Schaaf hall capital university. Mold Growth in Capital University Residence Halls: Causes, Effects, and Solutions

What are the causes of mold growth in Capital University residence halls. How does mold affect student health and living conditions. What measures are being taken to address the mold issue in campus housing.

The Emergence of Mold in Cotterman and Schaaf Halls

Students residing in Cotterman and Schaaf Halls at Capital University have recently encountered an unwelcome guest in their living spaces: mold. This unexpected issue has raised concerns about indoor air quality and living conditions in campus housing. The problem appears to be limited to these two residence halls, which are the only air-conditioned dormitories on campus.

Jon Geyer, Director of Residential and Commuter Life, explained the unique circumstances contributing to the mold growth: “These buildings are cooled by chilled water through fan coil units with limited capabilities for adjustments.” This cooling system, combined with recent weather patterns, has created an environment conducive to mold proliferation.

Environmental Factors Contributing to Mold Growth

The primary culprit behind the mold issue seems to be the unusually humid weather experienced in the area. High humidity levels, coupled with the air conditioning systems in Cotterman and Schaaf Halls, have created a perfect storm for mold growth. The buildings’ infrastructure is not well-suited for dehumidification, exacerbating the problem.

Geyer further elaborated on the specific challenges faced by each building:

• Cotterman Hall: The eastern side of the building is constructed directly on the ground, allowing moisture to seep through the flooring due to extensive rainfall.
• Schaaf Hall: Students placing beds and bedding too close to air conditioning units has restricted air circulation, causing humidity levels to rise.

Student Experiences with Mold in Residence Halls

Several students have shared their encounters with mold in their living spaces. Ryanne Mitchell, a first-year economics major residing in Schaaf Hall, discovered mold under a desk drawer in her room. Despite reporting the issue, the initial response was less than satisfactory. Mitchell stated, “We were told it was our fault that we have mold because we kept things too close to the AC unit, but the problem area wasn’t near the unit.”

In Cotterman Hall, sophomore nursing major Megan Carpenter had a particularly unpleasant experience when she found her sandal completely covered in mold. Carpenter disposed of the sandal, understandably too disgusted to attempt cleaning it. She also mentioned rumors of mold growth on a mattress belonging to a student on a lower floor.

Health Implications of Mold Exposure in Dormitories

Mold exposure can have varying effects on individuals, with some people being more sensitive than others. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), exposure to damp or moldy environments can lead to a range of health issues, including:

• Nasal stuffiness
• Throat irritation
• Coughing or wheezing
• Eye irritation
• Skin irritation

For students with pre-existing respiratory conditions, the presence of mold can be particularly problematic. Mitchell, who has asthma, reported difficulty breathing since about a week or two after moving in. She noted an improvement in her breathing after the mold was removed, though this may also be attributed to the recent switch to heating for the winter season, which reduces moisture in the air.

University Response and Mitigation Efforts

Capital University has taken steps to address the mold issue and improve living conditions for affected students. Some of the measures implemented include:

1. Installing dehumidifiers in affected common spaces, such as lounges in Cotterman Hall
2. Regularly monitoring temperatures, humidity, and CO2 levels in the buildings
3. Educating students on preventive measures to limit moisture in their rooms
4. Encouraging students to report any mold or mildew findings through work orders

Ali Bryant, Area Director, sent an email to Cotterman and Schaaf residents with guidelines to help prevent mold growth:

• Keep furniture at least two feet away from AC units
• Set thermostats between 68-74 degrees Fahrenheit
• Keep curtains open to improve air circulation
• Avoid piling up clothes to encourage airflow

Long-term Strategies for Mold Prevention in Campus Housing

Looking ahead, the university is planning to implement proactive measures to address humidity issues and prevent mold growth in the future. Geyer stated, “When we return to warmer months, the University will take proactive measures to address humidity and educate students on how to be good partners in limiting moisture in residence hall rooms.”

These long-term strategies may include:

• Upgrading HVAC systems to better control humidity levels
• Improving building insulation to reduce moisture infiltration
• Implementing regular mold inspections and preventive maintenance
• Developing comprehensive mold prevention and response protocols
• Providing ongoing education to students about mold prevention and reporting

The Role of Students in Maintaining a Mold-Free Environment

While the university is taking steps to address the mold issue, students also play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy living environment. By following the guidelines provided by the university and being vigilant about potential mold growth, students can help prevent future occurrences.

Some additional tips for students to maintain a mold-free living space include:

• Regularly cleaning and disinfecting surfaces, especially in high-humidity areas like bathrooms
• Using exhaust fans or opening windows when showering or cooking to reduce moisture
• Promptly reporting any signs of water damage or leaks
• Avoiding the use of humidifiers in dorm rooms
• Keeping personal belongings dry and storing them properly

Recognizing Early Signs of Mold Growth

To prevent mold from becoming a significant issue, it’s essential for students to recognize the early signs of mold growth. These may include:

• Musty odors
• Visible mold growth, which can appear as spots or patches in various colors (black, green, brown, etc.)
• Water stains or discoloration on walls, ceilings, or floors
• Peeling or bubbling paint or wallpaper
• Increased allergy symptoms or respiratory issues when in the room

If any of these signs are observed, students should immediately report the issue to their Resident Assistant or the Facilities department.

Balancing Comfort and Health in Campus Housing

The mold situation at Capital University highlights the challenges of maintaining comfortable and healthy living environments in campus housing. While air conditioning provides much-needed relief during hot and humid weather, it can also create conditions conducive to mold growth if not properly managed.

Universities across the country face similar challenges in balancing student comfort with health and safety concerns. Some potential solutions to consider include:

• Implementing smart building technologies to better monitor and control indoor environmental conditions
• Investing in energy-efficient HVAC systems that can effectively manage both temperature and humidity
• Conducting regular indoor air quality assessments in residence halls
• Providing resources and training for facilities staff on mold prevention and remediation
• Establishing clear communication channels between students, housing staff, and facilities management

The Importance of Transparency and Communication

In addressing the mold issue, Capital University has demonstrated the importance of transparent communication with students. By promptly informing residents of the problem and providing guidelines for prevention, the university has taken steps to mitigate the issue and involve students in the solution.

Moving forward, maintaining open lines of communication between students, housing staff, and facilities management will be crucial in preventing and addressing any future mold-related concerns. This may include:

• Regular updates on indoor air quality and moisture control efforts
• Providing easily accessible information on mold prevention and reporting procedures
• Hosting informational sessions or workshops on maintaining healthy living spaces
• Establishing a dedicated channel for students to report and track environmental concerns in their living spaces

Learning from the Experience: Improving Campus Housing Nationwide

The mold situation at Capital University serves as a valuable learning experience not only for the institution itself but also for other universities across the country. By sharing their experiences and the strategies implemented to address the issue, Capital University can contribute to the broader conversation on maintaining healthy living environments in campus housing.

Some key takeaways from this situation include:

1. The importance of proactive maintenance and monitoring of building systems
2. The need for adaptable housing solutions that can withstand varying climate conditions
3. The value of educating students on their role in maintaining a healthy living environment
4. The benefits of transparent communication between university administration and students
5. The potential for collaborative problem-solving between students, staff, and facilities management

As universities continue to invest in campus housing improvements, incorporating lessons learned from situations like the one at Capital University can help create safer, healthier, and more comfortable living spaces for students across the country.

Fostering a Culture of Environmental Awareness on Campus

Beyond addressing the immediate mold issue, this situation presents an opportunity for Capital University to foster a broader culture of environmental awareness and responsibility among its student body. By engaging students in discussions about indoor air quality, energy efficiency, and sustainable living practices, the university can turn this challenge into a valuable learning experience.

Potential initiatives to promote environmental awareness on campus could include:

• Incorporating topics related to indoor air quality and building science into relevant coursework
• Organizing student-led environmental health committees in residence halls
• Hosting campus-wide events focused on sustainable living practices
• Implementing green building standards in future campus construction and renovation projects
• Encouraging student research projects on indoor environmental quality and its impact on academic performance

By taking a proactive and educational approach to environmental issues on campus, Capital University can empower its students to become more conscious and responsible inhabitants of their living spaces, both during their time on campus and in their future homes and workplaces.

The Future of Healthy Campus Living at Capital University

As Capital University works to resolve the current mold issue and implement long-term prevention strategies, the institution has the opportunity to become a leader in healthy campus living. By prioritizing indoor air quality, moisture control, and student well-being, the university can create a model for other institutions to follow.

Some potential areas for future development and improvement include:

• Exploring innovative building materials and technologies that naturally resist mold growth
• Implementing comprehensive indoor air quality monitoring systems across all campus buildings
• Developing partnerships with environmental health experts to inform housing policies and practices
• Creating a dedicated team or department focused on maintaining healthy living environments on campus
• Integrating sustainability and health considerations into all aspects of campus planning and operations

By taking a holistic and forward-thinking approach to campus housing, Capital University can not only address the current mold issue but also set new standards for healthy, comfortable, and sustainable student living environments.

Empowering Students as Partners in Campus Health

The mold situation has highlighted the importance of student involvement in maintaining healthy living spaces. Moving forward, Capital University has the opportunity to further empower students as active partners in campus health initiatives. This could involve:

• Creating student ambassador programs focused on indoor environmental quality
• Offering workshops and training sessions on maintaining healthy living spaces
• Encouraging student-led research projects on campus environmental health
• Implementing a reward system for students who consistently maintain clean and mold-free living spaces
• Involving students in the design and implementation of future housing improvements

By fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility among students, the university can create a more engaged and health-conscious campus community.

Mold growing in residence hall rooms

Students living in Cotterman and Schaaf have found some unwanted mold growing in their rooms , and even on their belongings.

Residence and Commuter Life officials are attributing the issue to the recent humid weather. Director of Residential and Commuter Life Jon Geyer said in an email that only Cotterman and Schaaf have been affected at this time because they are the only two residence halls that have air-conditioning on campus.

“These buildings are cooled by chilled water through fan coil units with limited capabilities for adjustments,” Geyer said.

Ryanne Mitchell, a first-year economics major living in Schaaf Hall, said she and her roommate found mold under a desk drawer in their room after attending a mandatory hall meeting about the issue. They put an emergency work order in immediately.

“[Facilities] was supposed to sanitize the area and the AC unit, but my RA wiped it away with [Windex] and a paper towel,” Mitchell said. “We were told there was nothing [facilities] could do because it had already been taken care of.”

