From April 13 to 17, an official business visit was made by representatives of First Pavlov St.Petersburg State Medical University (Pavlov University) to Tunisia. The delegation included: Sergey A. Karpishchenko — Vice-Rector for International Relations, Chairman of ENT Department with Clinic; Victoria A. Gavrilina — Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Medicine for International Students, Leading Interpreter. The intense working schedule began with a visit to Carthage Clinic, one of the largest clinics in the city of Tunis, where the guests were shown the clinic's main facilities, including a modern simulation center. The delegation then proceeded to the Russian House, where a meeting took place with Marina Ignatieva, Head of the Rossotrudnichestvo Representative Office in Tunisia. The parties discussed the possibility of allocating quotas for Tunisian citizens to study at Pavlov University, as well as the extensive program of the current visit.
Our University representatives then went to the Faculty of Medicine at the capital's Al-Manar University, where they were welcomed by Dean Iheb Labben. The parties shared interesting facts and presentations about their universities, after which they discussed potential areas for cooperation. As a result of the meeting, a decision was made to sign a Memorandum of Understanding. Subsequently, Iheb Labben and his deputies conducted a highly engaging tour of the faculty campus. Next, the guests from St. Petersburg were awaited by educational institutions' representatives. During the meeting, possible avenues for collaboration aimed at attracting top applicants from Tunisia were discussed. A notable event was a meeting, organized at the Russian House, with the Tunisian Association of Graduates of Soviet Universities and Institutes (ATDIUS), led by the association's president, Hedi Ben Salah. The meeting participants shared fond memories of their student years in the USSR. Some of them considered the possibility of taking part in an event dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the university's Faculty of Medicine for International Students.
The key event for the delegation from Pavlov Universiry was a visit to the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Sousse, one of the most influential institutions in North Africa. The faculty administration conducted an extensive tour of the campus, after which the guests delivered presentations at a conference attended by students, faculty members from theoretical departments, and clinical staff. The faculty administration also presented a report about their university. Following the presentations, the parties explored the possibility of signing a Memorandum of Understanding, discussed interests in the field of academic mobility, and exchanged commemorative souvenirs. We extend our gratitude to the Rossotrudnichestvo Representative Office in Tunisia for organizing such a dense, multifaceted, and productive working program.
