Interest Exceeded Expectations: Togo Shares Opportunities for Admission to Russian Universities

The three-day visit by the Center’s staff to the welcoming Oti-Sud commune in northern Togo turned out to be not only warm and friendly, but also highly productive. One of the most memorable events of the trip was an informational meeting at the Gando city community center, organized by the local authorities and the CPD for school students, prospective applicants, and university students of the region.

The delegation of the Center’s specialists was headed by the Director of the Togo branch, Valentina Kolesnikova. Young Togolese people and their parents learned about the CPD’s educational programs in the republic, its partner Russian universities, as well as opportunities to enroll in studies in Russia through scholarship programs. The meeting caused a real buzz—more than 400 people attended, and the hall was overcrowded.

Of particular interest to the young people was an online conversation with representatives of the CPD Youth Corps. Russian students explained how the international organization supports African students in Novosibirsk, helping them adapt more quickly to the realities of life in Russia and successfully integrate into their studies. Moussa Hamadou Abdou-Rahim, a student from Niger who studies at Novosibirsk State Technical University, also shared his personal experience of applying and enrolling.

A short interactive session was also engaging for the young guests: they practiced pronouncing sounds and wrote their first words in Russian. All participants received the Russian alphabet as a gift, and the most active attendees were rewarded with sweet treats and souvenirs.

The participation of 22 village chiefs from the region was also important. Returning home with CPD informational materials, these delegates became conduits of new knowledge in their communities, opening a path for local youth to a high-quality Russian education.

Togolese media also widely covered the meeting in Gando, confirming that Russian education can be accessible not only to residents of the capital, but also to people in the regions of the republic.