International Activities of the Russian Customs Academy
Training and advanced training of Customs officers is carried out by the Russian Customs Academy (RCA). The RCA is the head institution of the Association on education in the field of Customs affairs. It unites 79 higher educational establishments of the Russian Federation.
On the basis of the RCA the World Customs Organization held three international workshops on the problems of determination of the Customs value, nonintrusive methods of examination techniques, and on the issues of Kyoto Convention.
A close co-operation of the RCA with the Customs Authorities of the CIS countries was arranged and their representatives responsible for training were opened in Moscow. The Academy trains 513 students from the States-members of CIS.
The main directions of International activity of the Russian Customs Academy are training for the customs authorities of the CIS, the work with the students from near and far abroad, organization of international seminars and conferences at the Regional Training Centre of the WCO, the organization of cooperation in manpower training and research with foreign universities as a part of an international network of customs universities “INCU”.
The International unit of the Academy consists of three departments: Assurance department of the Regional Training Centre of the WCO, International co-operation and working with foreign students Department and research laboratory of analysis and synthesis of customs international experience.
The departments of the International unit have organized and conducted a series of working meetings, conferences and seminars with representatives of various international organizations, signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the Russian Customs Academy and the College of Customs and logistics of the High School of Economics (Warsaw) and the Memorandum of Understanding between the Russian customs Academy and the Riga Technical University.
On 05.12.2011 in accordance with the Memorandum of Cooperation between the Russian customs Academy (Russian Federation) and the National Academy of customs, excise and counter-narcotics (Republic of India) there have been carried out the student’s exchange of two universities. The advanced training included the holding of theoretical, practical (based on the departments of Academy) and field studies (with the customs authorities of the FCS of Russia), and also cultural programmes for members of the NACEN delegation.
The World Customs Organization secretariat positively evaluated the work of the Russian Regional Centre for the implementation in the learning process the e-learning program of the World Customs Organization. As a result the Moscow Regional Centre was awarded with four certificates given to representatives of the academic staff of the Academy.
One of the main activities of the Regional Centre of the Academy is based on the organizational work for the production of electronic customs magazine in conjunction with RTC- Dnepropetrovsk (Ukraine) and RTC - Skopje (Macedonia).
In the electronic scientific magazine highlighted the main customs aspects of customs activity: cooperation of customs authorities and business communities, training of customs officers, the introduction of standards of the WCO, the achievements in the field of customs, the development of scientific knowledge.
WORKING ON THE TEXT
Ex.1. SKIMMING:
a.Read the headline and the first sentence of each paragraph of the text. Pair up to discuss the topic of the article.
b. Read the first paragraph and the last paragraph of the text. Then work in pairs to discuss the contents of the piece.
c. Read the text. Get into pairs to discuss the contents of the piece.
Ex.2. SCANNING:
a. While scanning the text find the answers for content-specific questions given by the teacher.
b.While scanning the text pick out the sentences containing the key words given by the teacher.
Ex.3. READING: Read and translate the text “International Activities of Russian Customs Academy”.
Ex.4. TEXT QUESTIONS: Look back at the text and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.
- Share your questions with other classmates / groups.
- Ask your partner / group your questions.
Ex.5. CHAT:Discuss with your classmates the key ideas of the text.
Ex.6. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations with each word.
Ex.7. VOCABULARY: Circle the words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.
Ex.8. INTERNET: Examine the site of the RCA. Find some additional information on the RCA international activities.
EX.9. WRITING: Consult the ADDENDUM on Writing Instructions. Write a Project of “Memorandum of Understanding”.
Ex.10. SPEAKING: In pairs speak about the RCA international activities.
GRAMMAR REVISION
Ex.1.REPORTED SPEECH: Complete the sentences in reported speech. Note whether the sentence is a request, a statement or a question and whether you have to change the tenses or not.
1. "I was very tired," she said.
She said ______________
2. "Be careful, Ben," she said.
She told Ben ____________
3. "I will get myself a drink," she says.
She says _____________
4. "Why haven't you phoned me?" he asked me.
