Dr. Dmitry Lomsadze and Dr. Alexander Boldyrikhin have started to implement the SHEXP project funded by the EACEA according to the Erasmus+ Program.

The strategic aims of the project are to contribute to development of mutual understanding between the EU and Russian academic and business societies, to overcome difficulties and contradictions in perception of each other’s experience, to develop intercultural communications and comparative evaluation of similarities and differences of views from European and Russian experts in the field of shadow economy, and to foster the constructive dialogue between the academic world, business community and policy-makers.

These global aims will be achieved through the main objective of the project, which is the development and introduction into the educational process of a Russian HEI (University) of a special subject that would allow the future professionals to form the knowledge about forms, mechanisms, character and levels of internal/external threats from the shadow economy sector in Russia, as well as about the possibilities of application in Russia of basic principles and fundamentals of European policy of effective countermeasures against shadow economy, based on the studies of practical EU experience.

During the first semester of the SHEXP project there have been classes for the students of International Relations Department in the amount prescribed by the Program. Also during the series of talks with our foreign colleagues we managed to gain support of the famous researcher in the field of EU shadow economy, Prof. Dr. Friedrich Schneider (University of Linz, Austria).

Dr. Lomsadze has presented the most important project results during the conference in Moscow in April 2017.

Dr. Dmitry G. Lomsadze, Associate Professor, Ph.D. in Economics, Lecturer at International Relations Department of VSU, Chair of Regional Studies and Economy of Foreign Countries, is presenting in a class in terms of the project "Overcoming Shadow Economy Problems: Adaptation of the EU Experience in Russia".

Modern science believes that the reforming of Russian economy has mostly encouraged lots of negative changes and processes. One of them is a very large scale of shadow economic activity which is influencing not only the economy itself, but also the economic decision-making.

Dr. Dmitry G. Lomsadze, Associate Professor, Ph.D. in Economics, Lecturer at International Relations Department of VSU, Chair of Regional Studies and Economy of Foreign Countries, and Dr. Alexander A. Boldyrikhin, Ph.D. in Political Sciences, Lecturer at International Relations Department of VSU, Chair of World Economy and Global Economic Relations, have presented the first project results during the European Week in the Central-Chernozem Region, which was held together with the International Forum "European Common Educational Space: ways of development". The SHEXP founders have made a Power Point presentation and expanded on the plans for future development.

European colleagues have highly evaluated the project activity that is carried out in VSU in terms of Erasmus+ Program and the productive work of Voronezh researchers in the past educational year.

Dr. Irina V.Foret, Associate Professor of Chair of Regional Studies and Economy of Foreign Countries at International Relations Department of VSU, has conducted a series of lectures for the international relations major students in terms of the SHEXP project. The lectures covered the topics of legal regulations for the foreign companies’ business activities in Russian Federation alongside with the legislative framework of the shadow economy counteraction both in EU and Russia.

From October 31st till November 2nd the Chair of Regional Studies and Economy of Foreign Countries of International Relations Department at VSU has conducted the School of Young Regional Studies Researchers. The participants were 14 secondary school students from different secondary schools of Voronezh and Voronezh Region. The head of chair, Dr. Alexander Udovichenko, has made a welcome speech to the participants, introducing the staff to them, presenting educational programs and perspectives for education in foreign partner universities.

The following presentations of Erasmus+ projects were conducted during the School:

1. Overcoming Shadow Economy Problems: Adaptation of the EU Experience in Russia (Dmitry Lomsadze)
2. Migration within the EU: problems and perspectives (Natalia Zhurbina, Elena Yakushkina)
3. The immigration laws for refugees: the EU standards and experience for Russia (Irina Foret).

On April 4 – 5^th Voronezh State University has conducted the International Scientific and Practical Conference “Europe in the XXI Century: New Challenges and Ways of Development”. The conference was conducted in terms of implementation of the Erasmus+ Jean Monnet Program and two grant programs: Overcoming Shadow Economy Problems: Adaptation of the EU Experience in Russia (SHEXP) and Migration in the EU: Problems and Perspectives (EUMig). The participants of the conference were leading researchers, teachers and students of International Relations Department, Roman and German Philology Department, History Department, Economic Department, representatives of the Voronezh Region Government, experts from leading Russian universities and Russian Academy of Sciences and foreign experts who represented the partner universities of VSU. Full information about the conference can be obtained by the following links:

http://www.vsu.ru/ru/news/feed/2018/04/9500

http://www.vsu.ru/ru/news/feed/2018/04/9516

During the conference on April 4^th the Head of Overcoming Shadow Economy Problems: Adaptation of the EU Experience in Russia (SHEXP) Project, Dr. Dmitry Lomsadze, has made a presentation of this project for the conference participants, reported on the implementation progress and also on the publications in Russian and foreign academic resources. He also stated that everything is ready for publishing the textbook for the module “Overcoming Shadow Economy Problems: Adaptation of the EU Experience in Russia” and talked about the positive experience of raising the project awareness by disseminating the information in public space of regional and federal media, including online sources.

