Russia will assist Burkunabe students who have been affected by the unilateral restrictive measures of France, which has stopped issuing visas to citizens of Burkina Faso, including students already enrolled in French universities, Russian Deputy Science and Higher Education Minister, Konstantin Mogilevsky said.
"France's position proves that the Burkinabe authorities have made an absolutely correct decision to seek full sovereignty. The Russian Ministry of Education and Science, of course, will act as your strategic partner in this situation and will provide assistance to Burkinabe students in a difficult situation. Russia will act as a friend," Mogilevsky stressed during the meeting with Minister of Higher Education, Research and Innovation of Burkina Faso Adjima Thiombiano.
The Burkinabe minister emphasized that due to France's sanctions policy, the country's students "are deprived of the opportunity to start or continue their studies at French universities." The official also underlined that the West African country would like to "find a strategic partner in Russia and count on assistance in reorienting students to receive Russian education."
In this regard, Russian Minister of Science and Higher Education, Valery Falkov has already instructed to work on Burkina Faso's request and to take comprehensive measures to ensure that the country's students are able to get education in Russia.
In addition, Thiombiano highlighted that Russia's experience in education sphere is extremely important for the African country, since a large-scale reform of the education system is planned in Burkina Faso. Therefore, the minister asked to provide advisory assistance in carrying out this reform in order to take into account all important aspects of the formation of educational policy.
Moreover, the parties discussed other issues, including working on an intergovernmental agreement on mutual recognition of education and increasing academic mobility. The partners also expressed interest in joining the Russian-African Network University (RAFU) project.
The RAFU is a joint Russia-Africa initiative, which brings together 12 Russian universities and research centers experienced in working with the continent. The project aims to create a special educational and scientific space, which will provide the RAFU participants with access to a pool of courses and disciplines in Russian, English and French.