Darya Gerasimenko, the scientist from the University of St. Gallen (Switzerland), visited SSAU

The Department of Economics and Management at the Samara State Aerospace University (SSAU) is known for its high quality faculty. This was recently reaffirmed by the visit of one extraordinary person.

Students and lecturers met the scientist from the University of St. Gallen (Switzerland) who gave lectures to the students and the faculty of the Department of Economics and Management during three days (2 – 4 March).

These lectures, as it was expected, were much more than just high-level lectures. There was an opportunity to get to know up-to-date unique information in the area of industrial and trade policy through the data from the Global Trade Alert (GTA) initiative, to look at the newest trends in the sustainable development research, as well as to get an advice on how to apply for grants and scholarships abroad. 
 

Everyone thought that “Swiss scientist” speaks with an accent or a translator, but Darya Gerasimenko, who graduated from Kazan Federal University (KFU), saved audience from this inconvenience. However, the word “research” was used without translation. We took an interview with her to get more insights. 

 

- Why did you choose SSAU as a place for you visit in Russia? 
 

- I was invited to come here to share my knowledge and experience. I was wondering about this new trend to invite professors from abroad (“Visiting Professor” programme). This approach was not popular when I lived and studied in Russia 10-15 years ago. I was not sure that something has changed. I went to the website of SSAU to check out the Development Roadmap, which describes SSAU’s ambition to get into top-100 universities of the world by 2020. It was the first time that I saw something so precise and ambitious in the system of high education in Russia. I got curious and decided to come here and support this process. Many people from the post-soviet countries went abroad to get better quality of education, because Russian system of high education was falling into decay. 

 

- So, was it the reason why you left Russia? 
 

- Yes, I knew that things should be different in the high education system (among other issues), but the country was not ready to undertake those reforms ten years ago when I left Russia. There was a need to change the high education learning process as well as examination approach and attitude to research. I went abroad to get experience and to learn best practices from Germany and Switzerland. Now I think that I could contribute to this reform process in Russia. I came here to share my knowledge in the area of international economics and sustainable development. 

 

- Was it difficult to communicate with different nationalities when you went abroad?
 

- It was a life-changing event for me to get into multicultural environment. It was challenging but very interesting. Before going abroad, I had lived in a closed “Russian world”.  When I came to Germany to Willy Brandt School of Public Policy and later to the United Nations (Switzerland), I saw many talented and amazing people from all over the world. I learned from them so many new things! It changed my life completely. I really appreciate the international environment - the world without “borders”. What matters is who you are as a human being and not what your nationality, religion or country is. 

 

- Did you have difficulties with the foreign language?  
 

- I graduated from a usual Russian school, therefore I was not fluent in English.  My English level went even further down at the university in Russia. My first semester in Germany was a “shock” to me (in a positive sense). The Shock in many ways: in the way the education system is organized, new languages, how students are treated, how lecturers and professors interact with students etc. It took me one semester to get used to it, and then, by the end of the first year, I was able to integrate myself into international environment. Many people all over the world have problems with English - to different extent. (Laugh). At the beginning, you are afraid to make mistakes, but when you see people who speak at the same level as you do and have no fear …☺ somehow it gets better and better. The main point is to start talking, writing, to do presentations in this language - to use this language in your everyday life.

 

- Could you say some words about your personal key to success? 
 

- Not to be afraid, because fear is something that holds our true potential back. When people are afraid to fail, not to be recognized, not to be able to speak proper English, they will not be able to do anything. The first semester of my studies abroad was very difficult. The most important thing after the first semester, in case there are some problems during the exams or writing papers, is not to give up. If you say to yourself “I am not able to do this” - that is it. In case problems appear, it is important to go to talk to professor and explain your situation (that English in Russia is not the strongest part of the education system) to ask for another chance, for an opportunity to retake exams or to write a new paper. If they see that you are doing your best, they will give you this chance. I used to live at the campus of the university and share an apartment with an American girl. She helped me a lot in a process of learning and writing in English. I am very thankful to her for that support. So, find people who are ready to help you. Afterwards you can support someone who needs your help. The problem for me was not to understand the content of the course, but rather to understand the foreign language (I had not have enough practice before coming to Germany). The key to success is not to be afraid and, what is even more important, to listen to your own heart (intuition). That is the most important source you should listen to, because people can be full of fears, stereotypes, boxes etc. If you listen to those boxes, you will never move anywhere.

 

- If we want to contribute to the Russian modernization process, should we go to study abroad or we could study in Russia and start doing our research here? 
 

- It is important to learn from your own experience (not only from books or TV)  how a state functions, what role the political regime and culture plays in its development, as well as how problems could be addressed. It is always good to get an outside (fresh) view on those issues and get some experience abroad to learn best practices. People are usually a product of the society they live in. It is good to go for a while somewhere else to study a different approach to governance, different mentality, attitudes, and best practices. Using your international experience you can identify problems in Russia and their potential solutions to get to the level of the life quality of, for example, Switzerland, Germany, or  Denmark etc. Those countries are very open to new interesting ideas, which can contribute to their sustainable development.  I definitely recommend going for some time abroad even if you want to study, work and live in Russia. It can only benefit your personal development.

 

- What should we have to study abroad? 
 

- Great CV, excellent grades and recommendation letters, and interesting ideas. It is important to add here that at the research level (postdocs, Assistant Professors, Professors) women are especially welcome and are supported by Swiss universities (government).   Swiss government puts a special attention on equal opportunities and social inclusion. It is also well understood and accepted that women bring new ideas and different mentality to research, politics, and economy. They actively help to orient those areas towards sustainable development. 

 

- What is the most important aspect of the Russian Modernization process to you mind?
 

- The mentality that destroys many things in Russia is to earn money at any price without being responsible for the consequences of own actions. What drives this mentality is greed, aggression and inability to agree with each other (to find mutual understanding). Therefore, many great and honest ideas for the Russian modernization are slowed down, broken and even destroyed. More and more people around the world understand that there is a certain money level which does not add much happiness, and that the true happiness comes from the fact that you can support other people, nature and sustainable development of your country and other parts of the world. I call it the development of “self-responsibility” for your own actions such as responsible consumption, responsible production, responsible treatment of your employees, responsible attitude to each other etc. Switzerland and some other countries are very well on their way to this level of consciousness. Therefore, the modernization of the Russian Federation, announced by the government, should start in our own head with the change of our own mindset and attitudes.  All the existing economic theories, mathematical models, different types of industrial and trade policies - they will not help us until things are different in our minds.
 

Inna Bessonova