English Milieu in Tomsk State University: 

Infrastructural Issues into Academic Breakthrough

Artyom RYKUNVice-President for International Affairs

November, 2014

Objective of the project: Creating English milieu in TSU

Goals of the project:

• Efficient English language teaching for TSU employees.

• Creating bilingual infrastructure for foreign guests, employees

and professors.

• Setting up bilingual services (HR department, Accountants office

etc.)

Objective of the project:

Creating English milieu in TSU

Goals of the project:

• Designing employee incentive programme to support the

process of learning English

• Restructuring existing centres for translation and academic

writing .

The project outcomes

1. Infrastructure

• Bilingual information signs at the

entrance of the University Grove

and University main building

• Bilingual door plates in TSU

campus

The project outcomes

1. Infrastructure

• «English speaking» café (buffet) (December, 2014)

• Centre for academic writing and translation

The project outcomes

2. Staff

• English speaking University administration (June, 2015)

• At least one English speaking staff member in every

department, including faculties (June 2015).

• English speaking superintendent in the dormitory for

international students (June,30 2015)

• English speaking gatekeepers in the TSU buildings

The project outcomes

3. Services

• Information desk in the TSU main building (August, 31

2015)

• Electronic enquiry counters in the TSU buildings

• Phone hot-line for international guests, students, professors

and TSU staff

• Tomsk Guidebook in English

ACADEMIC WRITING FOR PUBLICATION

Offered at TSU since October 2014, the semester-long course Academic Writing for Publication helps professors and postgraduate students wishing to publish an article in English in an international scholarly journal learn to:

• find and effectively utilize electronic databases and citation indexes

• identify international journals in their fields and topics

• recognize types of journals: traditional/hybrid, pure open access, and predatory

• ascertain a journal’s status on Scopus and Web of Science

• evaluate impact factors and rankings

• review the contents of a journal’s recent issues, including abstracts and full-length articles, with attention to references

• read and analyze a journal’s website for topics covered, types of articles accepted, article processing charges, and requirements for authors in manuscript submission

• choose target journals

• understand current international ethical standards for authors, and

• prepare for peer review.

Course members are encouraged and supported in writing articles directly in English. Topics covered include:

• developing an article that is based on current international scholarship on the topic, and on current methodology; establishing relevance

• writing in the style required by the target journal

• principles and characteristics of academic English, and common issues for native speakers of Russian writing in English

• elements, structure, and organization of research and non-research articles

• organization of the writing process, and use of technology

• writing the abstract, introduction, and literature review, and considerations for the other sections and the conclusion, and • dealing with manuscript preparation and submission requirements, including the presentation of the references.

In 2013-14, course members were from the social sciences and humanities. In 2014-15 to date, some physicists, biologists, and other “hard scientists” have joined the course.

Coursework involves weekly readings and discussion, hands-on activities, and individual consultations with the instructor. Members earn certificates for full completion of the course and all activities. The course is conducted entirely in English, with no translation.

Participants total (2013-14): 115Articles published:WoS/Scopus (2012/2013): 436WoS (2013/2014): 460Scopus (2013/2014): 584

ACADEMIC ENGLISH

This semester-long course, new in October 2014, is designed to support professors and postgraduate students in writing and speaking in English in the ways that are now demanded by their academic work in an international environment. Some of the topics covered include:

• principles and characteristics of academic English, and common issues for native speakers of Russian in writing and speaking academic English

• using sources of information for writing and speaking in English for academic purposes

• writing effective emails and letters for various purposes

• developing and writing articles for publication

• following one’s topic in international journals

• writing abstracts in English for Russian-language articles

• writing abstracts for conferences

• making a presentation at an international conference, and answering questions

• understanding a presentation at an international conference, and asking questions, and

• developing a CV that is vetted in English.

SOURCES

The sources for both courses are:

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA Manual), Sixth EditionThe Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS), Sixteenth EditionEnglish for Writing Research Papers by Adrian Wallwork (Springer, 2011)

For Academic English, additional sources are:English for Academic Correspondence and Socializing, by Adrian Wallwork (Springer, 2011)English for Presentations at International Conferences, by Adrian Wallwork (Springer, 2010)

Course members are also provided with various online and other resources.

Additionally, the instructor monitors and analyzes information, events, and trends related to publication in international scholarly journals, and makes this information and analysis available to the University and to individual faculty and staff members seeking support in publishing in English.

Jean Kollantai, MSW(University of California Berkeley, University of Alaska Anchorage)Faculty of Philosophy,Department of Social WorkTomsk State University