After her roommate’s parent complained, Mitchell said facilities came to sanitize the area.

“We were told it was our fault that we have mold because we kept things too close to the AC unit, but the problem area wasn’t near the unit,” Mitchell said.

Megan Carpenter, a sophomore nursing major living in Cotterman Hall, has also experienced issues with mold growing in her room; she came back to her room to find her sandal completely covered in mold.

Megan Carpenter, a sophomore nursing major, found her sandal covered in mold in her second-floor Cotterman room.

Carpenter said she threw the sandals away because she was “way too grossed out to clean them.” Carpenter also said she believes a student that lives on a floor below her has mold growing on their mattress.

In an email sent to Cotterman and Schaaf residents, Area Director Ali Bryant informed students that the building was experiencing “a high level of moisture” due to the humidity in the air and the building’s infrastructure not being “well-suited for dehumidification. ”

Students were instructed in the email to keep furniture more than two feet away from the AC unit in their room, keep their thermostats set between 68-74 degrees, to keep curtains open, and keep clothes from piling up to encourage air flow. Bryant also encouraged students to fill out a work order if they found mildew in their rooms.

“I understand that this is an undesirable issue,” Bryant said in the email. “Our facilities department is working to figure out how to combat the moisture in the air. Until then, please do your part to ensure that your room is not a good breeding place for moisture and mildew.”

Geyer confirmed in his email that the buildings’ excess moisture was due to “unusually high outdoor temperatures and humidity for longer periods of time.”

“As an example, Cotterman East side is built directly on the ground … and with extensive rain this year, additional moisture absorption came through the flooring,” Geyer said. “Additionally, in Schaaf Hall beds and beddings were being pushed up against the units restricting the air circulation. This lack of air flow caused humidity to rise.”

The CDC says on their website that some people are more sensitive to molds than others, and that “exposure to damp or moldy environments can cause a variety of health effects or none at all.”

Health effects from mold can include nasal stuffiness, throat irritation, coughing or wheezing, eye irritation, or skin irritation.

Mitchell has asthma and said she’s had trouble breathing since about a week or two after move in.

“Since we got rid of the mold, I have definitely been able to breathe better,” Mitchell said. She explained that this change in her breathing may not have been completely mold related; it may have come because facilities recently switched the campus to heating for the winter season, which means there is less moisture in the air.

According to Geyer, Facilities has installed dehumidifiers in affected common spaces, such as a lounge in Cotterman, and are monitoring temperatures, humidity and CO2 levels on a regular basis.

“We are confident that with the measures described above, we will be able to reduce or eliminate any mold/mildew issues that arise,” Geyer said. “When we return to warmer months, the University will take proactive measures to address humidity and educate students on how to be good partners in limiting moistures in residence hall rooms.”

• Heather Barr

  Heather Barr is the current Editor-In-Chief of The Chimes and a senior at Capital University, studying Journalism and Professional Writing. [email protected]

Capital University

Capital University (Capital, Cap, or CU) is a private university in Bexley, Ohio. Capital was founded as the Theological Seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Ohio in 1830, and later was associated with that synod’s successor, the American Lutheran Church. The university has undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as a law school. Capital University is the oldest university in Central Ohio and is one of the oldest and largest Lutheran-affiliated universities in North America.

History

Capital University was founded on June 3, 1830, as the “Theological Seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Ohio” in Canton, Ohio,

In 1930, the Joint Synod was merged with two other smaller German language groups, the Iowa Synod (formed 1854) and the Buffalo Synod (founded 1845) to create the American Lutheran Church (ALC), headquartered in Columbus. The ALC existed only three decades, until 1960, when it in turn participated in a larger merger with the Evangelical Lutheran Church and the United Evangelical Lutheran Church Danish to form The American Lutheran Church. The second ALC lasted until the formation of the current Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) in 1988, with offices in Chicago, Illinois.

The university eventually moved its main campus to the rural periphery of the state capital in the community of Bexley. This rural area has since developed into an upscale suburb. Capital University’s educational mission is based on Lutheran values of free inquiry, critical thinking, and leadership. A current motto used at the school is “Ask. Think. Lead”, a continuing reminder of its educational mission.

In recognition of several buildings’ historic architectural merit,a portion of the campus was entered on the National Register of Historic Places as the “Capital University Historic District” in 1982. The district comprises Mees Hall, Bexley Hall, the Kerns Religious Life Center (formerly Rudolph Hall), and Leonard Hall. The district originally also included Lehmann Hall and Loy Hall, but those two buildings have since been demolished.

In May 2004, the university received approval to close Mound Street between College Avenue and Pleasant Ridge Avenue from the city of Bexley. In 2006, the university constructed a pedestrian mall on the closed portion of Mound Street which included parking, improved lighting, benches, and landscaping. The $2.5 million project unified the northern and southern portions of campus.

On April 20, 2015, university president Denvy A. Bowman announced his intention to retire effective July 1, 2016, ending his ten-year tenure as president. On February 9, 2016, Capital announced Dr. Elizabeth L. Paul as the university’s president elect. She is the 16th president of Capital and is the first woman to hold the position at the university. Paul previously served as provost at Stetson University in Florida.

ELTS became independent of the university in 1959. It merged with the theological department known as Hamma Divinity School of nearby Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio, in 1978, and reopened on the Bexley campus as Trinity Lutheran Seminary, where it continues today as a theological seminary of the ELCA.

On July 13, 2020, the university Board of Trustees announced plans to retire the Crusader nickname and the “Cappy” mascot following a 15-month long study.

Academics

Capital is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. It has more than 60 majors and 51 minors to choose from.

The academic buildings on campus include Battelle Hall, Ruff Learning Center, Troutman Hall, Kerns Religious Life Center, Huber-Spielman Hall, Conservatory of Music, and Renner Hall.

Capital University’s ranking in the 2020 U.S. News & World Report edition of Best Colleges is Regional Universities Midwest, tied at #28.

Law School

Capital University Law School is an ABA-accredited private law school located in downtown Columbus. U.S. News & World Report listed Capital’s full-time Juris Doctor program as “Rank Not Published” in 2018, but in 2020 it ranked Capital University No. 146 out of 192 in Best Law Schools.

Campus life

Residence life

Capital is a residential campus that operates on semester scheduling. Most students live on campus in one of seven residence halls: Saylor-Ackermann Hall, Cotterman Hall, the Lohman Complex (comprising several residence halls), Schaaf Hall, Capital Commons, College Avenue Hall, and the Capital University Apartments (formerly the Woodsview Apartments).

Music

Capital University’s music program is well-respected in the music community. Consisting of traditional and contemporary tracks, legendary faculty member Ray Eubanks started the jazz program and the music industry programs, which were some of the first in the nation. The largest degree concentration within the Conservatory is the Music Technology program, consisting of two tracks authored by Dr. Rocky J. Reuter, who also created the composition degree, the MIDI Band (an all-electronic live ensemble that has toured throughout the mid-west and eastern US), Ensemble Now (an improvisational-based contemporary music ensemble) and NOW MUSIC Festival, an annual celebration of contemporary music. The Chapel Choir has performed around Ohio and the world, including Carnegie Hall. The annual Christmas Festival at Capital, led by all the choral ensembles (the Capital Chordsmen, Women’s Chorus, Choral Union, and Chapel Choir), is a popular local event and community institution. Recently, the university appointed its first female Assistant Dean of the Conservatory of Music.

WXCU Radio

The campus radio station, WXCU Radio, is entirely student-run and managed. Starting in 2007, the radio station began streaming online only with an alternative and indie rock format. Students have the opportunity to host their own radio show and interview nationally touring acts. Additionally, the station hosts several concerts and also supports the efforts of other groups campus-wide. Participation can be either extra-curricular, or for credits. The station takes music submissions and frequently features music produced by students.

Harry C. Moores Student Union

During the summer of 2013 the Harry C. Moores Campus Center underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation. Capital University’s Student Government rededicated the building as the ‘Harry C. Moores Student Union’ in the fall of 2013. Capital’s Barnes & Noble bookstore is located on the first floor of the Union . The Student Union is also home to the campus mail room and the main dining facilities for Capital University.

The main dining room (MDR) or “Capital Court” on campus underwent renovations during the summer of 2015.

The bookstore on the first floor of the student union underwent renovations during the summer of 2016.

The third floor of the student union underwent renovations during the fall of 2016 to install a new workout area on campus. The workout facility opened in January 2017. The third floor used to have a lounge and game tables. The third floor was also home to the ‘Mezz’ dining option however that option was closed in 2015 when Aramark became the new food provider to campus. Aramark operates under the “Capital Dining” name at Capital.

Blackmore Library

The Capital University Blackmore Library is a four-floor structure. Computers are located on the first three floors for use, with only one on the third floor. The third floor contains many articles and much of the University’s historic data is located there. The fourth floor is the home to the Schumacher Gallery, which houses a large art collection on campus. The second floor has a large collection of music, including a vinyl section. Constructed in 1969 and dedicated in March 1971, the library now contains more than 300,000 articles of media. The library was named in 1998 for Josiah Blackmore, a well-known legal scholar and former president of the University. The first and second floors of Blackmore Library were renovated in Summer 2012.

Schumacher Gallery

Schumacher Gallery houses the 502-piece Schreiber-Fox Collection of African Art. Schreiber and Fox donated their collection of African art to Capital University. The Schumacher Gallery’s permanent collections consist of a diverse selection of more than 2500 works of art for education and enjoyment.

A piece of the Berlin Wall is a popular attraction for visitors and incoming students. Obtained in 1992, the wall was given on long-term loan from Hansa Consulting, a German-based corporation. On one side is colorful graffiti written during the separation of East and West Berlin, while the other side is blank concrete revealing a few bullet holes, evidence of the confinement of East Berliners. Once housed in the University’s library, the structure now stands outside behind Huber-Spielman Hall. The concrete wall weighs 2.8 tons.