He wondered ___________
5. "I cannot drive them home," he said.
He said __________
6. "Peter, do you prefer tea or coffee?" she says.
She asks Peter __________
7. "Where did you spend your holidays last year?" she asked me.
She asked me ___________
8. He said, "Don't go too far."
He advised her __________
9. "Have you been shopping?" he asked us.
He wanted to know ___________
10. "Don't make so much noise," he says.
He asks us __________
WORKING ON THE ARTICLE
The way to the 10th anniversary…
by: S.V. Filippenko, Pro-rector on international cooperation
of the Russian Customs Academy
The state public educational institution of high professional education «The Russian Customs Academy» (RCA) was founded on 22 September 1993 by the decision of Russian Federation Government.
The Academy – is a basic high educational institution of Educational and Methodological Association of high educational institutions in the field of customs which consists of 84 educational institutions of the country.
Academy's structure consists of two institutes – The Institute of E-learning, retraining and qualification improvement and The Institute of law enforcement activity, three faculties – the Faculty of customs affairs, The Faculty of economics and the Faculty of law, 24 departments, postgraduate and doctoral, three branches – in Vladivostok, Rostov-on-Don and St. Petersburg.
Today at the departments of the Academy work more than 50 doctors of science and professors, more than 200 candidates of science and associate professors.
In RCA there is a modern informational-educational environment, the basis of which is the situation and analytical training center with the help of which it is possible to connect with real functioning structures of FCS Russia and its regional customs departments, and also the system of distant education of FCS Russia employees is being successfully developed.
The scientific activity of the Academy is many-sided and effective; it involves organizational, researching, informational and library – informational fields.
During the graduate school in RCA, where 250 people are studying today, for all of form of studying, they have opportunity to get high scientific and scientific – pedagogical qualifications as well as the citizens of foreign states.
In order to provide training, research and other activities at the Academy there are: 2 training and laboratory complexes, educational and scientific building,
a library, fitness, 2 hotel buildings, a canteen. Educational and material resources
are developing dynamically.
According to the “Memorandum of Understanding between the
World Customs Organization and the State Customs Committee of the Russian Federation” of 25 November 2002, the Academy has received international status and now there is the Regional Training Centre of the World Customs
Organization in the Russian Customs Academy, which is training a highly qualified customs personnel, providing organization and holdingWCO regional meetings.
More than 600 representatives of customs services of CIS countries, officials of customs and law-enforcement bodies of Russia have been trained at the WCO RTC – Russia during the 9 years of its existence. Leading WCO experts train students on the most urgent customs issues such as risk management, fight against smuggling, customs procedures, customs audit and struggle against fraud, WCO technologies, international deliveries safety, WCO framework of Standards, etc.
Heads and staff of the WCO Secretariat and leading WCO departments have visited the WCO RTC - Russia many times. The Secretary General of the WCO Kunio Mikuriya also has.
International events, such as meetings, conferences, lectures, have been carried out in the framework of the WCO Programmes on cooperation and training of customs officers at the WCO RTC – Russia:
- in 2003 the meeting with the heads of operational-search agency of Germany, the meeting on the topic : “A Role of Customs Services in the 21st Century”, in which the representatives of the United Kingdom, Sweden, Canada, Belgium and Russia participated; Mr.Kunio Mikuriya gave a lecture on the current WCO Programmes;
- in 2004-2006 in the framework of bilateral cooperation between the Federal Customs Service of Russia (FCS) and the Customs Service of Germany a complex of events was carried out at the academy and at the WCO RTC - Russia. The complex included seminars on qualification improvement of the teaching staff of the academy on intellectual property protection;
- in 2007 a WCO Workshop on the principles of the E-learning Programme implementation was held. This Workshop was carried out by experts of the WCO Modernization Department;
- in collaboration with the Federal Customs Service of Russia the WCO RTC – Russia prepared and held the WCO international Workshop «WCO data model. Unique delivery number» on the base of the FCS of Russia from 12 to 14 February 2008. The WCO experts participated in the seminar. The representatives of 17 foreign countries, including CIS and European countries took part in the seminar;
- a regional seminar on customs valuation problems in the European region was held in May-June 2010. It was sponsored by the Japanese fund of customs collaboration and the FCS of Russia. The objective of the seminar was the assistance to uniformly implement and apply the Agreement on the WCO customs valuation by WCO member states of the European region;
- the international Workshop on non-intrusive methods of inspection was held in the Saint-Petersburg branch of the academy in June 2010. The Workshop was attended by representatives of the WCO and customs administrations of 20 WCO member-states, the staff of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Russian Federal Customs Service, regional customs departments, the Russian Customs Academy and its branches. The workshop participants shared their professional experience at meetings and practical trainings, as well as during a video-conference of Brussels –Moscow - St. Petersburg - Rostov-on-Don - Vladivostok. The participants became familiar with modern types of technical means of customs control and took part in an out-door training on the basis of stationary customs inspection complex of the Baltic customs North-West customs department.
