Economic Potential of the Interactions between Russia and Malaysia
Nikita V. Ponomarenko, Russian Fereration Trade Officer in Malaysia, held a lecture for the students of the programme 'Business and Politics in Modern Asia'
The disciplines of the programme “Business and Politics in Modern Asia” gives students a chance to try out different formats of the learning process. Thus, during the course “Russia and Asian Countries” the Academic Supervisor of the programme Prof. Veselova gave students a unique opportunity to listen to lectures of experts, who work with Asian countries and specialize in diverse fields.
21 April 2021, the guest speaker of the course became Nikita Ponomarenko, Trade Representative of the Russian Federation in Malaysia. Nikita Ponomarenko shared with the students his experience of working with Malaysia, the strategies, and directions of cooperation between the two countries, as well as real-life cases. During the lecture, the expert enlightened the facts about the National Technological Initiative of Russia (NTI), the directions of strategic planning in Malaysia, universities of both countries, which support development in the sphere of research and development and many other things.
Despite the facts that students of the programme have different spheres of interests (from the country of specialization to the chosen direction of career development), for some students this lecture has brought clarity to the already formed vision of the country, while others have discovered Malaysia from a new perspective. It provided for everyone without exception useful knowledge based on the real practical experience of the expert. In addition, Nikita Ponomarenko used different formats to present the information: from a mixture of slides, videos, and infographics to the current cases.
The students were surprised to learn that Russia is leading country in some industries, and that the area of innovative technology is so successful and central to bilateral relations. Malaysia is also showing significant development in several sectors of its economy; as a member of ASEAN, the country can play a more important role in the international economy and unlock its full potential in the future. Ongoing progress in the region could open up more opportunities for the Russian technology industry to expand its presence, optimize international relations and enhance competitiveness. In particular, during the discussion of cooperation with Russian companies, the case of partnership with St. Petersburg companies gained special attention from the students.
At the end of the seminar there was an interesting discussion, during which Nikita Ponomarenko answered different questions, which concerned not only economic cooperation, but also the image of Russia in Malaysia and how Russia helps to fight against COVID-19. The Q&A session sparked great discussive responses: even students specializing in other regions of Asia, inspired by the creative presentation of the expert, asked him a number of questions. Malaysia, as a country of cultural and economic diversity developing at a rapid pace, fascinated the students who could observe it “with a fresh look”.
In the current situation, after studying for a long time on online/distant learning format, it is a great delight to have such an interactive and informative session that really helps us to not lose concentration and motivation. And the experts selected by the professor (who graciously give us their time) not only inspire students’ personal and career growth by their own example, but also share their individual observations and unique advice, which is incredibly valuable for young specialists.