Athletics

Capital University participates in numerous sports and plays within the Ohio Athletic Conference in the NCAA’s Division III. The school’s primary athletic rival is Otterbein University, in Westerville, Ohio. Under the name Capital Crusaders, the following teams and clubs compete on the varsity level:

Men’s Sports

• Baseball
• Basketball
• Cross Country
• Football
• Golf
• Soccer
• Tennis
• Track & Field (Indoor & Outdoor)
• Lacrosse

Women’s Sports

• Basketball
• Cross Country
• Golf
• Soccer
• Softball
• Tennis
• Track & Field (Indoor & Outdoor)
• Volleyball
• Lacrosse

Intramural Sports

• Basketball
• Dodgeball
• Volleyball
• Flag Football
• Ultimate Frisbee
• Racquetball
• Zumba
• Soccer
• Softball

National championships

Capital University became the first school to win back-to-back NCAA Division III Women’s Basketball National Championships in 1994 and 1995. The two championships highlight a five-year run that featured four trips to the national semifinals and finals. The Crusaders finished second in the nation in 1993 and third in the nation in 1997.

Bernlohr Stadium

Bernlohr Stadium is home to the football team, men’s and women’s soccer teams, track team, and also to the men’s and women’s lacrosse teams. In 2011, Field turf was reinstalled to the field. The stadium does…

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Schoedinger Hall building(s), Ohio, United States

Schoedinger Hall is a building(s) and is located in Franklin County, Ohio, United States. The elevation above sea level is 238 metres.

Latitude: 39°57’18.21″
Longitude: -82°56’11.65″

The superior administrative division is Ohio.

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2015 Awardees | Ohio University

Alumnus of the Year

Clarence Page, BSJ’ 69, HON ’93

Nationally syndicated journalist and champion for the Chicago Tribune

• Recipient of two Pulitzer Prizes: the first in 1973, in public service, as part of a team investigating vote fraud, his second, in 1989, for commentary
• Inducted into the Chicago Journalism Hall of Fame
• Recognized with the First Amendment Award from the Association of Educators in Journalism and Mass Communication
• Lifetime achievement awards from the National Society of Newspaper Columnists, the Chicago Headline Club, and the National Association of Black Journalists
• Regular essayist for the PBS “NewsHour with Jim Lehrer” and commentator on numerous other news programs
• Enshrined in the Ohio Communication Hall of Fame in 2014, and was OHIO’s commencement speaker in 1993 and 2001
• Served as a Trustee for The Ohio University Foundation Board
• 1990 recipient of the Ohio University Alumni Association Medal of Merit

Medal of Merit

Rev.

Dr. Joel C. Hunter, BS ’70

Longtime peacemaker and internationally recognized spiritual leader

• Serves as an integral part of global initiatives like the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, bringing Evangelical Christianity and other American perspectives to leaders of nations such as China, Egypt, Great Britain, Ukraine, and Israel
• Spiritual advisor to President Barack Obama on essential policy issues and interfaith relations
• 30 years of service as senior Pastor for Northland, A Church Distributed, to a growing congregation of 20,000
• Dissuaded violence and built interracial religious relationships on the local, state, national, and international levels
• Recipient of the Better Man Ministry Award, Bible Society of Egypt Outreach Award, Children’s Environmental Health Network Award for Service, and was listed as one of Central Florida’s “50 Most Powerful Citizens” by Orlando Magazine for three consecutive years

Medal of Merit

Robert Shook, MFA ’74

Award-winning professional theatrical designer

• Founding partner of Schuler Shook, an international theatre planning and architectural lighting design firm
• Consulted on over 200 performing arts facilities world-wide and designed over 180 theatrical productions in Chicago and the Midwest
• Committed to educating professionals in the field by regularly presenting at conferences and serving on performing arts councils
• Currently serving as President of the American Society of Theatre Consultants
• Best known for his lighting design for Millennium Park, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Chicago Water Tower, the Calder “Flamingo” sculpture in Federal Plaza, and the Palmolive Building
• Recipient of over 20 international awards for excellence in lighting design
• Currently working with the College of Fine Arts at Ohio University to help lay the groundwork for the development of a new theatre in Dublin, Ohio, as well as teaching master classes on the Athens Campus

Medal of Merit

Art Stellar, BSEd ’69, Med ’70, PhD ’73

National educational leadership visionary and superintendent

• Helped schools acquire $110 million and raise achievement as Vice President of National Education Foundation and its subsidiary CyberLearning
• Authored 500+ publications, along with being a four-time Fulbright Scholar
• Recognized for leadership that transforms school systems into productive organizations generating higher performance, including turning around finances and educational results
• Recognized for winning landmark school desegregation case at US Supreme Court that validated reduction in achievement gap between African-American and White students
• Served on National Alumni Board, Trustees Academy, Co-Founder & President of Central Ohio Alumni Chapter, twice President of Massachusetts Chapter, and College of Education Promise Campaign and the Dean’s Circle of Engagement
• Recipient of 100+ recognitions for educational leadership, service, and excellence
• Served as preisdent or member of various national professional and civic boards throughout his career, including the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Horace Mann League, and NY State PTA

Distinguished Service Award

Mike McTeague, MA ’67, EMER ’03

Devoted Professor Emeritus History and administrator at Ohio University Eastern Campus

• 51-year career at OHIO spanning two regional campuses, dozens of courses, and six terms in the Faculty Senate
• Recipient of the Austin Furbee Alumni Award for his service to OHIO’s Eastern Campus, and the Liberty Bell Award by the Belmont County Bar Association for distinguished public service
• Instrumental in the renovation and furnishing of the “McTeague Reading Room” located in Shannon Hall, established in honor of his late wife Pat, who worked in the library on the regional campus for many years
• Recently retired from his post as Associate Dean, having formerly served as Assistant Professor, Faculty Chair, and Acting Dean at both the Southern and Eastern Campuses
• Former Director of Education for the Belmont Correctional Institution, current Board Trustee for the Belmont County Public Defenders Commission, and President of the Ohio Community Education Association

Distinguished Service Award

T.

J. Simonik, BBA ’07

Senior Wholesale Renewable Analyst and OHIO alumni networking champion

• Currently working as a Senior Wholesale Renewable Analyst for Duke Energy’s Distributed Energy Resources Division, previously employed as a Assurance Senior Associate at PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP
• Assumed several leadership positions as an alumnus volunteer, including Vice President and President of the Charlotte, North Carolina Chapter; and as Secretary, Vice President, and President of the College of Business Society of Alumni and Friends
• Transformed annual Charlotte Networking Week event and Charlotte Chapter into award-winning initiatives during his term as Chapter President
• Represented the College of Business on the Leaders Advisory Council at OHIO for three years, and has been instrumental in growing the presence of the society to allow greater outreach: engaging OHIO students with companies offering professional internships

Distinguished Service Award

Ann Wagner Hill, BSEd ’68

Dedicated educator and ardent Black alumni advocate

• 43-year career with Columbus Public Schools as both an instructor and administrator
• Founding member of the Columbus Black Alumni group, and co-creator of the premier OUAA event, Black Alumni Reunion
• Continually promotes Ohio University through her civic involvement and service to youth community programs such as Links, Inc. ; Helping Hands, Inc.; and presents to high school students in other community programs endorsing OHIO
• Serves The Gladys W. and David H. Patton College of Education on the unit’s Advisory Board and Dean’s Circle of Engagement, and by fundraising and advocating for diversity issues
• Member of the Ohio University Advancement Board, 1804 Society and The Promise Lives Campaign Steering Committee
• Recipient of over 15 local, state and Congressional awards for service, including the National Coalition of 100 Black Women Outstanding Community Service in 1992 and Master Teacher of the Year from the Martha Jennings Holden Foundation in 1996

Charles J. and Claire O. Ping Recent Graduate Award

Michael Logue, BSA ’12, MBA ’13

Combat Veteran and pioneering military activist

• Sought and recruited by the Air Force to operate as a civilian Contract Specialist at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, managing client accounts for national security projects
• Former Corporal in Weapons Platoon for Lima Company, Third Battalion, 25 ^th Marines, Fourth Marine Division supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom III, which spent 210 of their 240-day deployment in combat
• Nationally recognized for his role in a record-setting year for community fundraising through United Service Organization Tribute Cincinnati
• Founder of the Combat Veterans Club—the first of its kind at OHIO— and served as Veterans’ Affairs Commissioner for Student Senate and as a member of the Veteran’s Support Committee as an undergraduate student
• Instrumental in raising significant funds for veteran support at OHIO, including the establishment of the Veteran Alumni Society and the Office of Veterans Affairs on campus
• Director of Peer Mentoring for Tristate Veterans Community Alliance
• Influenced local, state, and national veteran affairs policy through public appearances, televised interviews, and involvement with government officials as a veteran advocate stakeholder

Charles J.

and Claire O. Ping Recent Graduate Award

Alan Schaaf, BSCS ’10

Founder and CEO, imgur.com

• Creator of the 13 ^th most popular website in the U.S. and 44 ^th most popular website in the world, touting over five billion page views on the image-hosting website every day
• Two-time recipient of the Best Bootstrapped Startup Award by TechCrunch, and Finalist for both Entrepreneur ’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and AdWeek ’s Hotlist Digital Favorites in 2014
• Recognized leader in the tech industry for his technical skills, ability to scale, and business savvy
• Launched Imgur as an undergraduate student, and incubated at the Innovation Center at OHIO, while also working as Web Director for ACRN, and hosting a talk show called Tech Talk
• Raised $40 million of venture capital from Andreessen Horowitz and reddit, Inc.
• Presented a TEDx talk in New Zealand entitled, “Breaking Outside of Your Friends List,” speaking to the role of social media and online communities in the evolution of today’s internet

The Kermit Blosser Ohio Athletics Hall of Fame

Joanne Park-Simmons, BSSP ’00

OHIO Swimmer 1996-2000

• All-MAC and a MAC Champion all four years of competition
• MAC Swimmer of the Year in 1998 and MAC Senior Swimmer of the Year in 2000
• Won 22 MAC Event Championships during her career and was named Team MVP in 1998
• Three-time First Team All-MAC selection and Second Team All-MAC selection
• Holds the MAC Records for most victories by an individual in 1998 and 2000
• Still ranks in the top 10 in the 100 butterfly, the 200 and 400 freestyle relays, the 200 individual medley and the 400 medley relay in the Conference
• In 2000, she was invited to swim at the British Olympic Trials
• Currently a Police Sergent for the Northumbria Police department and has spent the last 13 years with the organization

