Held on April 10-13, 2019, Moscow International Education Fair (MIEF) is the largest event in the field of education, the global forum and the largest exhibition of new educational technologies in Russia. Being the best place for the communication between educational professionals, state officials and businessmen, MIEF also presents a splendid opportunity for foreign diplomats to learn about the system of education in Russia, its modern technologies, methods, and techniques. For this purpose, three officers of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in the Russian Federation took part in the MIEF events on April 10 and 11, Mr. Dulmith Waruna, First Secretary, Ms. Nirosha K. Herath, Second Secretary, and Ms. Nayomi Chandrasiri, officer responsible for educational and consular matters of the Embassy.
The fair has the highest representational level, which includes Ministers, and State Secretaries of the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Science and Higher Education, and Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation. The forum also gathered representatives of the top Russian universities, colleges, most experienced teachers, and students, who shared their expertise on relevant subjects. The Fair was attended by the Prime-Minister of the Russian Federation, His Excellency Dmitry Anatolievich Medvedev, who participated in one of the sessions, and answered the questions of the young audience from different cities of Russia via webcast technologies.
The main objective of the Embassy officials was to find out about the novelties in the Russian educational system with a view of implementing the best structural solutions, most effective educational methods, technologies and means, applied in Russia. The diplomats also focused on the new discoveries and ideas for the educational sector in general, and tertiary education institutions in particular, that were presented at the fair, that could be used to develop, and enrich the educational system in Sri Lanka.
The Sri Lanka Embassy officials attended four sessions of MIEF on the following subjects, Vocational training and professional orientation: shortages and contradictions, tasks and solutions; and Innovations in tertiary education: new content, new educational technologies, new opportunities, on April 10, and Vitaly Churkin International School model of the United Nations "The Role of the United Nations in Promoting the Establishment of a New Global Humanitarian Order", with speakers from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Russian Association at the UN, and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education; and Language policy in the modern world: Russian and international experience with Hon. Pavel Zenkovich, State Secretary - Deputy Minister, Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation, as the main speaker, on April 11, the second day of the MIEF.
Mr. Dulmith Waruna, First Secretary of the Embassy of Sri Lanka, gave a short interview to the local TV channel (LGO-press), stressing the importance of such events, showcasing the latest achievements, advanced ideas and groundbreaking technologies for the educational sector, developing the most valuable asset of every country – its human resources.
