SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT

Project title and Acronym: Curriculum Development for MSc/MBA Study in Russian Universities
Specific Project Objective/s: To provide MSc/MBA curricula programs and courses, teaching materials, methods of teaching development and training and retraining of teaching staff
Contracting Institution: Abo Akademi University (Finland)
Partner Country Universities involved: University to the University of Luton (UK) and Abo Academi University (Finland), Plymouth College of Further Education (UK), CEMI-EHESS (France), Khabarovsk State Academy of Economics and Law, Altai State Technical University, Ufa State Aviation Technical University, Baikal State University of Economics and Law
Outcomes:
1. Management of project
2. Newly developed curricula, programs and courses according to the European standards and teaching materials for MSc/MBA degree in “International Business” by December, 2006.
3. Highly qualified teaching staff with the knowledge of new modern methods of teaching including distance learning and new methods of evaluation of students results by December 2006.
4. Newly developed methods of teaching and evaluation by December 20065. Dissemination6. MSc/MBA office by March 2004
Project contractor: Lars Hassel, Professor, Head of Department of Business Administration, Abo Academi, Finland
Project title: “Curriculum Development for MSc/ MBA Study in Russian Universities (CDMSMBASIRU)”
Project specific objective: To develop curricula, programs, courses, teaching materials and methods for MSc/MBA students majoring in “International Business”, to provide retraining of teaching staff.

The project has 4 EU partners in University to the University of Luton (UK) and Abo Academi University (Finland), Plymouth College of Further Education (UK), CEMI-EHESS (France)

The project has 4 Russian University partners in Khabarovsk State Academy of Economics and Law, Baikal State University of Economics and Law, Ufa State Aviation Technical University, Altai State Technical University

The project has impacts in joint MSc/MBA curriculum development including newly developed programs, courses, teaching materials, methods of teaching and evaluation of student results as well as teaching staff mobility for training and retraining in EU University.24 Russian teachers will visit EU Universities for 4 weeks per year to study curricula, programs and courses for further develop them in Russia with the help of EU teacher.

24 teachers of EU Universities will visit Russian Universities for 4 weeks (per year) to help develop, approbate and introduce 24newly developed courses and programs. They will deliver intensive courses (master classes) for Russian teachers and MSc/MBA students on modern methods of teaching and evaluations. Nearly 20 persons in every University (80 in total) will be embraced by this activity. As a result there will be the teachers of a new generation with the knowledge of modern methods of teaching including the distance learning. 4 MSc/MBA study offices, one per participating Russian University will be established to promote multi-level education form in Russian Universities, MSc/MBA studies in particular. They will be well equipped and will be strong and comprehensive documentation bases. They will continue to function after the end of the project. They will have considerable dissemination targets and considerable dissemination activities. There will be 3 distinct dissemination activities involving dissemination to 9 outside Universities in Russia and 20 external university staff members. There will be 2 dissemination workshops (year 1,2) and a dissemination international conference with the participation of foreign partners. The results of the project and its outcomes, newly developed curricula, programs and courses for MSc/MBA study, in particular, will be placed in the project web-sites (in every Russian University).
There will be developed 24 new courses
1st Year
- International marketing (BSUEL)- European Business Law (BSUEL)
- Research Methods for Business study (USATU)
- Management of Firms on the European Market (USATU)
- Strategic managemet and management of Change (KSAEL)
- European Financial Management (KSAEL)
- European Monetary Fund (ASTU)
- European Integration (ASTU)
2nd Year
- European Accounting Standards (BSUEL)
- Management information for Decision-Making (KSAEL)
- Managing Financial Performance (KSAEL)
- European Business Environment (BSUEL)
- Financing and Crediting of International Business (USATU)
- Financial Markets (ASTU)
- Issues in Financial Reporting (ASTU)
- Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (USATU)
3rd Year
-Financial-Economic Estimation of Foreign Economics Activities and International Projects (KSAEL)
- Strategic Management in International Business (BSUEL)
- Marketing and European Environment (BSUEL)
- International Regulation of Foreign Trade (USATU)
- Organizational Behaviour on the Organization Forms of Enterprises on the European market (USATU)
- Decision-Making (ASTU)
- Managing in a Competitive Environment (ASTU)

8 of them will be for distance learning. The quality of newly developed courses will be checked by the EU project teams consisting of the leading lecturers of these courses in EU Universities. The further accreditation of these courses by the Ministry of Education will verify their quality. Every project year 8 new courses (2 per Russian University) will be developed and introduced into the curriculum after their approbation and accreditation by the Ministry of Education after being discussed and approved at the faculty and University levels.The following teaching materials will be published and developed for every new course: syllabus, a guide for course study a guide methods of teaching a course, an electronic version of a detailed set of lectures, a handbook, a book of tests, a set of legislative documents and trainings, a guide of distance training, a guide for writing and defending a thesis, case-studies and a book of course assignments.

Highly qualified teachers of a new generation with the knowledge of modern methods of teaching and evolutions as a result of their training and retraining in EU Universities and via intensive courses (master classes) delivered by EU teachers in Russia will be the second outcome of this project. They will be certified by the EU Universities. These documents will verify the high level of their qualification. Their qualification will be recognized by their Universities (according t Russian standards Russian teachers are to have retraining every 5 years).

New methods of teaching (the third outcome) including the distance learning will be verified by their wide introduction into the teaching process. They will be recommended to be used and a group of teachers will be trained how to use them.