The Kermit Blosser Ohio Athletics Hall of Fame

Dion Byrum, BSSP ’06

OHIO Football 2002-2006

• Named second team All-America by the American Football Coaches Association, Associated Press and Sports Illustrated
• All-MAC First Team selection, MAC All-Star Selection and two-time MAC East Division Player of the Week
• Set several special teams and defensive records, including the most career punt returns and most kick returns in a game, season and career
• Touts the most interceptions in a season and career; most interceptions returned for touchdowns in a game, season and career, most career and season pass break-ups and had the longest interception return in a game
• Played in the NFL for the Chicago Bears, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers from 2006-07 and played in the Arena Football League for the Colorado Crush in 2008 and the Orlando Predators in 2008 and 2010

The Kermit Blosser Ohio Athletics Hall of Fame

Briana Adamovasky Schunzel, BBA ’05

OHIO Volleyball 2001-2004

• Four–year letter winner for the Bobcat volleyball team, and four-time All-Mid American Conference
• Named MVP of the 2004 All-MAC Tournament Team
• Set the MAC season assists per game record, was an Honorable Mention All-American, made the All-District/Mideast First Team, and was the MAC Player of the Year and All-MAC Academic in her senior season
• Set the record for hitting percentage in MAC games, and set the MAC Career Assists record
• Led her team to back-to-back MAC Championships and NCAA Tournaments in 2003 and 2004
• Post-OHIO she has coached and worked in director and marketing roles with junior volleyball clubs and the junior volleyball association

The Kermit Blosser Ohio Athletics Hall of Fame

Robert Willet, BA ’66

OHIO Baseball 1963-66

• Three-year letter winner for the Bobcats baseball team
• All-American in 1966 when the All-American team was comprised of just eight position players and two pitchers
• Named to the All-MAC, All-District and All-Region team in 1966 and First team All-MAC selection in 1965
• Held the single season batting average record from 1960-1969 and is sixth all-time with a career batting average of . 377
• Led the nation during his tenure with a .471 batting average
• Commanded his team to MAC Championships in 1964 and 65 and a second place finishes in 1963 and 66
• The 1965 Bobcats held the single-season record for wins until 1970 with a 28-3 overall mark and holds the distinction for fewest losses in school history in the MAC baseball era
• Went on to play for the New York Mets signing with the club in 1966

Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf proposes 40 new police officers

In her first budget since being elected on the promise that she would strengthen public safety in Oakland, Mayor Libby Schaaf is pushing a plan to boost the city’s police force by 40 sworn officers.

That would bring the total number of police officers to 762 over the next two years, the highest that Oakland has seen since 2010, when the city had 780. Schaaf hopes the hiring of more officers would help solve a problem that’s become “overwhelmingly the highest priority in Oakland,” as she wrote in a budget proposal she will present to the City Council on Tuesday.

“I think we all know that Oakland is very short on police, that it’s a very urgent need,” the mayor said in an interview.

The city budget director projected that 40 additional police jobs would cost the city about $6.7 million beginning in 2016, which Schaaf will account for by freezing vacant positions. The $2.4 billion overall budget for 2015-17 includes enough anticipated revenue to mend an $18 million shortfall this year.

Oakland’s need for a strong police force has long been at cross-purposes with its citizens’ desire for police reform, putting leaders in an awkward spot. A corruption scandal settled in 2003 made the Police Department beholden to a court-appointed monitor, even as officers faced an avalanche of crime.

And according to the Police Department’s own data, staffing for the past 15 years has been abysmal. Layoffs reduced the force from 830 sworn officers in 2009 to 613 in 2013. Oakland has witnessed a spate of troubling, high-profile crimes in recent years — including the 2011 stray-bullet killing of 3-year-old Carlos Nava, whose mother was pushing him in a stroller in East Oakland; and the March death of Chyemil Pierce, who was caught in a cross fire while walking her children home. Over the last two years, some neighborhood associations have begun hiring private security guards to patrol outside their homes.

Records show that Oakland’s police staff dipped incrementally during former Mayor Jean Quan’s administration, before rising this year. The crime rate rankled neighborhood-watch groups, whose members accused Quan of neglecting her constituents.

“Our perception is that (Quan) gave public safety an extremely low priority,” said Charles Pine, spokesman for the group Oakland Residents for Peaceful Neighborhoods.

Campaign issue

Schaaf distinguished herself by making crime-fighting a linchpin of her November election bid. Now, she’s turned it into a major area of investment, not only by proposing to beef up staff but also by asking for two auditors to join the Police Department’s office that monitors police misconduct, and boosting the Ceasefire program from four to 10 case managers.

To lawyer Harry Stern, a former Berkeley police officer who now represents police officers in misconduct cases, Schaaf’s proposed staffing increase is a good start, though he believes the mayor will have to do a lot more to boost department morale.

“If you follow what’s actually going on in the streets, you’ve got a beleaguered police force that’s completely understaffed,” Stern said. “You’ve got very serious, violent crimes in progress that aren’t being responded to in anything like a timely fashion. It’s nothing to do with the desire of the men and women in Oakland Police Department. It’s just that they’re spread paper thin.”

Yet Oakland police also face mistrust and criticism from vocal citizens who are quick to protest when police violence happens in other cities. The most recent instance came Friday, when a march to show support for Freddie Gray, who died after being injured in police custody in Baltimore last month, culminated in what Police Chief Sean Whent called some of the worst violence he’s seen in years.

Priorities criticized

Although police staffing decreased under Quan, some activists contend the force is still too powerful.

“Until we have mayors who talk about allocating the vast majority of the budget to social services, then public safety isn’t being addressed,” said Cat Brooks, founder of ONYX/The Anti-Police Terrorism Project, a group that condemns officer use of force.

Councilman Noel Gallo, who will get an opportunity to critique the budget Tuesday, said he’s seen an uptick in armed robberies and assaults in the Fruitvale neighborhood he represents.

Oakland Police Department’s March quarterly crime report revealed 23 homicides, 930 robberies and more than 3,000 burglaries in the first quarter of the year citywide. The number of homicides and burglaries are about the same as last year, while robberies increased by 7 percent.

Gallo, who serves on the council’s public safety committee, deemed the proposed additional officers “a step in the right direction.”

Schaaf’s budget sets a goal for 800 sworn officers by 2018. To reach it, she’s hoping to fund five training academies and a “pipeline project” that will reserve 40 spots in the city’s cadet program for Oakland public school graduates.

Stern applauds her efforts, but cautions that crime-fighting in Oakland isn’t just about boots on the ground.

To him it requires an almost philosophical approach.

“Adding more cops to the force in Oakland is critical,” he said. “But more important is what they are doing once they are there.”

Rachel Swan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: [email protected]

Twitter: @rachelswan

City of Oakland | Mayor Libby Schaaf Announces Appointment of Edward…

Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf today announced the appointment of Edward Reiskin as Oakland’s new City Administrator.

“Following a robust national recruitment process, I am thrilled to announce that I have appointed our very own Ed Reiskin to serve in the critical role of City Administrator,” Mayor Schaaf said. “Ed brings depths of experience, sharp insights, and a steady leadership style to the job in these unprecedented times. His passion for public service and the residents of Oakland will serve our community and well, and help Oakland thrive into the future.”

Mr. Reiskin has more than 30 years of experience in the private, academic, nonprofit, and public sectors. He returned to Oakland in August 2019 to serve as Assistant City Administrator, where he oversaw some of the City’s infrastructure and front-line service delivery operations, including Public Works; Transportation; Information Technology; Contracts & Compliance; Parks, Recreation & Youth Development; City Clerk; 311; and planning for the new Department of Workplace & Employment Standards.

Prior to returning to Oakland, where he started his public service career in city management, Mr. Reiskin worked for the City and County of San Francisco in several executive leadership capacities over the past 12 years. Since 2011, Mr. Reiskin had served as the Director of Transportation, leading the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), where he oversaw the municipal railway (Muni), parking, traffic engineering, bicycle and pedestrian safety, accessibility, key initiatives, and taxi regulation. At SFMTA Mr. Reiskin was responsible for more than 6,000 employees, a $1.2 billion annual operating budget, and a $3 billion capital budget.

Before joining the SFMTA, he was appointed in 2008 by Mayor Gavin Newsom as Director of the Department of Public Works. He led Public Works’ three divisions with more than 1,100 employees, whose responsibilities ranged from engineering, construction management, and project delivery to graffiti removal, street cleaning, and public engagement programs. Mr. Reiskin also served as the first Director of the City and County’s 311 Customer Service Center.

Prior to joining the City and County of San Francisco, he served as the Interim City Administrator and as Deputy Mayor for the Government of the District of Columbia. As City Administrator, he was responsible for the day-to-day operations of government, provided oversight to government agencies under the mayor’s authority, and guided functional, policy and budgetary decision-making on behalf of the mayor. As Deputy Mayor, he served as senior advisor on public safety issues and provided leadership and direction in the management of departments such as police, fire/EMS, corrections, and 911/311. He also served as the District’s liaison to independent, federal, and regional public safety agencies, and as the District of Columbia’s Homeland Security Advisor.

Prior to joining the District of Columbia government, Mr. Reiskin worked for three years for the City of Oakland as an Assistant to the City Manager. In that capacity, he led citywide initiatives, supported and coordinated the work of city agencies, particularly in the areas of public safety and community development, and implemented programs and policies of the City Council and Mayor of Oakland.

“It is deeply humbling to be given the opportunity to be considered for the role of Oakland’s City Administrator,” Mr. Reiskin said. “I look forward to working with the Mayor, the City Council, other elected officials, and stakeholders to support the great employees of the City of Oakland in providing outstanding service that befits this outstanding city, particularly in support of the most vulnerable among us.”

Mr. Reiskin holds a Master of Public Administration degree from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, a Master of Business Administration degree from New York University’s Stern School of Business, and a Bachelor of Science degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

A confirmation vote is expected at the next regular City Council meeting on April 21. If confirmed by the City Council, Mr. Reiskin will assume his duties as City Administrator on the day following confirmation.

90,000 The volunteer program of the 2018 FIFA World Cup has started in Rostov

Rostov-on-Don, June 1. DON24.RU. A campaign to recruit volunteers for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup in Russia has begun in Rostov today.

