October 16, 2006 - UAA Professor selected to travel to Germany for Evaluation of Summer Program

Timothy Jester, Assistant Professor of Teacher Education at the University of Alaska Anchorage, has been selected to participate in a trip to Germany for evaluation of the Summer Institute for German Student Leaders in Education.

SIGSLE, a program of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State, was hosted by the American Russian Center this summer.

The program introduced 10 students of Education from immigrant backgrounds to the U.S. system of education and techniques for support of diversity. Faculty from three UAA colleges, administrative staff from multiple UAA departments, Anchorage School District teachers and administrators, and other Anchorage community members participated in SIGSLE.

Professor Jester will assist ARC in assessing the impact of the program. He will also meet with German colleagues and develop a stronger understanding of the German systems of secondary education and of educator preparation. This knowledge will strengthen future implementations of SIGSLE at UAA.

May 8, 2006 - Top Korean Students to Study Business at UAA

Some of Korea’s top university business students plan to study at the University of Alaska Anchorage this fall, as a result of exchange efforts between UAA and the municipalities of Anchorage and Incheon, Korea.

The students are from the University of Incheon’s College of Northeast Asian Economics and Commerce, which specializes in educating top Korean high school graduates for careers in international business and diplomacy. Up to a half dozen of the South Korean students would spend the 2006 fall semester at UAA as part of their foreign studies.

The exchange is the result of a visit made to Incheon last September by Mayor Mark Begich who met with Incheon Mayor Ahn, Sang-Soo. Anchorage and Incheon are sister-cities, and Begich and Ahn agreed to pursue student exchanges. UAA grants in-state tuition rates to students of Anchorage’s six sister cities.

In late April, two professors of the University of Incheon visited Anchorage to explore the exchange. Professor Mihnsoo Kim and English as a Second Language instructor Jack Eisner met with UAA and city officials. They are currently finalizing plans to send their first students to Anchorage for a one-semester study abroad in business as part of a double-major in two foreign economies.

“As the gateway to Southeast Asia, Incheon is an important trade and cultural partner with Anchorage,” Begich said. “I’m confident our community and UAA will greet these top Korean students with open arms and they will enrich our city during their studies here.”

“We can now offer University of Incheon students a superior program that I am confident will provide a very positive experience of American business and culture,” said Professor Kim. “This program may perhaps become one of the best foreign exchange programs any Korean university offers.”

October 3, 2005 - International Survey opens today!

The American Russian Center is conducting a conducting a poll to assess students' interest in international programs at UAA. Take the International Survey here! Five randomly selected students who complete the survey will win $50 gift certificates to the UAA Bookstore. The survey will be available Monday, October 3 – Wednesday, October 12. Winners will be notified by e-mail Friday, October 14 .

September 29, 2005 - RSVP's being accepted for Round Table Meeting on China

The Round Table Meeting "China: Challenges and Opportunities for Alaska - What is UAA's Role?" will provide an opportunity for UAA faculty and administrators, Anchorage business community representatives, and UAA students to come together for real discussion on UAA’s role in helping Alaskans take advantage of growing opportunity in China. Use this chance to hear the opinions and best ideas of Alaska’s current and future leaders on how to address the opportunities and limitations from all sides of the spectrum!

The meeting will take place Thursday, October 20th, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Room 307 at the Consortium Library. Lunch will be provided for participants who RSVP to the American Russian Center at 786-4135 by October 15th.

April 4, 2005 - UAA Program to Teach Faculty for New Russian MBAs

Eight Russian faculty arrive at UAA today for a three-week program to learn about business community integration and proven educational tools such as case studies in Master of Business Administration programs.

The training, developed through the American Russian Center, draws on UAA’s successful MBA program to serve as an example. UAA School of Business professors will share their expertise for these instructors to take back to their universities in Vladivostok and Khabarovsk in the Russian Far East.

While the MBA-equivalent programs accredited by the Russian Ministry of Education differ from U.S. MBAs, which require only about half the credit hours, the Russian instructors are sure they will benefit from their UAA colleagues’ experience.

Elena Barausova, who teaches Management at Vladivostok State University of Economics and Service, says her goals include “gaining the skills to develop case studies, organize their discussion and get feedback from students.” She plans to use the experience to lead a faculty committee creating new materials for MBA programs and continuing education courses for university instructors.

Russia’s increased efforts to develop MBA programs country-wide come after admittance in September 2003 to the Bologna process, which includes at least 40 European countries dedicated to creating a uniform degree system with two clear stages - Baccalaureate and Magistrate.

March 7, 2005 - ARC Connects UAA and Anchorage Community in International Business Development Program

In a program this January for business development in the Russian Far East, the American Russian Center brought together more than 30 individuals from the University of Alaska Anchorage, local businesses and government offices to share their knowledge with 20 municipal and regional government organization leaders from Vladivostok and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.

Volunteering time and expertise; and often providing helpful literature, space, transportation and even lunch to the Russian guests, the Anchorage community has again shown its support of ARC programs. The following organizations have helped provide an invaluable educational experience for Russians with the resources and capabilities to improve the Russian Far East business environment:

Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA)
Alaska Growth Capital
AK Wild Berry Chocolate Factory
Anchorage Economic Development Corporation
Anchorage Museum
Anchorage Chamber of Commerce
Denali Alaskan Federal Credit Union
Matanuska Valley Federal Credit Union
Municipality of Anchorage, Food Safety & Sanitation
Municipality of Anchorage, Health & Human Services
Municipality of Anchorage, Development Services
Municipality of Anchorage, Mayor’s Office
Port of Anchorage
State of Alaska Division of Investments
State of Alaska Division of Wages & Hours Administration
Summit Spice and Tea
Tanaina Child Care
UAA, Small Business Development Center
UAA College of Business and Public Policy
UAA, Institute of Social and Economic Research
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), Alaska Office
Yarmon Investments

September 30, 2004 - Russ Howell, Director, American Russian Center, receives Alaska-Siberia Lend Lease Award

Russ Howell, Director of the American Russian Center, was presented with the Alaska-Siberia Lend Lease Award on September 30, 2004 during a forum on lessons learned from Alaska and the Russian Far East at the University of Alaska Anchorage bookstore.

The award was presented by Alexander Dolitsky, chairman of the Alaska-Siberia Research Center and John Binkley, a former Alaska State Senator who is chairman of the Board of the Alaska Railroad Corporation and a member of the Board of Directors for the Alaska-Siberia Research Center.

The Alaska-Siberia Lend Lease Award was established to recognize distinguished individuals and organizations that made significant contributions for improvement of Russian-North American relations, toward peace among the allies, and in Russian-Alaska studies.

He joins past distinguished recipients Russian President Vladimir Putin and President George W. Bush in being presented with this award.

For further information on the Alaska-Siberia Research Center and the Alaska-Siberia Lend Lease Award, please visit www.aksrc.homestead.com.

Russian Far East News

RFE News is currently out of publication. Archived issues from 2003 and 2004 are available for review online:

January 2004

November 2003

September 2003

July 2003

May 2003

March 2003