Course for kindred peoples in Russia

The course for kindred peoples is intended for students of Finnish at universities in the Finno-Ugric regions in Russia. The course is organised in cooperation with the universities of Komi, Mari-El, Mordovia and Udmurtia on a rotating basis. The course teachers come from Finland, and other staff from the local university.

The course is organised subject to being awarded an annual grant from the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture.

In 2019, the course for kindred peoples in Russia will take place in the Syktyvkar State University in Komi.

The aim of the course for kindred peoples is to improve your knowledge about Finnish language and culture and learn about the other Finno-Ugric peoples of Russia.

There will be a total of 70 hours of tuition. You get to practise speaking, writing and grammar.

There will be two proficiency levels. Teachers will provide the teaching material for the course.

Free time activities will also be organised during the course. You will learn about the host region and the home regions of other participants. You will also get a chance to present your own region to others together with your fellow students.

Every year, we look for a director and two other teachers for the course for kindred peoples. They are not in a formal employment relationship with EDUFI, but we will pay them a compensation for the lessons taught, a contribution to travel costs and a per diem allowance to cover subsistence costs.

The director and teachers will be compensated for the lessons, get a per diem allowance and be reimbursed for their travel costs. The course director will also be compensated for course planning. Compensation and travel costs will only be paid after the course has taken place.

The director and teachers will have 70 hours of tuition. This includes tuition in writing, grammar and speaking. They will also take part in organising free time activities during which participants learn about the cultures of Finland and the Finno-Ugric peoples of Russia.

What do we require from applicants?

The director and teachers selected for the course for kindred peoples are expected to have studied Finnish and/or Finno-Ugric languages.

In addition, it is desirable to have

• completed intermediate-level (aineopinnot) studies in Finnish and/or Finno-Ugric languages
• experience in teaching Finnish as a second/foreign language
• knowledge of a Finno-Ugric language spoken in Russia (in particular Komi, Mari, Mordvinic or Udmurt)
• knowledge of Russian, and
• previous experience from the kindred republics of Russia (e.g. studying, language course, study trip).

Applicants for the position of the director will benefit from previous experience of course planning and organisation of events.

The director of the course 

• makes all the practical arrangements with the organising university
• designs the course programme, schedule, study materials and travel arrangements in cooperation with the other teachers and the contact person from the local university.
• keeps the contact person at EDUFI informed about the progress and estimated costs
• informs teachers of the universities of kindred peoples in Russia when the call for applications is open
• receives the applications and makes the selection together with the contact person at EDUFI
• teaches on the course
• participates in organising free time activities during the course, and
• writes a report about the course.

Teachers contribute to the design of the course programme, study material and free time activities working together with the director, teach on the course and participate in organisation of free time activities.