On April 21–22, a delegation from the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, led by Rector Gulshat Yusupova, paid a visit to Moscow. The primary objective of the visit was to intensify cooperation with the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO).
New Dynamics for a Time-Tested Alliance
During a meeting with MGIMO Rector and Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Anatoly Torkunov, the parties discussed the implementation of the Cooperation Agreement originally signed in 2017. Both sides agreed that contemporary realities necessitate a shift from mere declarations to systemic, practical mechanisms.
Anatoly Torkunov specifically highlighted the high level of academic preparation demonstrated by Turkmen students. A significant indicator of this quality was the enrollment—scheduled for 2025—of five winners of the MGIMO International School Olympiad hailing from Turkmenistan. The university reaffirmed its commitment to annually allocating quotas for the education of Turkmen citizens funded by the Russian federal budget, thereby underscoring the special status of this educational dialogue.
Energy Diplomacy and Joint Textbooks
During the negotiations—in which Andrey Sushentsov, Dean of the Faculty of International Relations, also participated—priority areas were identified: academic mobility (regular exchanges of master’s students and faculty, as well as semester-long internships), joint programs (the development of educational modules in the fields of diplomatic service and energy diplomacy), and collaborative research (the publication of a joint textbook on the Turkmen language and the mutual publication of scholarly works).
Roundtable at MGIMO: A Look at a Polycentric World
The second day of the visit was dedicated to academic discussion. At the roundtable titled "Russia–Turkmenistan: Strategies for International Cooperation," Gulshat Yusupova presented a paper on the development of the national school of Turkmen diplomacy.
The participation of MGIMO students studying the Turkmen language—along with representatives of the Turkmen community—lent a special atmosphere to the meeting. This served to underscore that inter-university partnership encompasses not only academic programs but also "youth diplomacy," which fosters a culture of dialogue among future generations of politicians.
The visit program also included a meeting at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs with Alexander Sternik, Director of the Third CIS Department. The interlocutors noted that the humanitarian sphere and education remain a form of "soft power" and a solid foundation for the strategic partnership between Turkmenistan and Russia—a partnership driven by high-level contacts.
The visit concluded with the identification of concrete steps designed to enable the two universities to utilize their research and educational potential with maximum effectiveness.
