Exchange program with IAE AIX-MARSEILLE
Bachelor Program
January - June
2019 - 2020 Academic year
Part 1: Whole stay and organization in Russia
I find the management of the arrival and the before arriving really well managed. The RANEPA team gives good help for the visa application, gives advice and support, and where present for all inquiries that I may have.
Furthermore, it was really reassuring to have a body student to help us at the arrival like to have a taxi driver to go to the university. However, concerning the body student, it may be interesting that this latter is enrolled in the same program of study that us because personally I didn’t have any other contact with this person during my stay and sometimes it would be helpful to have the phone contact of a student in the class for asking questions etc.
During the whole period stated in Russia, I found the IBS-Moscow staff especially Zemfira available and helpful. Giving full advice and help through all issues encountered. However, it may be interesting to organize more after school activities with Russian students to stronger ties with them. In the same way, I think it could be interesting to organize some activities for exchange students like visiting some company in Moscow for example.
A point that was quite difficult to manage for me during my stay is that most of the staff, especially at the dormitory, couldn’t speak English. It was difficult to communicate with them and sometimes a little confusing. The advice that I can stay is that, it may be more comfortable for exchange students if they will have more staff who speak a little English in the staff, especially a doctor. Another point that can be improved according to me is the cleaning in the room. During my stay, the cleaner didn’t clean my room and at the end it was quite dirty and my roommate and I had to buy some cleaning stuff to do it by ourselves.
Last, an oven in the kitchen can be useful but it may be prohibited for security issues.
To conclude this part, I wanted to say that I really enjoy my stay in Russia and at IBS RANEPA. Moscow is a beautiful city with a lot of things to discover and all the people that I meet were really nice. It was a great experience for me that I would recommend.
Part 2: Face to Face Study
Concerning face to face study and also home study, one of the main things it didn’t like was that the course schedule was sent each week. I would have preferred to have a monthly planning that had enabled me to have a better overview and enable us to plan in advance our days and journey in Russia (especially for planning my travels in Russia in advance).
Also, one or two times we, exchange students, weren't aware of some schedule changes and canceled class (but Russian student was). So, it had happened that we went to the class as scheduled and waited for it, but at the end the class canceled, and we didn’t have any information about it and the reasons. Still concerning the schedule, one of the things I didn’t like much was that sometimes we didn’t have time for lunch, and lunch time is really important in my culture. I think it is more a cultural difference.
Concerning the face to face class running, I like it. The contents were interesting, assignment clear and goal well defined by the teachers. The class environment was caring and open, with exchanges. But maybe sometimes a little be too theoretical but on the whole it was ok. It depends of course on the teacher and his way of teaching.
So to conclude with the face to face study, I like:
- The content of the class
- Class atmosphere and exchanges
- Group projects
I dislike:
- Schedule organization
- Lack of information
Part 3: Home study
Concerning home study, I find that the university has well adapted to the unpredictable crisis and quickly. The new study format was implemented fast and the explanation according to the utilization of it was clear and easy. So, well done, as I know in my home country and university, they take more time to implement it.
I didn’t have any particular issue concerning home study except that it was more difficult for us to communicate with other students for the group project for example. But this isn’t an issue that IBS RANEPA could manage according to the context. By the way, for some projects, it was difficult to communicate with some students, as we didn’t have their personal contact. So, I could suggest that it could be interesting to send us a contact list of the other students, especially Russian ones, which will have facilitated communication between students.
Despite the distance, most of the teachers were available by email and answered our inquiries quickly, which is a good point.
My feedback,
I like:
- Staff support during our stay in Russia and before,
- Greeting in Russia and the body student
- The courses contents, class atmosphere, teachers available, group projects
- Quick management of the sanitary crisis by proposing a new format of class, well explain and easy to use.
- Russia, the city of Moscow.
I dislike:
- Schedule management and lack of information
- Difficulties to contact student during home study
- Language barrier with dormitory staff
- Cleaning in the dormitory
- Lack of activities organized for exchange students would have enabled us to have a better integration with Russian students and better understanding and discovery of Russia.
Suggestion:
- Have a monthly schedule and be aware like Russian student to any changes. Be considered at the same level than Russian Students.
- Disposal of a contact list of all students we may need to work with during home study.
- Have more staff speaking English at the dorms, especially a doctor.
- Have a weekly cleaning of the dorms room,
- Organize some activities with Russian students like after class coffee for or a day tour with Russian students.
- Organize activities for exchange students like visiting a Russian company.