The main events were held in the volunteer center of the World Cup-2018, opened on the basis of DSTU in December last year. A festive concert took place in the congress hall of the university. Its spectators were candidates for volunteers, famous Don athletes and Rostovites who are not indifferent to football.There was also a teleconference with Moscow, where the recruitment of volunteers around the country was started. A delegation from DSTU, headed by the rector Besarion Meskhi, attended the event in the capital. Simultaneously with Moscow and other cities where the World Cup matches will be held, the first applications from candidates for volunteers for the 2018 World Cup and in Rostov have begun.

The guest of honor of the event was the Governor of the Rostov Region Vasily Golubev, who took part in the launch of the volunteer program in the host cities of the World Cup.

“We have to recruit 1400 volunteers who will work at the championship matches in Rostov-on-Don, as well as at other sporting events,” said Vasily Golubev. – The current volunteer program is interesting also because the largest volunteer team in the country has been created in the Rostov region, which constantly works in different directions. Those volunteers who will work in Rostov-on-Don during the World Cup should know well their city, region, and not only their history, but also modern development.Volunteer representatives must be courteous and welcoming. It is important that those fans who come to Rostov see how we have prepared sports facilities for the competition and assess their level of readiness. ”

The Governor noted that the start of the volunteer program is the beginning of an active, dynamic, energetic and very important work that accompanies all major sporting events. Vasily Golubev wished the volunteers success, reminding them that great and responsible work awaits them.

The current volunteer campaign promises to be the largest in the history of this movement in Russia. Today, 15 volunteer centers in 11 host cities of the 2018 World Cup have begun the selection of applications from Russian and foreign volunteers. Candidates will be interviewed, the best of them will have the opportunity to directly participate in the World Cup.

90,000 More than 2 thousand FIFA volunteers signed up for Sobyanin’s election headquarters

Konstantin Remchukov, the incumbent editor-in-chief of Nezavisimaya Gazeta and head of the election headquarters of the current mayor of Moscow, announced that more than two thousand FIFA volunteers have already signed up for the election headquarters of Sergei Sobyanin.

Remchukov spoke about this at a briefing that took place this morning. According to Sobyanin, head of the election headquarters, the number of volunteers is growing rapidly and by now has already exceeded 10 thousand people. More than 2 thousand people came for an interview after the FIFA World Cup.

FIFA volunteers announced their decision to join Sergei Sobyanin’s headquarters last Monday, July 16, at a gala evening at Izvestia Hall, where they were congratulated on their successful work at the World Cup.

These people, the editor-in-chief of Nezavisimaya Gazeta explained, are collecting orders from the residents of Moscow. They help to detect existing problems and start solving them in a timely manner. This includes, among other things, group problems, added Remchukov.

At the moment, volunteers from the electoral headquarters of Sergei Sobyanin have collected more than 6 thousand orders.

Let us remind you that the current mayor of the capital is one of the four approved candidates for the post of mayor of Moscow. In the elections, he acts as a self-nominated candidate.Its program will be based mainly on the fulfillment of wishes and orders voiced by Muscovites.

During the World Cup, more than 10 thousand volunteers over the age of 16 worked on city streets, in public transport, at tourist and sports facilities. All of them passed a special selection last fall, as well as training in various areas. Volunteers were trained to work with people with disabilities, how to behave in an emergency and provide first aid.

Tours to Kazan from Chelyabinsk

  Kazan. Excursion tour 
 Arrivals    August 20-24, August 27-31, 
  Autumn:  September 03-07, September 10-14. 17-21 September, 24-28 September, 01-05 October, 
 08-12 October, 15-19 October, 22-26 October, 29 October-02 November, 
 05-09 November, 12-16 November, 19- November 23, November 26-30, 
  Duration:  5 days / 4 nights 
 

Tour program:

1 day (Friday)
Independent check-in to the hotel: accommodation not earlier than check-out time (14:00), before that time it is possible to hand over things to the hotel’s storage room;
when placing tourists call their full name
Tourists will receive the program at the check-in counter at the hotel of the selected category.
Meeting with a guide.
12:00 Departure for the excursion program from the hotel.
Lunch at the cafe.
Bus sightseeing tour “Kazan 1000 years old”. Ancient streets and houses are like pages of history that reflect the past, and we will definitely make this journey into the depths of the centuries with you. Cozy corners of old Kazan await you, where churches coexist with mosques, and European-style mansions quietly coexist next to the estates of Tatar merchants.All together they make up a unique whole, inherent only in our city.
During the tour you will definitely see:
– The Old Tatar settlement on the shores of the legendary Kaban Lake, where, according to legend, the untold treasures of the Kazan Khanate are kept. You will see the estates of Tatar merchants, the oldest mosque in the city, Mardzhani, built in the 18th century in the Baroque style, and you will learn why the Tatars called Catherine II the grandmother-queen.
– The European part of Kazan, where luxurious mansions of the 18th – early 20th centuries, which belonged to representatives of high society, are located.You will see Kazan University associated with the names of Lobachevsky and Lenin, you will find out where young Maxim Gorky earned his living and what places Leo Tolstoy reflected in his works.
– Freedom Square is one of the oldest in Kazan. From the bus windows you will see one of the largest opera and ballet theaters in Russia, the building of the Noble Assembly of the mid-19th century, built on the model of the palaces of the Italian Renaissance, as well as the Government House, erected in the style of Stalin’s skyscrapers in Moscow.
– The Mother of God Monastery – the place where the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God was found, one of the largest monasteries in the Volga region, the complex of buildings of which makes up a unique ensemble in the classicism style of the 19th century. You will visit the Holy Cross Church, where the Vatican list of the shrine, presented to Kazan by Pope John Paul II, is kept.
– Kazan of the XXI century is a modern metropolis located on the banks of the Kazanka River opposite the historical part of the city. You will visit the embankment overlooking the Kremlin, see the Kazan skyscraper – the Riviera hotel and one of the largest stadiums in Russia that hosted the Universiade, the Confederations Cup and the matches of the World Cup.
Excursion to the Kazan Kremlin – the heart of the thousand-year-old city. Built by order of Ivan the Terrible on the ruins of the powerful citadel of the Kazan Khanate, it was able to withstand the siege of Yemelyan Pugachev and the battles of the Civil War. Peter I and Catherine II walked along the pavements of the fortress, and the great French writer Alexander Dumas admired the decoration of the Annunciation Cathedral. The unique architecture of the Kremlin, embodying the achievements of Russian and Tatar masters, is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
During the tour you will see:
– The beautiful Kul Sharif mosque and the ancient Cathedral of the Annunciation;
– Medieval walls and towers erected by the best craftsmen of Ivan the Terrible;
– Palace of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan and the mausoleum of Kazan khans;
– The Leaning Tower of Syuyumbike, which bears the name of the legendary Tatar queen;
– Observation deck with stunning views of the city center.
~ 17.00 End of the program at the Kazan Kremlin.Free time.

Day 2 (Saturday) Breakfast at the hotel.
8.00 Out-of-town excursion to the island town “Sviyazhsk”.
“The ship is running on the sea … There is a hail on the island.” We all know the lines of the famous fairy tale by Alexander Pushkin. But not everyone knows that, according to legend, Sviyazhsk was a possible prototype of Buyan. Assembled by order of Ivan the Terrible in just 4 weeks, he played a decisive role in the siege of Kazan. Spread out on a picturesque hill, surrounded by three rivers, decorated with bell towers and domes of ancient temples, the island-city is able to enchant any traveler.
During the tour, you will definitely see:
– The oldest wooden Trinity Church in the Middle Volga region, built of pine logs in 1551.
– A UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Assumption Cathedral with murals of the 16th century, including the only in Russia lifetime fresco of Tsar Ivan the Terrible and Saint Christopher with a horse’s head.
– The largest cathedral in Sviyazhsk in honor of the icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow”, built in the style of the temples of the Byzantine Empire.
– Cozy streets with historical buildings of the 18th – early 20th centuries, which have preserved the spirit of the old city.
– Rozhdestvenskaya square with the most beautiful mansion of the merchant Kamenev in Sviyazhsk and an observation deck with a stunning view of the Volga.
Lunch at the city cafe.
Walking tour of the Old Tatar settlement – on the shores of the legendary Kaban Lake, where, according to legend, the untold treasures of the Kazan Khanate are kept. You will see the estates of Tatar merchants, the oldest mosque in the city, Mardzhani, erected in the 18th century in the Baroque style, and you will learn why the Tatars called Catherine II the grandmother-queen.
~ 15.00 Free time in the city center.
20.00 – 22:00 Evening excursion “Lights of night Kazan”. At nightfall, the ancient capital turns into a city from the fairy tales of the Thousand and One Nights, and its buildings and embankments sparkle like emeralds in a sea of ​​millions of lights. Streets with a thousand-year history will appear before you in a new light.
During a journey into a fairy tale, you will see the most beautiful corners of the night city: the Old Tatar settlement in the reflection of the waters of Lake Kaban, the magical castle of the puppet theater, the Palace of Farmers with a giant bronze tree and the scattering of lights on the Kremlin embankment.
End of the excursion program at the hotel.

Day 3 (Sunday) Breakfast at the hotel. Meeting with a guide.
10.00 Suburban excursion to the Raifsky Bogoroditsky monastery. The Raifsky Monastery is the largest in the Kazan Territory. It was founded at the beginning of the 17th century by the hermit Filaret on the lands of the pagan Mari tribes. By the beginning of the 20th century, a unique architectural ensemble of a 60-meter bell tower and five temples surrounded by towers and a stone wall had formed here.Located on the shores of the beautiful Lake Raifa in the middle of a protected forest, the monastery resembles a fabulous city, at the behest of heaven, appeared from the water.
During the tour you will see:
The Georgian Cathedral of the first half of the 19th century, where the main shrine of the monastery is kept – the miraculous list of the Georgian Icon of the Mother of God, the Trinity Cathedral of the early 20th century, built in the Russian-Byzantine style, which is famous for its amazing acoustics, the Sofia Church of the late 18th century – one of the smallest churches in Europe , a 60-meter gate bell tower with the Church of the Archangel Michael, a chapel with a source of holy water, the reserved Lake Raifa, where we will find out why frogs never croak in it.
On the way back, external inspection of the “Temple of All Religions”. It is also called the Ecumenical Temple, the International Cultural Center for Spiritual Unity – an architectural structure in the village of Old Arakchino in the city of Kazan, dedicated to different religions of the world. The only one of its kind in the world is a popular attraction in Kazan.
Lunch at the city cafe.
~ 15:00. End of the program in the city center. Free time.

