A group of journalism students from Lobachevsky State University of Nizhni Novgorod (UNN) visited Norway last week. They took part in an international seminar on human rights and intercultural understanding held in Volda University College from May 4 to 9. The seminar took place under a cooperation agreement signed by Lobachevsky University, Volda University College and the Human Rights Academy in Oslo.

This seminar brought together students from Norway, Sweden and two Russian universities  Lobachevsky University and Saint Petersburg State University – and involved some of Volda University College’s academics as well as heads of the project: Gunn Bj?rnsen from Volda University College, Lillian Hjorth from the Human Rights Academy, Professor Olga Savinova, Head of UNN Department of Journalism, and Associate Professor Liudmila Ruchina, Dean of UNN Faculty of Philology.

While at Volda University College, the academics from Lobachevsky University met with the International Office of Volda University College to discuss further cooperation and student and staff mobility.

During the training in Norway, Russian students listened to lectures, participated in a quiz on the international human rights system and discussed the role of journalism in the contemporary world. The participants also toured the television and radio news studio of Volda University College, got acquainted with the editors and improved their interview skills.

Russian students and academics visited the Norwegian Union of Journalists in Oslo and the country's largest broadcaster, NRK, to learn more about the work of Norwegian journalists.

The collaboration between UNN Department of Journalism and the Faculty of Media and Journalism of Volda University College started in 2013.