Keyword: «professional training»

The relevance of the research problem is due to the strategic role of promoting the Russian language as an element of the Russian Federation's "soft power" in the global cultural space, especially on the African continent, where the Republic of Tunisia is a key partner in educational and humanitarian cooperation. In the context of geopolitical challenges, there is a shortage of professionally oriented approaches to learning Russian as a foreign language (RFL), which highlights the need to integrate elements of professionalization into educational tracks to enhance motivation and learning effectiveness in this country. The aim of this article is to determine the trajectory of professional training for the Tunisian audience and the specifics of their inclusion in the Russian language learning system, taking into account the geopolitical and educational interests of Russia and Tunisia. Special attention is focused on the development of competences in the fields of tourism, pedagogy, and general education. The leading approaches to studying the problem include a comprehensive analysis of scientific literature on promoting Russian as a foreign language abroad (based on the works of T. L. Klyachko, A. V. Batanov, G. A. Zavarzina, and others), a historical and retrospective review of the practice of teaching Russian in Tunisia since 1956, and a systems approach to modeling educational tracks that integrates the principles of professionalization (from diagnosing interests to adapting to Russian universities). The main results of the article are to identify a body of research confirming the growing interest in RFL in Tunisia; to describe existing practices (in lyceums and universities, such as the Tunis Higher Institute of Languages, the Sidi Drif Higher Institute of Tourism Studies (University of Carthage); the Kerkuan Center for Tourism Education in Hammamet, etc.); to develop professionalization trajectories, including diagnostic stages (surveys, tests), the development of competences through the implementation of communicative modules with a professional bias and the integration of cooperation with Russian centers of open education; to identify priority areas of training (tourism, teaching RFL, receiving specialties in the Russian Federation) for effective professional self-determination of students. The theoretical significance of the article lies in expanding the concept of Russian as a foreign language as a tool for professional self-determination, contributing to the theory of intercultural education, and modeling educational tracks for African countries. The practical significance is evident in the recommendations for optimizing programs implemented by open education centers to adapt Tunisian students in Russian universities, which contributes to strengthening bilateral partnerships and exporting Russian education to the African continent.

The article focuses on the necessity of organizing additional professional training of future foreign language teachers as part of the service teaching scheme. The research is based on the authors’ experience of implementing the “University – School” Volunteer Programme. The article concentrates on the possible ways of such kind of cooperation. The authors show the possibility of involving both sophomores and senior students into the process of realizing the service learning scheme. This approach guarantees that such cooperation ensures not only active learner participation in tackling educational challenges of the region but also gaining practical professional experience. All that serves the purpose of improving professional pedagogical training in the region.