RUDN on the way to creating an International Employers’ Club. Natalia Neporada, Head of Department of employment of Russian and international graduates talks about results, plans and prospects

Who did you sign cooperation agreements with in 2017?

In 2017, we signed more than 100 cooperation agreements with potential employers - Nestle, Ernst & Young, Adidas, Renault, Samsung, Media holding News Media, Mariott hotel chain, Holiday Inn, Hilton etc. University graduates are welcome in Czech (Meditox pharmaceutical company), China (DHH legal holding), Nicaragua (Mechnikov vaccine factory) and many other places. Among RUDN partners – large recruiting companies, such as Kelly Services, Coleman Services Odgers Berndtson, Rabota.ru, Future Today, Job for Arabists, Ankor etc.

Tell us in more detail how you build the strategy of expanding the circle of potential employers

Constant expansion of the international system of employment and the involvement of new regions and countries is our key goal. And in many respects we manage to do it due to special events, for example international roundtables. Only in 2017, meetings with entrepreneurs were held in Indonesia, Nepal, India, Vietnam, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Tunisia, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Chile, Angola, Namibia, Zambia, the number of participants reaching 1,300 people.

It is more than 33 Alumni Association in the countries of near and far abroad that significantly help in finding jobs for graduates. A positive example is the cooperation with the Alumni Association in the Republic of Bangladesh in the construction of a nuclear power plant project, where graduates of RUDN and Russian universities were employed.

Does the work focus only on graduate employment or does it include internships too?

Of course we follow the principle "To employment through practice". Students of the university undergo internship not only at Russian enterprises, but also in the countries of the world - in 2017 - in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Gabon, Nigeria, Ecuador, Cameroon, Indonesia, Vietnam, Mongolia, Palestine, Germany, Indonesia, Ecuador, Sri Lanka, the Czech Republic, and others.

In general, we are doing a lot of work to involve the students in the job placement system. In 2017, about 3 thousand people took part in more than 50 career events. So, in just one year more than 400 Russian and foreign graduates and students of RUDN were employed in Brazil, Costa Rica, Nigeria, Rwanda, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Angola, Lebanon, Spain, of course Russia and other countries.

Do employers willingly make contact or do you face any difficulties?

Employers actively support RUDN initiatives. For example, in June 2017, the companies took part in our pilot project - the competition of diploma theses "Golden Rail" where employers judged projects presented by graduates majoring in PR and Advertising, the winners getting a job with a good salary. Among the jury- representatives of “Hot Wi-Fi” IT company"," Moscow Domodedovo Airport ", German industrial concern" Adidas ", UC RUSAL, "Fight Nights Global" promo company, Media Holding News Media.

Tell us about the plans for 2018

In 2018, RUDN is planning to implement another initiative -  create the International Employers' Club. Young specialists will be able to find a job, while the companies - to solve their personnel issues and expand the number of business contacts at the expense of Russian and foreign partners of RUDN. We invite employers, students and graduates to cooperate!

Our email address: job@rudn.ru