Almost 1,800 foreign students took part in Lobachevsky/RU Olympiad

The names of 46 winners and prize-holders of the 6th International Olympiad in Russian as a Foreign Language "Lobachevsky/RU" were announced at Lobachevsky University. The summing-up ceremony of the language competition took place on 27 March 2024.

"It is very encouraging that the interest in the Olympiad is growing year by year. This year it attracted 1,775 foreign citizens from 94 countries. The largest number of participants applied from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Turkmenistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Egypt, China, Nigeria, Mexico. 142 persons competed in the finals of the Olympiad," said UNN Rector Oleg Trofimov in his opening address.

In 2021, the Lobachevsky/RU Olympiad was included in the list of the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education, which entitles the winners and prize-holders of the Olympiad to study free of charge on Master's programmes in Russia under the intergovernmental quota.

Olga Petrova, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, emphasised that the Lobachevsky/RU International Olympiad in Russian as a Foreign Language is already a well-known project in many countries of the world:

"I am convinced that the project will continue despite the difficulties in international relations, because the Russian language unites millions of people. It holds the unique cultural code of the multi-ethnic Russian people. I thank our foreign friends for their understanding of this fact and for learning Russian and not being afraid to compete with each other in the knowledge of the language".

Pavel Shevtsov, Deputy Head of Rossotrudnichestvo, joined the ceremony via teleconference. He welcomed the numerous participants of the Olympiad and thanked the UNN team for the high-quality organisation of the already world-famous project.

"Rossotrudnichestvo has provided and will continue to provide comprehensive support and maximum assistance to all initiatives aimed at encouraging people from all over the world to love the Russian language, to want to study Russian for the purposes of education and professional development, as well as for general cultural advancement and building a friendly inter-ethnic dialogue," Pavel Shevtsov pointed out.

Olga Guseva, Minister of International and Interregional Relations of the Nizhny Novgorod region, congratulated the winners and prize-holders on their well-deserved success:

"I have always considered language to be a bridge for mutual understanding between peoples, because language is not only a means of communication, but also the soul of the people, the keeper of traditions and culture. I am sure that every foreign student who has learnt the Russian language has been inspired by a part of Russia".

The Olympiad was held from 1 December 2023 to 27 March 2024 in the online format. At the first stage, participants had to prepare a video presentation of a project on one of the following topics: "My Country's Amazing Tradition", "My Country's Unusual Personality", "My Country's Gastronomic Traditions". During the second stage, the participants were interviewed individually. The contestants who successfully answered the jury's questions were able to pass to the final third stage, "Improvisation Competition". Following the results of all the tests, the winners and prize-holders were determined in six categories according to the level of proficiency in Russian as a foreign language - from A1 (elementary) to C2 (advanced). In the latter category, the first place was taken by a student from Serbia, Katarina Milojkovic. 

"I not only had a great opportunity to test my knowledge, but also a unique experience of immersion into Russian culture and language. Therefore, I encourage everyone to participate in such events, because it will give a lot of unforgettable feelings and acquaintances," shared Katarina.

The full list of prize-winners and winners in different categories will be posted on the Olympiad website.

The Lobachevsky/RU International Olympiad in Russian as a Foreign Language has been held by Lobachevsky University since 2018. It is organised in the form of a three-stage online contest. The main objectives of the Olympiad are: to enhance the positions of the Russian language in foreign countries; to popularise and increase interest in the study of the Russian language; to identify the communicative competency of foreign citizens and stateless persons speaking Russian; to attract talented high school and university students to studies in Russian higher education institutions.