Education Export Magazine published an article “Partnership between the Eurasian Peoples’ Assembly and the University of Cadiz” (PDF) by Deputy Head of the General Secretariat of the Eurasian Peoples' Assembly for International Cooperation, Professor, PhD in Economic Yulia Petrova.
On January 28, 2021, the University of Cadiz (Spain) and the Eurasian Peoples' Assembly signed two important agreements that will contribute to the development of a unique international volunteering program in Eurasia. The signing took place at the General Council meeting of the Assembly which was attended by the Secretary General of the Assembly Andrei Yuryevich Belyaninov, Rector of the University of Cadiz Francisco Piniella Corbacho, Vice-Rector for Internationalization, Rafael Jimenez Castaneda, Director General for Institutional Relations, Maria del Carmen Gomez Cama, Director of the International cooperation and volunteering German Jimenez Ferrer, Head of the «CUNEAC» Centre and the Pushkin Institute of the University of Cadiz Andres Santana Arribas, members of the Assembly’s General Secretariat, over 100 members and partners of the Assembly from more than 20 countries.
The University of Cadiz was established long before it was formally established. Cadiz's higher education dates back to the 15th century, when the College of Pilotos Vizcaínos was established, and later, in the 18th century, the Royal College of Naval Surgery. Centuries of development of higher education and experience as a campus of the University of Seville allowed the University of Cadiz to be legislated on October 30, 1979.
Since then, the University of Cadiz has grown significantly, consolidating its teaching, research, international and socio-cultural activities on four Andalusian campuses in Cadiz, Jerez, Puerto Real and Bahía de Algeciras. At the moment, the University has the most extensive infrastructure and offers the largest number of educational programs (44), double degrees (19), master's (54) and doctoral (20) programs. The University's faculty is one of the most diverse and influential in its history, it includes 36 Honorary Doctors (Honoris Causa). Also, the University is a recognized authority on sustainable development. The quality of the university was noted by the EFQM 500+ European Excellence Quality Award.
Today the University of Cadiz is an international academic benchmark. It coordinates the activities of the World Mari-time Centre of Excellence and leads the “European University of the Seas” consortium (SEA-EU) and is the second Spanish university for International Credit Mobility Erasmus and the first for Mobility in Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. During these forty years of its existence, this University in Southern Europe built bridges of knowledge, tolerance and culture between Europe, Africa, America and the post-Soviet space. Today the University of Cadiz became a recognized leader in international cooperation.
The University of Cadiz is the only in Spain to have 3 special divisions for the development of projects with Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia: the International University Centre for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (CUNEAC), the Pushkin Institute and the Pushkin Library. Thanks to these divisions, the University is a leader in partners (over 100), projects and readership in Spanish in the post-Soviet space n 2019, Russian President Vladimir Putin noted this cutting-edge work by awarding the Pushkin Medal to the University.
The signing of agreements between the two organizations took place in the presence of members and partners of the Assembly not by chance. This was due to the exceptional importance of the planned programs for the Eurasian continent, which will be available for participation by all Assembly members. The agreements signed on January 28 be-tween the Eurasian Peoples' Assembly and the University of Cadiz demonstrate the commitment of both organizations and mutual interest in achieving the goals and objectives of sustainable development, approved in the Agenda of the United Nations General Assembly for the period up to 2030, through building a multifaceted, just society with the involvement of volunteering for development, cooperation and education.
This agreement is especially important because it rests on the deep ties that exist between Russia and the countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, supported by the University of Cadiz and the Eurasian Peoples' Assembly.
Promoting International Volunteer Programs for sustain-able development, the partners plan to conduct seminars, training and research events, aimed at international volunteer development and organization of exchange o student volunteers of bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes. The rector of the University of Cadiz stated at the official signing ceremony: “Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia are a real priority in our strategy of internationalization and cooperation, and we believe in the idea of Eurasia as a space for coexistence and cooperation between the peoples of Europe and Asia”.
The International Volunteer Program is the result of a comprehensive study of the needs of the non-profit organizations of the Eurasian space active in public diplomacy. Many local communities rely on volunteers for success. Moreover, this Program is equally valuable for all parties involved. The volunteers, being familiar with the local culture, can better understand what makes a community successful or what might be required, and they can take appropriate actions to achieve the goal. As a result of the study, the Eurasian Peoples' Assembly received interested responses from NGOs from almost all regions of Russia, as well as from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Also, the joint promotion of International Volunteer Programs with the University of Cadiz, due to its unique geographical and consolidating position, opens up the possibility for further involvement of representatives of the African continent and Latin America in these programs.