| 21 September 2009 
Mr Ferenc Banfi the Head of the EU Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine and Mr Georgyy Shubartovskyy, the Vice-rector in International Affairs of Odesa State Economic University signed a joint statement on cooperation. Recognising the importance of developing young professionals in Ukraine, EUBAM and the Odesa State Economic University initiated long term cooperation in order to improve the knowledge of students and university staff on border management and customs matters. The cooperation will include participation of students and university staff in the training events organised by the Mission, provision of lectures by the Mission experts, exchange of information and visits of students to EUBAM. Representatives of other universities and institutions in Odesa are welcomed to participate in the lectures provided by the Mission. The similar cooperation will be established with the International Free University in Moldova. It is planned that till the end of the year the Mission experts will also conduct lectures for students on such topics as trade facilitation, promoting the country abroad, and EU view on Transdnistrian conflict.
The university will contribute to the cooperation by involving EUBAM experts as speakers and participants in its conferences, seminars and workshops. In addition, the university will provide an opportunity to exchange information and findings of academic research regarding customs, cross-border trade, and border management. After the signing ceremony Mr Banfi presented the first open lecture for students, professors and journalists devoted to the topic “EUBAM and European aspirations of Moldova: EU standards in border management and contribution to the regional security”.
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