- in the period from 15 to 19 November 2010 the WCO international Workshop “Revised Kyoto Convention” was carried out at the Russian Customs Academy by the WCO RTC - Russia. Heads of the academy, Russian customs officers, the representatives of the CIS and foreign countries customs services, scientists and professors of the academy and its branches took part in the workshop;
- according to the WCO Secretariat Plan the 3rd Europe’s ROCB/RTCs Meeting was held at the Russian Customs Academy from 27 to 28 January 2011. Representatives of the WCO Secretariat took part in this Meeting;
- the Russian and Kazakhstan WCO RTCs meeting was held at the WCO RTC –
Russia on June 20, 2011. During this meeting prospects of the joint cooperation in
the field of customs officers training were discussed.
In 2009 there was made a preparation work for academy connection to the WCO PICARD Programme, which provides cooperation of universities and scientific circles in the course of the WCO and preparation work for academy connection to the International Network of Customs Universities. In 2009 the academy became a member of this international network, which includes more than 100 institutions of higher education. Memorandum of understanding between the World Customs Organization (WCO) and the Federal Customs Service (FCS of Russia) to promote cooperation in the development and provision of world-class customs training, education, capacity building and research was signed on 20 October, 2010.
The WCO RTC - Russia organized the speech “Development of performance measurement for the Russian Customs Service” of Alexey Gubin, professor of the customs business economy sub-department of the Russian Customs Academy at the 6th annual WCO PICARD Conference, which was held from 14 to 16 September 2011 in Geneva, Switzerland. This article was published in the World Customs Journal, issued by the International Network of Customs Universities.
According to the WCO Secretariat’s recommendations the WCO RTC - Russia made work on implementation of the WCO E-learning Programme. The employees of the WCO RTC - Russia developed a method of working with the E-Learning Programme; there were trained four tutors from the academy and its branches were presented with the WCO certificates.
Currently the work with the specialists in the field of customs business of Russia for their study of the WCO E-learning Programme modules continues.
On April 28, 2011 the first issue of electronic scientific customs journal "Customs" was published. It was created by three WCO RTCs of the European Region: the WCO RTC – Russia, the WCO RTC – Ukraine, the WCO RTC – Macedonia.
There were published two articles of the scientists of the Russian Customs Academy in the first edition of the journal: A. Gubin, Ph.D., professor of the customs business economy sub-department: "Problems of the assessment of customs authorities activity effectiveness", and P. Afonin, Ph.D., professor, head of technical means of customs control sub-department of the St. Petersburg branch of the Russian Customs Academy: "The technology of ensuring safe use of customs examination X-ray equipment of the Federal Customs Service of Russia”.
From 19 to 20 October 2011 there was held the XII International Exhibition "Customs Service - 2011" in Moscow "Expocenter". It was dated to the 20th anniversary of the Federal Customs Service of Russia.
An exposition with information and promotional materials from the Russian Customs Academy was presented at the exhibition. During the event, the Rostov branch of the Russian Customs Academy was nominated as the "Best IT-integrator."