Day 4 (Monday) Breakfast at the hotel.
8.00 Meeting with the guide. Out-of-town excursion to Bulgarians.
Sightseeing tour of the modern town of Bolgar – the capital of the Volga-Kama Bulgars. On the steep left bank of the Volga River, 30 km from the confluence of the Kama River, there are silhouettes of white-stone buildings that have survived from the ancient city of Bolgary, which received this name from the ancestors of the modern Tatars. Inspection of unique architectural monuments:
“Museum of the Koran” (Memorable sign in honor of the adoption of Islam by the Volga Bulgars in 922).
The Koran Museum is a building made in the style of the buildings of the ancient Bolgar. In the main hall there is a holy book – the Koran. In the basement, there is an exposition of the Koran Museum.
Museum “House of the Healer” – a museum of oriental medicine. It presents medical works that have survived to this day and objects of material culture discovered in the course of archaeological research, as well as living traditions of folk medicine are the most valuable sources for studying the features of the spread of natural science knowledge in Volga Bulgaria and highlighting the history of the development of medical science among the Tatar people.
“Cathedral Mosque” – an architectural monument of the XIII century. and the Big Minaret, rebuilt in 2000. The cathedral mosque was the main building in the medieval Bolgar, where namaz, religious rituals were performed, and the adhan was pronounced. Nowadays, the monument for Muslim pilgrims also bears a cult character. Visiting believers read namaz at the Cathedral Mosque, especially during the celebration of the next anniversary of the adoption of Islam.
“Northern Mausoleum” – a mausoleum-burial vault, a monument of the XIV century is located opposite the main entrance of the Cathedral Mosque.Today there is an exhibition of Bulgar epigraphic monuments inside the monument. The surviving epigraphic monuments have an inscription consisting of a Quranic dictum, name, genealogy and date of death of the deceased. The steles are part of the rich architectural heritage of the Bulgars.
The “Eastern Mausoleum” is a 14th century monument located to the east of the Cathedral Mosque. Its architecture belongs to the type of Muslim tent-roofed tombs with a portable portal. The eastern mausoleum, the most fully preserved monument among the rest of the buildings of the Bulgarian architecture.
“Khan’s Palace”. The architectural monument of the middle of the 13th century was built right after the Mongol conquest. One of the first white-stone buildings on the territory of ancient Bolgar, erected earlier than the Cathedral Mosque. The foundation and a small part of the walls have been preserved.
Visit to interactive craft workshops (potter, souvenir painting, basket weaving).
“Eastern Chamber” (Khanskaya bath) – a monument of the 13th century, one of the earliest stone buildings on the site. It is located near the center of the ancient city and in close proximity to the Khan’s palace.
“Small minaret and Khan’s burial vault” – monuments of the XIV century. The mausoleums were the family tombs of the noble families of the city. The small minaret is part of the complex with the Khan’s tomb. According to legend, the Sahaba preachers who brought Islam to this land are buried at this place.
“White Chamber” (bath) – a monument of the XIV century. The bathhouse had an underground heating system similar to the Eastern Chamber, a water supply and sewerage system.
The Black Chamber is a 14th century monument.Researchers call the Black Chamber a tomb, a mosque and a madrasah, a court of judgment.
Lunch at a cafe (Bolgar).
20:00 Return to Kazan.

Day 5 (Tuesday) Breakfast at the hotel. We leave things in the luggage room of the hotel. Meeting with the guide.
9:00 Walking tour “Kazansky Arbat” along Bauman Street – the centuries-old history of the main merchant street in Kazan begins in the days of the Kazan Khanate.Then there was a road that led to the homeland of the legendary queen Syuyumbike – to the Nogai Horde. In the Russian period, the street became Bolshaya Prolomnaya – in honor of the breach in the fortress walls made by the troops of Ivan the Terrible during the storming of the city. She received the name of the revolutionary Nikolai Bauman in the Soviet years. Magnificent mansions, temples, buildings of old hotels and tenement houses attract millions of tourists from all over the world every year. During the tour, you will definitely see:
– The Epiphany Church, where Fyodor Chaliapin was baptized, and its 74-meter bell tower – the tallest building in old Kazan.
– The oldest pharmacy in the city from the middle of the 19th century, which has been operating without interruption until our time.
– The building of the State Bank, where the gold reserves of Russia were kept at the beginning of the 20th century.
– Nikolsky Cathedral – the cathedral church of the Metropolitanate of Tatarstan with a falling bell tower from the beginning of the 18th century.
– A bronze copy of the carriage of Catherine II, on which the empress traveled around Kazan.
– The Press House (now the Nogai Hotel), built in the 1930s in the form of a huge open book.
– Monument to the Kazan cat – a representative of the breed that protected the Winter Palace of St. Petersburg from the invasion of mice.
Walking tour “Nevsky Prospect of Kazan” along Kremlin street
One of the oldest streets in the capital of Tatarstan, which originates from the main tower of the Kremlin, was founded in the 16th century. In tsarist times it was called Voskresenskaya, in Soviet times – Chernyshevsky and Lenin. It has become the Kremlin in our days. Before the revolution, residents of Kazan called it “Nevsky Prospect” – for the similarity of architecture with the luxurious houses of St. Petersburg.It was here that the most prestigious shops and beauty salons, the best hotels and the first cinema in the city were located. Life here did not stop either day or night. During the tour you will see:
The building of the Gostiny Dvor of the 18th-19th centuries (now the National Museum of Tatarstan), built on the site of a caravanserai of the Khan’s time, the oldest in Kazan, the Ioanno-Baptist Monastery with the Vvedenskaya Church and a bell tower from the middle of the 17th century, Aleksandrovsky Passage – the building of a huge shopping complex of the second half of the 19th century , “Kazan brother” of the Moscow GUM.
Peter and Paul Cathedral is one of the most unique baroque churches in Russia, built in honor of the arrival of Peter I. in Kazan, Ushkova’s house – a luxurious mansion-palace of the early 20th century, a wedding gift from merchant Alexei Ushkov to his young wife, a complex of buildings at Kazan University of the 19th century, where Nikolai Lobachevsky taught, Lev Tolstoy studied and Vladimir Ulyanov-Lenin began his revolutionary path.
Visit to the building that houses the National Library. Once it was a gift from a student of Kazan University Aleksey Ushkov, the son of the owner of the Association of Chemical Plants, to his fiancée Zinaida Vysotskaya. The premises are executed in different styles: an oriental-style staircase with carved dragons; grand hall in the Empire style; dining room in the Gothic style; green living room – in the rococo style; a former Moorish-style smoking room and a conservatory designed as a sandstone grotto with plants in the crevices. All this splendor is richly decorated with stucco, stained-glass windows, panels, cast and carved high-reliefs, the floors are inlaid with different types of marble, even the door handles here are unique and represent works of art.
~ 13: 00 End of the program in the city center.

Cost of the program (per person):

The price includes: services of a licensed guide; accommodation in a hotel of the selected category; breakfasts and lunches, except for the day of arrival; transportation services under the program; meals according to the program; entrance tickets to the objects of the show.

Russian Business Travel & MICE Award

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The first city tourist office in Russia, uniting the entire Novgorod hospitality sector, the holder of the title of the best TIC in Russia and the TripAdvisor quality mark – all this is Krasnaya Izba.

In 2001, “Krasnaya Izba” set a course for high European quality standards in the field of tourism and did not deviate from it for a single day.All this time, Krasnaya Izba has been occupying a confident position in the Russian tourist market and, being one of the flagships among tourist information centers, regularly represents Veliky Novgorod at major tourist events in Russia and abroad.

Today, the TIC “Krasnaya Izba” is a single informational tourist space, which is equally comfortable for both guests of the city and expert colleagues from the field of tourism. Anyone can contact Krasnaya Izby for the most complete and up-to-date information about the possibilities of recreation in the Motherland of Russia, get professional advice from our specialists to choose the most suitable of the many existing proposals, and quickly and conveniently place an order.

Here you can:

• Book tickets for excursions in Veliky Novgorod and city events;

• Book an organized tour to the Novgorod region;

• Take an audio guide for an independent acquaintance with the history and sights of the city;

• Take a free map and guide to Veliky Novgorod;

• Buy delicious Novgorod souvenirs.

Reasons for nomination:

The Krasnaya Izba Tourism Development Center is one of the first tourist information centers in Russia (TIC).In 2001, within the framework of cooperation between Veliky Novgorod – Strasbourg, under the TACIS program “Twin Cities”, a non-profit partnership “Office of Tourism of Veliky Novgorod” was created. In 2009, on its basis, the municipal autonomous institution “Center for Tourism Development” Krasnaya Izba “was created. In May 2011 he was transferred to the municipal budgetary institution “Center for Tourism Development” Krasnaya Izba “. The center carries out information, marketing, publishing, coordination activities in the field of tourism.

Tourism Development Center is a high-quality information resource of Veliky Novgorod. Tourist databases contain up-to-date, reliable information and are constantly updated. The center concentrates the proposals of the tourism industry suppliers in one place, which makes the information convenient for use. Communication between tourists and the Center takes place in real time. Since 2006, the Center has been operating a free round-the-clock information telephone line “Infoline”.

On the Internet Veliky Novgorod is represented by the tourist information Internet portal VisitNovgorod, functioning in 9 languages: English, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, German, Russian, Finnish, French, Swedish.Annually, the number of visits to the Visitnovgorod.ru information portal increases by an average of 40%. Thanks to the implementation of measures to promote the portal on the Internet during 2013 – 2021, the portal was consistently in the TOP-3 for the main tourist queries in search engines. The Internet portal daily contains information about cultural events in Veliky Novgorod, historical and cultural monuments, a section “Calendar of Events” is maintained, which includes information on cultural, business, sports events, exhibitions and fairs in the city throughout the year.

Annually, the number of tourists’ calls to “Krasnaya Izba” (by phone, by e-mail, in person, through the website) increases by 50 – 55%.

For 20 years, the tourist potential of Veliky Novgorod has been presented at more than 350 Russian and international tourism exhibitions, forums and specialized events.

The institution organized and conducted more than 800 information tours for representatives of Russian and foreign media and travel companies, organized the participation of journalists from the professional tourist press of Russia, Novgorod journalists in city holidays, promotions, conferences.

More than 400 round tables and business meetings were held with the participation of Russian and foreign experts in the field of tourism.

