Press Releases
Ambassador Burns Visits Rostov-on-Don
November 20, 2007
On November 19-20, Ambassador William J. Burns visited Rostov-on-Don, where he met with a wide range of civic, education, and political leaders.
The Ambassador discussed with Governor of Rostov Oblast Vladimir Chub Rostov's development as a regional center for high-tech industries and as a major port and logistics center. They also talked about opportunities for attracting additional American investment, and other ways to develop greater ties between the United States and Southern Russia.
During a meeting with Aleksandr Rodin, President of the Rostov Oblast Association of Peasant Farmer and Agricultural Cooperatives, the Ambassador promoted opportunities for U.S. agricultural investment in the region and highlighted how agricultural credit cooperatives can develop greater economic development in rural areas. At the American Corner in the Don State Public Library, Ambassador Burns met alumni of U.S. government-sponsored professional exchange programs for business development and small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs). He highlighted prospects for even greater U.S.-Russian economic cooperation and expressed his gratitude to the alumni for sharing their experiences in the United States to foster greater mutual understanding between Russians and Americans.
Ambassador Burns' visit to Rostov-on-Don followed International Education Week (November 12-16). During a forum at the Southern Federal University (SFU), he congratulated the students on their educational accomplishments, noting that they will play a critical role in Russia's future. He also highlighted the $200,000 grant from the Russian Ministry of Education and Science, funding a partnership program with Indiana University to develop a collaborative project with a focus on "Advanced Language Learning/Global Public Health," which reflects the Southern Federal University's status as an incubator for research and enterprise.
The Indiana University-Southern Federal University partnership is part of the "U.S.–Russia Program for Improving Research and Educational Activities in Higher Education," a new initiative administered cooperatively by the U.S. Department of Education's Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) and the Russian Ministry of Education and Science. The Ambassador stressed this program as a prime example of what can be accomplished when the United States and Russia work together toward a common goal, as they have since signing a Memorandum of Understanding in 2006, expanding educational cooperation and exchanges.