On April 5^th Dr. Lomsadze has supervised the work of the “Shadow economy” conference section in terms of SHEXP project. The work format of the section included lectures, business cases and business games, discussions between the students and experts. The “Shadow economy” section was comprised of 48 participants.

The scientigic partner and project expert, Leading Researcher of NII FSIN of Russia, Moscow, Dr. Prof. Sergey Garnik has presented a lecture and supervised a discussion on the topic “Questions of overcoming shadow economy and financing international terrorism as an element of state economic security”.

The Development Director of Zetta Production Company (Voronezh), E. Zhitnitskiy has conducted a practical business game named “Features of business communications in modern business environment” on the topic of modern business ethics and business culture in modern Russia based on his company’s work experience with European partners.    

Results of the Conference Work are published in the Scientific Sourcebook “Europe in the XXI Century: New Challenges and Ways of Development”, in full accordance to the work plan of the SHEXP project.

On April 19th and 20th the delegation from Voronezh State University took part in the Jean Monnet Conference in Moscow that was organized by the European Commission in the framework of Erasmus+ Jean Monnet Projects implementation.

This conference became the networking ground for coordinators and participants of Jean Monnet Project in Russia and EU countries, allowing them to exchange their project work experience.

The Voronezh State University delegation was represented by:

Dr. Dmitry Lomsadze and Dr. Alexander Boldyrikhin (“Overcoming Shadow Economy Problems: Adaptation of the EU Experience in Russia” project)

Dr. Alla Akulshina, Head of International Projects and Programs Department

Dr. Elena Alekseeva (“European identity through the prism of European policy” project)

Dr. Natalia Zhurbina and Dr. Elena Yakushkina (“Migration in the EU: problems and perspectives” project).

 

Conference work program is available at:

https://jeanmonnet2018.teamwork.fr/en/programme

On May 7th Dr. Dmitry Lomsadze has conducted a business game named “Shadow economy: taxes and tax crimes in the EU” with bachelor students of Foreign Regional Studies, European Research major.

During the business game the students have made short presentations on taxation systems and played business cases on tax payments and tax crimes in the EU and other countries.

From 07th till 11th of May, 2018 the XI International Week took place in Dokuz Eylul University (Izmir, Turkey) with participants from Belgium, Poland, Ireland and other EU Universities.

In terms of the SHEXP Project Alexander Boldyrikhin presented his lecture course “Doing Business in Russia: experience, developments and trends” to the students of Business Department of Dokuz Eylul University.

According to the workplan of SHEXP project in May – June 2018 Dr. Dmitry Lomsadze and Dr. Alexander Boldyrikhin have published a textbook named “Problems of shadow economy: the EU experience for Russia” and a Vision Paper “Overcoming shadow economy problems: adaptation of the EU experience for Russia”.

These books will be actively used as methodic materials in the study process of International Relations Department, as well as of other Departments of Voronezh State University.

On June 13th – 14th the Chair of Regional Studies and Foreign Countries Economy of International Relations Department has hosted the defenses of Graduate Qualification Works (Diplomas) of Foreign Regional Studies Bachelor Students. These works were conducted by the students of “European research” and “American research” majors under the supervision of Dr. Dmitry Lomsadze and in terms of SHEXP project.

Defense results:

Student Zabayrachnaya E.V. Topic: “Economic crimes in the EU and methods of counteracting them”. Mark: Excellent.

Student Yurakova A.P. Topic: “Tax culture and shadow economy in the countries of North America and Europe on the example of USA and Spain. Mark: Excellent.

Student Kirchanova E.M. Topic: “Havala” shadow financial system and its role in money laundering and financing terrorism in Europe”. Mark: Good.

Student Volkova D.T. Topic: “Features of shadow economy in the countries of North America and Europe on the example of USA, Mexico and Italy”. Mark: Excellent.

Student Chukhlebova D.S. Topic: “Modern problems of economic development of North American and European countries on the example of USA and Germany”. Mark: Excellent.

Congratulations to our successful graduates!

On June 21st, 2018 VSU Rector Dmitry Endovitskiy has signed and sent an official letter to the Voronezh Oblast Governor Alexander Gusev with information about the Erasmus + Jean Monnet projects implemented in VSU: Overcoming Shadow Economy Problems: Adaptation of the EU Experience in Russia (SHEXP) and “Migration in the EU: problems and perspectives”.

In this letter VSU informs about the high level of practical importance of the scientific results of these projects for Voronezh Oblast.

VSU Rector Dmitry Endovitsky offers Voronezh Government to study the question about using the results of the projects for developing the new programs of regional development and possibilities of joint researches on the topics of shadow economy, migration and illegal employment of population.