With the aim of establishing and developing business contacts in the field of tourism, promoting the achievements of the tourism industry of Veliky Novgorod, creating and introducing new tourism products, the institution organized and held more than 2500 presentations of the city’s tourism potential at specialized events, conferences in Russia and abroad. The institution constantly provides information support to cultural institutions, organizational assistance to journalists and operators in the creation of television, documentary and historical films, conducts road presentations of the region’s tourism potential in Russia and abroad.The institution actively participates in the events held by the International Hanseatic Union of the New Age.

In the field of marketing activities, the Krasnaya Izba Tourism Development Center actively promotes the tourism brand Veliky Novgorod – the Motherland of Russia on the Russian and international tourist markets. The institution organizes the successful promotion of Veliky Novgorod at Russian, international tourism exhibitions and specialized events: exhibition of the hospitality industry “EXPOHORECA”, International exhibition “MITT / Travel and Tourism”, Leningrad Regional Tourism Exhibition “Lentravel / Lentrevel”, International Travel Fair “MITF”, Days of the Novgorod Region in St. Petersburg, the International Cultural and Economic Forum “Hanseatic Days of the New Time” and many others.

From 2017 to the present, the world’s largest authoritative travel platform TripAdvisor has recognized Krasnaya Izba as one of the best travel information services organizations 15 times.

The institution develops and implements new routes in the field of cultural and educational tourism on the territory of Veliky Novgorod and its environs. Today, guests are offered more than 35 thematic walking and car routes, including visiting and inspecting both the main attractions and small architectural forms, murals, modern monuments, unusual objects: “Modern monuments of the Sofia side”, “Novgorod birch bark and monuments of the Nerevsky end” , “Modern Monuments of the Trade Side”, “Route of Memory” to the 75th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, “To the origins of the Russian state”, “Pages of history (murals)”, audio guide “Veliky Novgorod – Homeland of Russian geniuses.Route number 1. Sergey Rachmaninov “. New interactive programs and theatrical excursions have been developed: “Veliky Novgorod – the Hanseatic City”, “Kremlin walks with the mayor Sbyslav”, “Walks with the mayor Euphemia”, “The Great Hanseatic Journey”, “The Path of Legends of the Land of Novgorod”.

In order to promote the brand “Veliky Novgorod – the Motherland of Russia”, to increase loyalty to the hometown among the local population, together with the department for work with public organizations and the population of the city of the Administration of Veliky Novgorod, meetings of the population with representatives of the city’s hospitality sector are organized in the departments-centers for work with the population at the place of residence.At the meetings, presentations of the city’s tourist potential are held, the territorial brand is promoted, comprehensive information is provided about museum objects, cultural institutions, events and programs that take place in Veliky Novgorod.

From 2012 to 2017, in order to promote the gastronomic brands of Veliky Novgorod, with the support of the Administration of Veliky Novgorod, MBU “CRT” Krasnaya Izba “initiated the organization and holding of the International Gourmet Festival” Veliky Novgorod “, which had a significant impact on the promotion of the region, tourism and hospitality of the Novgorod region.

In 2012, the office of the tourist center “Krasnaya Izba” opened the first in Veliky Novgorod “Gastronomic Corner” selling “delicious” Novgorod souvenirs. Since that time, “Krasnaya Izboy” has been actively working to promote and create gastronomic brands of the territory.

In November 2019, in Veliky Novgorod, for the first time, a large-scale full-time advanced training was organized for specialists in the tourism sector of the Novgorod region at the Russian State University of Tourism and Service under the programs: “Development of service standards in organizations of the tourism industry”, “Municipal management in the tourism “.For advanced training, more than 200 specialists of the tourism and hospitality industry of the Novgorod region were involved, who received certificates of the established form. The training was attended by managers and specialists in charge of the tourism sector in municipal areas, employees of cultural institutions implementing projects in the field of tourism, tourism industry enterprises (accommodation facilities, travel agencies, catering establishments, etc.), teaching staff of the OGAPOU “Technological College” Novgorod Agrotechnical College, Novgorod Construction College, Humanitarian and Economic College of NovGU named after Yaroslav the Wise, Novgorod branch of RANHIGS.This event provided a unique opportunity for specialists in the tourism industry of the Novgorod region to improve their skills at the leading university of the country free of charge and acquire additional competencies, the use of which will positively affect the further development of the tourism sector in the region.

For the purpose of vocational guidance, the institution has concluded numerous cooperation agreements with educational institutions of higher and secondary specialized education of the Novgorod region and St. classes in the specialty “tourism”.

The Krasnaya Izba Tourism Development Center was awarded numerous diplomas and departmental awards. By the decision of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and the National Association of Information Tourism Organizations (NAITO) in 2016 and 2018, the institution was included in the “10 leaders in the rating of tourist information centers in Russia.”

The Krasnaya Izba Tourism Development Center brings together representatives of the tourism business of Veliky Novgorod and involves them in the development and implementation of an effective and harmonious policy for the development of tourism in the Novgorod region.Participates in the development of projects of programs aimed at the development of the tourism industry in Veliky Novgorod, contributes to the implementation of activities aimed at the development of tourism and hospitality in Veliky Novgorod. Develops proposals to improve the efficiency of tourism activities, stimulate the development of domestic and inbound tourism, create favorable conditions for investment in the tourism industry.

The accumulated experience and unique professional experience of the staff of the Krasnaya Izba Tourism Center contributed to its development as an educational and methodological center for other tourist information centers in Russia.Methodological assistance was provided to the administrations of Vladimir, Vladivostok, Vologda, Ivanovo, Krasnodar, Krasnoyarsk, Smolensk, Sochi, Rostov-on-Don, Uglich and Tobolsk in creating city and regional tourist information centers.

For the promotion of the tourist resources of Veliky Novgorod and support of tourist projects, the Tourism Center “Krasnaya Izba” was awarded with diplomas, prizes of the federal and international level:

2006 – Laureate of the Yu.Senkevich, the highest professional award of the Russian Federation;

2007 – Holder of a government grant from the Knowledge Foundation; Laureate of the Regional National Award of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation in the field of entrepreneurial activity “Golden Mercury” in the nomination “For contribution to the formation of a positive business image of Russia”;

2011 – Laureate of the Yury Senkevich National Tourism Award, the highest professional award of the Russian Federation;

2012 – Letter of thanks from the Governor of the Novgorod region “For contribution to the development of tourism and culture in the region”; Certificate of honor of the Committee for Tourism of the Novgorod Region “For a significant contribution to the development of the tourism sector of the Novgorod region”;

2013 – Letter of thanks from the Mayor of Veliky Novgorod “For the great contribution to the holding of the International Hanseatic Days in St.Herford, Germany “;

2016 – Diploma of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation “10 leaders in the rating of tourist information centers”;

2018 – Diploma of the National Association of Information and Tourist Organizations – The Best Tourist Information Center of Russia in 2018;

2020 – Diploma of the Russian Union of Travel Industry and the Committee of the State Duma of the Russian Federation for Physical Culture, Sports, Tourism and Youth Affairs for supporting the charitable all-Russian action “Tourism of Russia – for Russian doctors”.

The institution is a member of the Russian Union of Travel Industry.

Traveling on business – why is Switzerland becoming a hub for business travel?

Business tourism in Switzerland on a special account. Over the past ten years, over a billion Swiss francs have been invested in the construction, modernization and expansion of hotels, conference rooms and exhibition space in the country. According to the Switzerland Convention & Incentive Bureau, new facilities are commissioned every year across the country.The infrastructure for business tourism is developing especially intensively in Zurich and Lausanne. So, in 2014 in Lausanne, on the campus of the École Polytechnique École Polytechnique EPFL, a new Swiss Tech Convention Center with a capacity of 3,000 people was opened. In Zurich, in addition to a number of new hotels, large venues such as Eventpark Zurich Ost for 3000, Samsung Hall for 5000 and Halle 622 for 2500 guests have opened.

This approach is bearing fruit: the number of events for the business community is increasing, and the flow of business tourists is growing from year to year.“It is not surprising that Switzerland is becoming an important point on the world map of business tourism,” says Natalia Sizova. “It is a conveniently located, compact country with excellent transport infrastructure and a very high level of service.”

Points of attraction

A cluster approach to economic development is widespread in Switzerland. In certain regions of the country, the best competences, specialists, universities and businesses related to a specific industry are grouped.Each industry has its own centers. These are the “points of attraction” you should pay attention to when planning a business trip for the tasks of your business.

1. Finance and Insurance: Zurich, Basel, Ticino, Geneva.

Zurich and Geneva are the largest financial centers in Switzerland, where most of the banking and insurance institutions with a brilliant reputation are concentrated. The third largest center for financial services is Lugano (canton of Ticino), where this area began to develop simultaneously with the strengthening of exchange trading.Today, more than 70 banks and insurance companies, tax and legal specialists, PR and HR agencies, audit and consulting bureaus are located in the Lake Lugano region. In Basel, the headquarters of the Bank for International Settlements is located – the so-called “bank for central banks”, responsible for facilitating between the central banks of various states and facilitating international financial settlements. Therefore, representatives of the largest credit institutions in the world come here regularly.

2.Exchange trading: Zug, Geneva, Zurich, Basel, Ticino

Switzerland is located at the crossroads of trade routes between France, Germany and Italy. Therefore, cities with access to large rivers and lakes – Geneva, Zurich, Basel, Zug and Lugano – automatically became the most important trade ports. Today, they operate international commodity exchanges and logistics centers. In total, more than 500 companies are employed in the field of exchange trading. Among them there are many businesses operating on behalf of companies from the CIS countries, for example – UMP Trading.At the same time, the lion’s share of goods is bought and sold without even touching Swiss soil. In Geneva, for example, there is a turnover of about half of the world’s coffee, and a third of cotton, grain, sugar and oil.

3. Pharmacology and biotechnology: Basel, Lausanne , Geneva, Vaud, Valais

We have already written about how the Swiss life science cluster works. Pharmaceutical companies, as a rule, are located in the vicinity of major research institutes – this is more convenient for conducting applied research.The oldest cluster BioValley, created back in 1996, is concentrated around Basel. It brings together the best minds from northwestern Switzerland, the French region of Alsace, and southern Germany. In the Swiss part, it includes four universities, the headquarters of the world pharmaceutical giants Novartis and Roche. The HealthValley cluster stretches from Geneva to the Valais, with the canton of Vaud and the powerful EPFL university being a separate center. In addition, two leading biotechnology companies producing fragrances for various perfume brands Firmenich and Givaudan are located near Geneva.

