AS AN INVITED LECTURER IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION AND KAZAKHSTAN

The following lecture was publicly held for the first time on 25th May 2011, the so-called DIES (lectures open to the general public) of Bonn University. I have tried to summarize my impressions from all in all 10 guest professorships at universities in Russia and Kasakhstan. My attitudes and conclusions may – to some extent – have been biassed by my own cultural background. Yet, the particularities of everyday life in both countries have been taken into account as far as possible. Needless to add that the educational systems in both Russia and Kasakhstan differ considerably from their German counterparts. My knowledge of the Russian language turned out to be extremely useful not only in Russia but also in Kasakhstan.