the Albany Medical Center Hospital studying environmental medicine and building a computer database system to track the incidence of medical problems stemming from environmental conditions in the Tula region. Two young English language instructors from Tolstoy Pedagogical University also spent the Fall 1996 semester in Albany attending classes in teaching methodology, marketing, management, and computer methods in teaching at the University at Albany. In 1997 two other professors, one from the Tula State University and one from the Tula Pedagogical University spent time in Albany under sponsorship of the Education and Culture Committee. In 1998 two English professors from the Tula Pedagogical University spent one month in the Capital District, visiting secondary schools, colleges and universities.

In other programs, three talented teenage musicians from Tula were supported at the New York State Summer School for the Arts in Saratoga Springs and three language professors from the Pedagogical University in Tula have spent visits of at least one month visiting local colleges and universities. In addition, several educators from Tula have been sponsored to attend educational conferences in the Capital Region.

In each of the visit programs sponsored by the Alliance, members have organized local and regional tours to assist with the visitors cultural orientation. Trips to Boston, New York City, Washington DC and Niagara Falls have been scheduled.

In the other direction, a Russian language major from the Capital Region worked in the English Department at the Pedagogical University in Tula. Two other Capital Region teachers have taught in Tula for several-week periods. A Ph.D. candidate from the Capital Region spent the 1993-94 academic year teaching English in Tula. Two professors from Hudson Valley Community College spent two weeks at the Pedagogical University in 1994.

In the Fall of 1996, three recent graduates of the University at Albany and an emeritus professor of Modern Languages from Russell Sage College assisted with English language classes at Tolstoy Pedagogical University.

Teachers, administrators and students from five elementary and secondary schools in Tula and the Capital Region have been matched and connected with culture-sharing and exchange programs. Regular communication is maintained through the Intemet and electronic mail. The Maplewood Elementary School in Albany took a group of students to Tula in April 1996.

The work and close contact of Alliance members with the higher education establishment in Tula assisted the efforts of Tula State University in obtaining a designation as one of 32 Internet connection sites throughout Russia. This project, funded by a $100 million grant from the Sores Foundation, has made possible closer, faster connections and communication between the two partners in the Alliance. In the fall of 1998 we have established distance communication centers between the School of Public Health at the University at Albany and the Tula State University. These centers now allow daily, interactive communication.

 

Cultural Activities

The cultural activities and exchanges sponsored by the Alliance have directly enriched thousands of lives in Tula and the Capital Region, and have been the impetus for school children and adults to learn about each other's cultures.

A collection of children's art from Tula was mounted and circulated among many schools in the Capital Region, as well as museums and other not-for-profit organizations. Programs on Tula and Russian fairy tales were also presented.

The five schools from the Capital Region that have exchange relationships with schools in Tula have sent art collections and library books to Tula on two occasions.

The Albany Symphony Orchestra commissioned a new work for orchestra and balalaikas, arranged through the Alliance. The piece had its world premier for the opening set of concerts of the 1994-95 season with the Yasnaya Polyana Balalaika Ensemble from Tula. The ensemble spent two weeks preceding the concerts donating their services to give concert previews to groups of school children at two or three schools a day. Over 6,000 children heard the concert previews.

The Capital Region also welcomed five gymnasts from Tula who performed in local schools for two weeks. They recently returned for an international gymnastic competition held in Albany.

The Puppet Theater of Tula performed at schools and not-for-profit organizations and conducted workshops at the Albany High School in puppet making.

From the Capital Region, the Jazz Ensemble from the College of St. Rose and the C St. Jazz Ensemble of the St. Cecilia Orchestra has given concerts in Tula. Local pianist and University at Albany faculty member Findlay Cockrell, during two trips to Tula, performed at recitals and in concert with a Tula musicians' group.

The Alliance has given four small grants for small business development in arts and crafts in Tula. Fabric dolls and decorative wood crafts have been sold in the Capital Region, generating funds and encouragement for the producers in Tula.

November 9, 2006: Read about the Open World-supported visit of Tula teachers and librarians to Albany, The Times Union.

January 2006: MBA Capstone Team Takes on Russia GCUU Newsletter Winter/Spring 2006