Swiss-Russian Academic Roundtable

Local news, 17.04.2019

On April 17, the S&T Office of the Embassy of Switzerland supported the Russian University of Transport/RUT (Institute of International Transport Communications/IITC) in the organization of a roundtable with the purpose to promote Switzerland as the European transportation center and a highly innovative country in the area of logistics as well as to support the collaboration between the IITC and the University of Bern.

Prof. Irina Karapetyants, Vice Rector of RUT, Andrey Melnikov, Embassy of Switzerland, and Eric Evtimov, University of Bern.
Prof. Irina Karapetyants, Vice Rector of RUT, Andrey Melnikov, Embassy of Switzerland, and Erik Evtimov, Lecturer at the University of Bern. © FDFA

The event convened 37 students, who majored in “World Politics and International Business” and “World Politics and International Transport Law”, 15 professors and instructors of the RUT.

At the beginning, the participants were greeted by the Vice Rector of RUT, Prof. Irina Karapetyants, who emphasized the importance of Switzerland for Russia as the most constant partner. Thus, learning Switzerland’s experience in the area of transportation as a non-EU member is valuable for Russia.

Andrey Melnikov, Head of Scientific Affairs, welcomed students and professors on behalf of the Embassy of Switzerland and the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation and told them about the latest developments and initiatives in the area of bilateral S&T cooperation.

The event featured a report by Professor Erik Evtimov, Lecturer at the Institute of European and International Economic Law of the University of Bern and the Deputy Secretary General, Comité international des transports ferroviaires (CIT) The Interdependences between COTIF, EU and CH Law”. Prof. Evtimov, based on his vast experience in the area, spoke about International transport law versus European law; the EU competences and related legal matters in transport issues; the common transport policy of the EU; Switzerland’s integration into the European transport system and its application of the International transport law and the European law.

Professor Vladimir Yegorov, Head of the Department “International Relations and Geopolitics of Transport” made a presentation on the “Interaction of the EU and Switzerland: integration without membership”. Associate Professor Natalya Kislitsyna, PhD in Law, discussed such important issues as the interaction of the European Union and Switzerland, cooperation between the European Union, the Russian Federation and Switzerland.

Based on this very positive experience, the Institute of International Transport Communications of the RUT and the Institute of International Economic Law of the University of Bern plan to organize another seminar on framework agreements between Switzerland and other European Countries (spring 2020).