4. Internet and communications: Friborg, Zurich, Neuchâtel, Valais, Geneva, Be Rn, Vaud, Jura

The main center of attraction for IT companies is definitely located in the north-east of the country, in Zurich and its environs. It is here that Google, Disney, IBM, Evernote and Kayak have opened their laboratories and research units. In addition, high technologies are actively developing in Bern, Vaud and Geneva. The latter houses the CERN Nuclear Research Center, where the HTTP protocol was created in the 1990s and laid the foundations for the World Wide Web.In addition to Vaud and Geneva, the cantons of Valais, Vaud, Friborg, Bern, Neuchâtel and Jura form a sub-cluster in the west of the country with the Alp ICT business hub heading it. You can read the material on the ICT cluster in Switzerland here.

5. Medical technology and precision instruments: St. Gallen , Basel, Bern,

At the junction of the watch industry and machine-tool industry, the medical technology and precision instruments industry was born and is now actively developing in Switzerland. More than 14.5 thousand people are employed in this industry sector.companies, including manufacturers of high-precision instruments and devices for various purposes, brands of premium watches (Omega, Rolex, Hermes, etc.), nanoengineering companies. More than 80% of their products are exported – mainly to America, Asia and Europe. The main production center of the industry is Bern. In addition, high activity is carried out in those cities where the production of watches and textile equipment has historically developed. The most important research institutes of the industry are located in these cities: the Swiss Institute of Nanoscience at the University of Basel, the University of Bern, the University of Applied Sciences in Bern and others.

6. Clean technologies: Valais, Zurich, Basel, Geneva, St. Gallen, Ticino

In the field of environmental protection and the development of energy-saving technologies, Switzerland is ahead not only of European countries, but also of the whole world – which is confirmed, in particular, by the corresponding rating of Yale University. Alternative energy sources are actively used here – solar, water, wind. In Switzerland, the world-famous Solar Impulse project was born – an aircraft powered exclusively by the energy of the sun.Clean technology clusters are located throughout the country: for example, 30% of water energy is generated in the canton of Valais; there are many solar stations in the area of ​​Lake Geneva (the largest of them includes 6.5 thousand panels). At the same time, many production sites are open for excursions and visits.

7. International organizations: Geneva , Zurich, Vaud, Bern

Political neutrality and openness have made Switzerland a convenient location for the headquarters of many international organizations.There are more than 220 of them in Geneva alone; in Zurich the head of the International Football Federation FIFA is located, in Bern – the International Postal Union, in Lausanne – the Olympic Committee. Most of these organizations are open to communication and attendance and hold open days.

What could be the purpose of the visit?

1. Attendance at business events.

Large international exhibitions, congresses and conferences in Switzerland are constantly taking place – from the Geneva Motor Show to the Congress on Structural Biology.“Among the speakers are necessarily the best of the best,” says Natalia Sizova, “the largest scientists in the area of ​​knowledge under discussion, representatives of business, business organizations, and European regulators. It is a “melting pot” of the world’s best practices, opening up wide opportunities for networking. ” In addition, within the framework of the main event, you can organize your own, additional – if you rent a site for it. A calendar of potentially interesting events for your business in Switzerland can be found here.

If you already have a business program, the Switzerland Convention & Incentive Bureau can help you organize your leisure and entertainment activities. You can contact here for any questions that tourists may have: what restaurants to visit, what excursions to choose, what sights and corners of nature to see nearby, where to go in for sports. All consultations are free.

2. Visits to production sites and exchange of experience.

Switzerland is an open country and local companies are usually ready for international cooperation.Large businesses often open their factories and research centers to visit. For example, you can organize a tour of the Novartis campus in Basel and see the high-tech laboratories of the pharmaceutical giant up close, or take a boat trip around the Port of Basel, accompanied by a specialist who will tell you how the largest logistics hub operates. There are guided tours of tunnels, hydroelectric power plants, biofactories for water purification and garbage disposal, and many other industries.

“Naturally, production sites are not museum spaces that are open six days a week,” emphasizes Natalia Sizova. – The visit must be agreed in advance, and its purpose must be mutually beneficial for both parties. The Switzerland Convention & Incentive Bureau will help you make the first contact if you have language difficulties or need some advice. ” In this case, you will need to provide the bureau with full information about the delegation that is going to visit the Swiss company, the purpose of the visit, and the range of issues of interest.

3. Team building, staff development or incentive trip for clients and partners.

In this case, Switzerland Convention & Incentive Bureau can take care of all the arrangements for the trip: from planning the route, accommodation, logistics, excursions to the selection of a catering agency. Several years ago, with his help, the Moscow Government managed to conduct advanced training courses for hoteliers in the capital at the Lausanne School of Hotel Business.“In addition, we have repeatedly organized road shows and seminars for Russian entrepreneurs in partnership with Switzerland Global Enterprise,” notes Natalia Sizova.

Some useful facts about business Switzerland

• There are no big cities in Switzerland (the population of Zurich is only 400 thousand people) and the problems associated with them: traffic jams, rush hours, queues at restaurants, etc. Therefore, you can safely combine a business program with an entertainment program, moving around the city on foot.For example, after a busy conference, take a walk along the embankment, enjoying the view of lakes and mountain peaks. The journey from the congress center to the hotel will hardly take you more than half an hour.
• Almost any venue (including one owned by a university or research institute) can be rented and held on it for your own event.
• You can see all of Switzerland in one trip. Traveling diagonally across the country, from Geneva to Lake Constance, takes about 5.5 hours by train.Rail links are particularly well developed between the French-German and German-Italian parts. If you are planning a trip from the French to the Italian side, it is better to take a plane from Geneva to Lugano. Otherwise, you will have to lay down one day for the train.
• Potential routes with brief descriptions of business and leisure programs developed by the Switzerland Convention & Incentive Bureau are available on the Myswitzerland.com website. Usually these are four-day programs with the opportunity to explore to the maximum both urbanized Switzerland and the natural beauties – both cities and mountains.

Afterword

Natalia Sizova told us about a recent project organized by Switzerland Convention & Incentive Bureau:

“Once a year, the Switzerland Convention & Incentive Bureau holds a Meeting Trophy, which brings together representatives of business travel agencies from all over the world. It takes place in the format of a competition between 8 teams from different countries. This year’s competition took four days and started in Schaffhausen, a city on the Rhine in northern Switzerland, 40 minutes from Zurich Airport.On the first day, the guests gathered and got to know each other, and also made a short tour of the city. Early the next morning we checked out of the hotel and had breakfast at the Rhine Falls at Laufen Castle. Then we took the legendary Churchill’s Red Arrow retro charter train to St. Gallen, the former mainstay of the Swiss textile industry, now a picturesque UNESCO heritage city with a beautiful medieval center. At lunch the mayor of the city came out to greet our group, proving once again that Swiss officials are sociable and benevolent “servants of the people.”After another pool of tasks, we got by cars to the mountain resort of Flims. In a restaurant with a magnificent panoramic view of the mountain peaks, we summed up the results of the first day. The next day was devoted to sports events in Flims – for example, a catamaran ride on a mountain lake. After that, we went to Zurich, changing several modes of transport along the way – bus, train and ship. In Zurich, we had other assignments: petanque, blindfold tastings, and the traditional Swiss national flag juggling.The event was closed and the results were summed up at a gala dinner at a restaurant on the lake. And finally, the final day – the day of farewell and departure of the participants – was marked by a brunch at the new, opened only last year, FIFA Museum in Zurich. ”

You can learn about various aspects of business development in Switzerland from our Investor’s Guide or from the representatives of the Swiss Business Promotion Center at the Swiss Embassy in Moscow.

Download Investor’s Guide

90,000 Double note about Lokomotiv Day

The spirit of the winners!

On November 13, the Russian University of Transport (MIIT) received representatives of the Moscow football club Lokomotiv.The cup of champions of the country for 2017-2018 became the object of general interest.

The guests of our university were: current player of FC Lokomotiv, goalkeeper Anton Kochenkov and Russian cybersportsman, FIFA player playing for Loko eSports Robert Fakhretdinov.
Anton Kochenkov answered the questions of the student fans:

– What is the attitude of your team after taking the championship, do you plan to take it again?
– The mood after the championship is fighting, we are extremely happy about our victory and we want to repeat the success in the future.

– What tasks does the club set for the first half of the season?
– Score as many points as possible to feel confident and keep the mindset of the winners!

– How do you like the atmosphere in our university?
– I was received very warmly by absolutely everyone! I am very glad that I came to such an event!

In turn, Robert Fakhretdinov played several friendly matches with our students. The guys were very impressed by the abilities of the titled cybersportsman to handle the ball on the virtual football field.

Everyone could get autographs of the guests, as well as take a photo as a souvenir. The main gift for our students was free tickets for the Lokomotiv – Ural match, which will take place in Moscow at the Russian Railways Arena stadium on November 23 at 21:30.

Photo album: https://vk.com/album-48722198_258115052

Text: Denis Pronin
Photo: Alena Malashenko

Loko Day

It has long been known about the strong friendship between MIIT and the football club Lokomotiv – university students never miss the team’s matches and each time they support the players from the stands with great pleasure.That is why it was decided on November 13 at the Russian University of Transport to hold a long-awaited meeting with Anton Kochetkov, the goalkeeper of your favorite team, and also to show the fans the championship cup, which many have dreamed of seeing for a long time.

While waiting for Anton, everyone took pictures with the Cup, played FIFA18 and exchanged plans for attending matches (everyone was handed out flyers with promotional codes for free attending three matches), and also argued who would be the best and be able to beat the cyber football player Ufenok77, because the prize was very interesting – the brand new “FIFA19”.However, as soon as the main character of the event, Anton Kochetkov, entered the hall, everyone looked up from their business and joyfully greeted the football player, who gladly gave autographs to everyone and took a photo with them as a souvenir.

It is great that the students had the opportunity to personally communicate with those whom they most often see only from the stands and TV screens, and learn the intricacies of the hard work of an athlete and the peculiarities of his life as a representative of a sport that unites millions of people.

Text: Apollinaria Moiseeva

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