The prepared by the WCO RCA – Russia materials for the exhibition aroused great interest among the participants and were highly appreciated by the Head of the Federal Customs Service of Russia Andrey Belyaninov and the Deputy Secretary General of the World Customs Organization Sergio Mujica.
In recent years the representatives of customs services of the USA, UK, Germany, Turkey, Sweden, Denmark, China, India, Hungary and other states have visited the academy and the WCO RTC - Russia. During the meetings the prospects of students and teaching staff exchange were discussed.
The creation of the WCO RTC - Russia was an important milestone, which demonstrated the possibilities of the Russian Customs Service to participate in the promotion of conceptual ideas. The Center, established with the support of the World Customs Organization, the Government and the Customs Service of Russia trains personnel not only for the Russian Customs Service, but also for the CIS countries.
TASKS FOR THE ARTICLE
Ex.1. READING:Read and translate the article “The way to the 10th anniversary”.
Ex.2. GLOSSARY: Make a Glossary of terms relating to the topic of the article.
Ex.3. VOCABULARY: Circle the words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.
Ex.4. RCA BRAINSTORM: Write down all of the words you associate with the words ‘RCA International relations’. Share your words with your partner / group and talk about them.
Ex.5. 2-MINUTE DEBATES:Students face each other in pairs and engage in the following 2-minute debates. The subject is “RCA International relations”.
Ex.6. CHAT: Talk in pairs or groups about the “Russian Customs Academy International relations”.
Ex.7. SUMMARY: Write a Summary of the article.
Ex.8. WRITING: Write a Newsletter to the INCU Administration about the nearest event in the RCA.
Ex.9. PUBLIC POLICY: You are the Head of the RCA International department. Create a list of rules and instructions on additional measures assisting the activities of the academy in the field of International Co-operation.
Ex.10.SPEAKING: Speak on the topic of the article.
WORKING ON THE ARTICLE
The 6th annual PICARD Conference
The 6th annual PICARD Conference was held from 14 to 16 September 2011 at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland.
A key aim of the annual PICARD Conferences, held since 2006, is to promote high level exchanges on Customs education and professionalism and to encourage more academic research into topics relevant to Customs.
PICARD Conferences are jointly organized by the WCO and INCU, and this year the conference was co-hosted by Cross-border Research Association (CBRA) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).
The 2011 PICARD Conference focused on the following four topics and themes:
Coordinated border management– The scope of this topic included the coordination of different regulatory authorities responsible for import, export, transit and other aspects of global trade within a national customs territory, and also cooperation among customs administrations internationally, including cooperation in relation to risk management, trade facilitation, e-customs / e-border management, and the like;
Performance measurement of customs – This topic included the identification of methods to measure and benchmark Customs performance. It took a holistic approach to performance measurement, including integration between the performance of regulatory agencies and other elements of supply chain performance;
Economic security and poverty reduction -For many developing countries in particular, the revenues collected by Customs represent an important portion of their total national income. The scope of this topic included the relative dependence on customs revenues of economies, and potential responses to declining revenue collection caused by, for example, the global financial crisis and a general reduction in duty rates. Such responses may include the use of effective tools and other capacity building solutions;
TASKS FOR THE ARTICLE
Ex.1.READING:Read and translate the article “The 6th annual PICARD Conference”.
Ex.2. TEXT QUESTIONS: Look back at the text and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.
- Share your questions with other classmates / groups.
- Ask your partner / group your questions.
Ex.3. VOCABULARY: Circle the words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.
Ex.4. INTERNET SEARCH: Find in the Internet the additional information on the PICARD conferences. Share your findings with your classmates.
Ex.5. CHAT: Talk in pairs or groups about the “The PICARD Confrnrces”.
Ex.6. PICARD BRAINSTORM: Write down all of the different words you associate with the abbreviation ‘PICARD’. Share your words with your partner / group and talk about them.
Ex.7. PUBLIC POLICY: You are a participant of the RCA delegation at the last PICARD Conference. Write a report about this event.
Ex.8. ARTICLE RENDERING: Render the article “The 6th annual PICARD Conference”.
ADDENDUM I.
REFERENCE GRAMMAR MATERIALS