MGIMO and Interfax conduct extension courses for instructors on use of SPARK system in education process

Interfax and the Moscow State Institute of International Relations of the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Russia (MGIMO) have conducted the first joint extension course titled "The SPARK-Interfax information and analytical system in the work of higher school instructors." Attendees were awarded certificates signed by MGIMO Rector Anatoly Torkunov and Interfax Chairman and CEO Mikhail Komissar.

The extension course was attended by approximately 30 instructors from the departments of international economic relations, financial economics, international law, and management and politics at MGIMO.

The week-long course was organized via online format and was devoted to the analysis of companies and markets using the capabilities of the SPARK-Interfax system. The webinars covered topics such as sources of business information, analysis of companies' financial and economic activities, specifics of work with counterparties in the financial sector, determining sanctions and other compliance risks, searching for connections and affiliations, and compliance with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing requirements.

"MGIMO and Interfax have a history of more than 20 years of cooperation in the information sphere. The nature of information is changing and so is the nature of partnerships. If news agencies were earlier seen as a source of news, they are now more and more a source of verified specialized information. In our case, this is information with application of a significant amount of mathematical knowledge, information about Russia's modern economy, information about Russian companies' foreign partners," MGIMO Rector Anatoly Torkunov said. "Interfax has now come to us with a serious training program built on the use of the most advanced digital technologies," he stressed, adding that MGIMO has long used Reuters and Bloomberg terminals in its teaching.

"We highly appreciate the active participation of MGIMO - one of Russia's leading universities, widely known throughout the world - in our "Digital Technologies for Education and Science" University Program. The launch of the joint course aimed at introducing our SPARK information and analytical system - the market leader in risk assessment, which provides access to information on all Russian and some 400 million foreign companies - was the beginning of an important stage of incorporating modern teaching methods based on Interfax digital solutions into educational programs. In the future, together with MGIMO, we plan to create certified courses that will provide students with valuable practical skills and bring future graduates and employers closer together", Interfax Chairman Mikhail Komissar said.

The course on analysis of companies and markets has become part of the program of integration of Interfax information-analytical digital systems into the educational process and scientific activities of MGIMO. The project provides for the joint creation of training programs and manuals for teachers and students of different specialties, such as economics, finance, management, and law.

In 2021 Interfax and MGIMO plan to hold a number of events aimed at faculty professional development, as well as lecture courses and seminars for students. MGIMO is one of Interfax's active partners in its "Digital Technologies for Education and Science" University program. Interfax experts serve as guest lecturers at a number of MGIMO departments and participate in state certification commissions.