Students Of The Dual Degree Master’s Program In Nonproliferation Studies Visited The State Duma

MOSCOW, NOVEMBER 27, 2019. PIR PRESS – “Nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament are very sensitive areas of international relations which require attention not only from politicians and experts, but also from young professionals. The Dual Degree Master’s Program is a unique format in which young people from Russia, the USA, South Korea and other countries receive crucial teamwork experience”, – Inga Yumasheva, deputy of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.

On November 18, 2019 at the invitation of Inga Yumasheva, Deputy of the State Duma, Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Coordinator of the parliamentary group for relations with the US Congress, students of the Dual Degree Master Program in Nonproliferation (MGIMO-PIR Center-MIIS) together with PIR Center Director Vladimir Orlov and Educational Program Director of PIR Center Yulia Sych visited the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.

The visit started with a tour around the building of the State Duma, where students learned about the history of parliamentarism in Russia as well as the structure and organization of work of the modern State Duma.

The meeting, which continued with a discussion about the prospects for Russian-American relations and parliamentary work in the field of international security, was also attended by Vyacheslav Nikonov, Deputy of the State Duma, Chairman of the Committee on Education and Science.

The Deputy noted the continuing deterioration of bilateral relations between Russia and the United States as well as the lack of dialogue between the two countries on key issues of international security but also emphasized: “I still have hope that Russian-American arms control will survive.”

During the meeting, which was held in the format of deputies’ answers to students’ questions, the participants discussed key areas and priorities of Russian foreign policy, prospects for dialogue in the field of nonproliferation, strategic stability, arms control and other international security issues.

At the end of the discussion, foreign students of the Dual Degree MA Program shared the impressions of their stay in Moscow and spoke about their vision of approaches to improve relations between Russia and the United States. PIR Center Director Vladimir Orlov thanked the Deputies for the meeting and noted: “We are very pleased to be and to have a discussion here in the State Duma – the legislative body of Russia. I consider this important to maintain people-to-people contact, especially in difficult times. In our international student groups, reasonable voices often sound. That is why I always advocate for student exchanges and maintaining the educational context regardless of the political situation.”

The genuine interest in the views of MA students, respect, excellent organization, humor and openness made a great impression on the participants of the meeting.

Deputy Inga Yumasheva noted that this meeting has already become a good tradition, and she stated that “nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament are very sensitive areas of international relations which require attention not only from politicians and experts, but also from young professionals. The Dual Degree Master’s Program is a unique format in which young people from Russia, the USA, South Korea and other countries receive crucial teamwork experience.” The Deputy expressed hope that “in the future, when these young specialists hold responsible positions, this experience will encourage them to build a constructive dialogue on a joint future and make more balanced politicy decisions in the interests of international security.”

You can learn more about Educational Projects by contacting the PIR Center Educational Program Director Yulia Sych by phone +7 (495) 987 19 15 or by e-mail sych@pircenter.org.