21 October 2023
On October 20–21, MGIMO University hosted 6th International Scientific and Practical Conference "The Magic of Innovation: Outlook for Linguistics and Language Teaching in the Present Context", organized by the English Department No.1.
This time, as 10 years ago, the conference is timed to coincide with the anniversary of the School of International Relations, which has celebrated its 80th one in 2023. At the opening ceremony Igor Putintsev, Vice-Rector for Language and Pre-University Education, welcomed the participants of the conference, emphasizing that today the study of foreign languages, the number of which has increased to 54 at MGIMO University, is still an integral part of the training of an expert in international relations, and educational institutions need the most advanced technologies to ensure the highest possible level of language proficiency.
The participants in the academic event were also welcomed by Andrey Sushentsov, Dean of the School of International Relations, who briefly outlined the history of studying foreign languages at the School.
The conference was kicked-off by a panel discussion led by Dmitry Kryachkov, Head of English Department No. 1, raising topical issues of modern language education. Head of the Laboratory for the Russian Language, Literature and Foreign Languages of the Federal Institute of Pedagogical Measurements “FIPI” Maria Verbitskaya, Head of the Department of Pedagogy and Psychology of the Institute of Physics, Mathematics and Information Technology Education, Novosibirsk State Pedagogical University Elena Andrienko, Head of Antiplagiat Research Department Andrey Grabovoy presented their reports. The conference participants were able to ask questions and discuss their concerns.
Later the conference participants continued their work at master classes, seminars and round tables, as well as at eight sessions. Traditionally, the conference included a poster session and a book fair, where the forum participants presented their new textbooks and monographs.
The second day of the conference began with master classes and seminars on various issues of modern linguistics, methods of teaching foreign languages and translation, after which the second part of the plenary session took place.
Dean of the Faculty of Encyclopedia at the Institute for Humanities and Cultural Studies (IHCS), President of the Linguistics Society of Iran Azita Afrashi, PhD, Leading Researcher of the Center for Sociocognitive Studies of MSLU, leading researcher of the Laboratory for Multichannel Communication of the Institute of Linguistics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Associate Professor Maria Kiose and Doctor of Philology, Professor of MGIMO University English Language Department No.3 Elena Pozdnyakova attended the meeting moderated by Associate Professor of the Department of English No.1 Dmitry Novikov. The participants discussed the issues of the interconnection between language education and modern linguistic theories, as well as shared the results of their research in cognitive semantics. The reports received a warm response from the audience.
The second day of the conference again included eight sessions covering a wide range of issues of modern linguistics and language teaching: from modern political discourse to the theory of translation in the digital age.
The conference was attended by more than three hundred people from 85 Russian and 22 foreign universities. Russian attendees came from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, Tomsk, Volgograd, Novosibirsk, Bryansk, Nizhny Novgorod, Yekaterinburg, Dagestan and many other cities and regions of the Russian Federation. Guests from Bangladesh, the Republic of Belarus, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Pakistan, Qatar, South Ossetia also made presentations at the forum.
The atmosphere of the conference, according to the participants, was very positive and contributed to the exchange of experience and networking between representatives of universities and research institutes. The conference participants expressed their gratitude to MGIMO University for the warm welcome and the high level of organization of the forum.
The event was held as part of the Priority 2030 project.
