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Contribution of Universities to the Universiade

Multisports 21 December 2012

KAZAN – Kazan 2013 volunteer recruitment process results were drawn up in the context of the meeting of the Coordination Council on Educational Work under the Rector Council of the Republic of Tatarstan held on 19 December.

The question of training volunteers on the basis of university quotas became the main topic in the course of the meeting. The information on the results of what had been done was heard from Larisa Sulima, the Chairman of the Coordination Council on Educational Work, Chief of Staff/Deputy Director General of the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate.

According to the information voiced by Larisa Sulima, to date, 46,229 applications have been sent in through the makeUreal website to participate in the volunteer programme of the Universiade. The applicants include 36,232 Russian citizens residing in Russia, 20,819 residents of Tatarstan, 15,779 residents of Kazan, and 1,422 foreign nationals. The dramatic growth in the number of applications, particularly, on the part of the inhabitants of Kazan, has occurred in the last three months. The total number of submitted applications indicates that there will be a competition for the 20,000 volunteer positions in the Universiade. The application campaign closes on 1 January. In connection with this, Larisa Sulima reminded the representatives of the universities that, along with the work with the students, they should submit applications too in order to be formally registered as volunteers, as it is necessary for the work as team leaders.

There is a significant increase in the number of university students who would like to become volunteers too. Among the universities, no one is “lagging behind”. For example, during the six months of work, the number of applications from the Kazan (Volga region) Federal University has grown from 798 up to 4,641, from the Kazan National Research Technological University – from 564 up to 2,545, and from the Tupolev Kazan National Research Technical University – from 85 up to 1,693. Nevertheless, Larisa Sulima stressed that it is necessary to have a reserve of 20 %, since it is possible that some of those who would like to become volunteers may drop out either for personal reasons or through failing by the security service.

For the remaining period of time, the universities are facing the tasks of completing the registration procedures and appointing supervisors from their professorial, teaching and other staff based on the ratio of 1 person per 25 volunteers. Besides, recruitment centres must be opened in due time at the Kazan National Research Technological University (before the end of 2012) and at the Kazan (Volga region) Federal University (January 2013). By 1 February, an additional mechanism should be in place for the motivation of staff and students. The universities will also have to assist in the transfer of students involved as artists to an individual training schedule (they will participate in the rehearsals of the Opening Ceremony of the Games). It is worth emphasising that this work will also become a kind of Universiade Legacy – the practice of close and coherent interaction between the academic and educational departments of the universities will be enhanced.

The supervisors will also get training, in the course of which they will be introduced to the single ideology and approaches to the training of volunteer students, and they will get a better understanding about what those engaged in the conducting of the Games should expect.

The quite tight time frame is due to the fact that the Accreditation and Uniform Centre will already start its operation on 13 March (the uniform will arrive in May). The city volunteers will be accredited during the first stage, then they will sign the agreements and receive the uniform and marketing kits. It is anticipated that 600-700 people will go through the procedure every day. Moreover, many of them will begin work as early as the spring – as part of the test events, that will be conducted during this period once a week, and in June we will see the peak time – there will be a full-scale simulation of a few days of the Universiade, where almost all the competition and training venues will be engaged.

The meeting also considered other issues, in particular, relating to the prevention of extremism among youth, as well as attracting fans to the sports venues from the ranks of university students who do not act as volunteers.


(Source: Media Department of Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate)