The Faculty of Oriental Studies of Saint Petersburg State University is a case in point. Prof. Dr. Vladimir Kolotov, lecturer of Vietnamese at the faculty, talked about the trend during an interview granted to Moscow-based VOV correspondent Diep Anh.

VOV: Could you brief us on the teaching of Vietnamese at the faculty?

Prof. Dr. Kolotov: The Faculty of Oriental Studies of Saint Petersburg State University was established more than 150 years ago under the rule of the Russian Czar. Vietnam Studies was included in the faculty’s curriculum in 1955 and Vietnamese Professor Nguyen Tai Can was the first to teach Vietnamese there. Later Russian professors continued to teach the language to Russian students. Currently, nearly 90 Oriental languages are taught at the faculty. We offer courses on languages, cultures and histories of countries in Africa, the Far East, Near East and Southeast Asia. We train only a few students, but focus on output quality.

VOV: What do you do to help Russian students further understand Vietnamese people, land and culture as well as its language?

Prof. Dr. Kolotov: To teach Vietnamese, lecturers must understand the Vietnamese culture, its history and customs as well as teaching methods formed and handed down by Professor Nguyen Tai Can. We also apply the latest technological advances to enhance the efficiency of teaching.

VOV: How do you improve Russian students’ learning skills?

Prof. Dr. Kolotov: We have established good relationships with associations of fellow-countrymen and the Vietnamese Association in St. Petersburg, as well as having regular contact with the Vietnamese Embassy in Moscow. It is a good way to help students learn Vietnamese, explore its culture and broaden their knowledge of Vietnam.

VOV: What you think about the prospect of learning and teaching Vietnamese in St. Petersburg?

Prof. Dr. Kolotov: This depends much on the relations between the two countries. Therefore, strengthening bilateral relations will help promote this process, in which the Vietnamese Studies circles in Russia and the Russian Studies circles in Vietnam are key forces behind its success.