On October 10th, 2018, VSU Rector Dmitry Endovitskiy has signed and sent an official letter to the Head of Federal Tax Service in Voronezh Oblast, Igor Pankratov. The letter informs that in terms of the Erasmus + Jean Monnet project “Overcoming Shadow Economy Problems: Adaptation of the EU Experience in Russia” Dr. Lomsadze has published a textbook named “Shadow Economy Problems: the EU Experience for Russia”

The letter says that the majority of the textbook materials are devoted to tax culture and its influence on the scale and outbreaks of shadow economy in Russia. It is also stated that the current textbook can be used for education and qualification improvement of the tax service employees. Therefore, Dr. Lomsadze offered 10 books to the library of Federal Tax Service in Voronezh Oblast with an idea to discuss the topic of the project on a special session of the Public Management Council of Federal Tax Service in Voronezh Oblast.

This offer was accepted by the Head of Federal Tax Service in Voronezh Oblast, Igor Pankratov. The special session of the Public Management Council is scheduled for January 2019.

From October 29th to November 1st the Chair of Regional Studies and Foreign Countries Economy of International Relations Department has conducted an annual scientific event named “The School of Young Regionalist”. The participants were students of VSU and senior pupils of secondary schools from Voronezh and Voronezh Oblast.

According to the program of the event, Dr. Lomsadze has made a presentation of the SHEXP project and lectured on the topic “Shadow economy: problems of Europe and Russia”. He also conducted a business game using a series of practice cases.

The students of Economic Department of VSU also took an active part in the event, with 45 participants in general.

Dr. Dmitry Lomsadze together with several authors from the Chair of Regional Studies and Foreign Countries Economy of International Relations Department has published a textbook named “Regional features of economic and migration processes in Europe”. This textbook was designed and published in terms of two Erasmus+ Jean Monnet Actions projects: Overcoming Shadow Economy Problems: Adaptation of the EU Experience in Russia (SHEXP) and «Migration in the EU: challenges and opportunities» (EUMig).

The textbook will be used by the students of International Relations Department as a methodic material for such subjects as “Shadow economy”, “Economy of European Countries”, “Regional problems of shadow economy”, “International Taxation”, etc.

Starting from November 16th, 2018, the 176-pages textbook is available in VSU library with overall publishing volume of 150 units.

On December 13th Dr. Dmitry Lomsadze presented the SHEXP project results to the members of Public Management Council of Federal Tax Service in Voronezh Oblast.

In his speech Dr. Lomsadze has outlined the main project results and offered the Council to provide an expert opinion on the materials of his report. He also offered to support the VSU initiative to conduct a special scientific research on the scale and structure of shadow economy, including informal labor market of Voronezh Oblast.

The Head of Control Board of Federal Tax Service in Voronezh Oblast, Victor Akamsin, has expressed his expert opinion on the report. He approved and confirmed the importance of such researches for Voronezh Oblast on the basis of tax audit and examples of his Control Office work.

The SHEXP project and the above mentioned speeches have provoked an active discussion among the Council members who also emphasized the importance and necessity of integrating the VSU research methodology and results into the framework of evaluating the scale of shadow economy in the region. They voted for supporting this initiative on the level of Voronezh Government.

Public Management Council of Federal Tax Service in Voronezh Oblast, as of December 13th, 2018

Ponkratov I. N. – Head of Federal Tax Service in Voronezh Oblast
Endovitskiy D. A. – Head of Public Management Council of Federal Tax Service in Voronezh Oblast, VSU Rector
Akamsin V. A. - Head of Control Board of Federal Tax Service in Voronezh Oblast
Kharchenko N. E. – Deputy Head of Federal Tax Service in Voronezh Oblast
Lomsadze D. G. – Associate Professor of VSU
Andreev A. B. – Head of Regional Office of Production Makers and Entrepreneurs Union
Goncharov Yu. F. – President of Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Voronezh Oblast, member of Management Board of Federal Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Khamin E.N. – Deputy of Voronezh Oblast Duma, entrepreneur, Head of “Khamin Group of Companies”
Vyshegorodtsev I.A. – Head of Voronezh Branch of SRO “Avangard”
Danshin B.I. – Head and Director of JSC “Informsvyaz – Chernozemye”
Latushko A.N. – Director of Voronezh Youth Theater, Voronezh Oblast Duma Deputy, Head of Committee of Culture and Historical Heritage of Voronezh Oblast Duma
Verikovskaya N.V. – Head of JSC “Tsuryupa Wellness House”
Chernushkin G.V. – ex-First Deputy of Voronezh Governor on strategic planning, economy and finance, director and owner of “Angstrem” furniture company, “Don” agricultural company, “Partnership technologies” transport company, etc.

On December 20th, 2018, the Chair of Regional Studies and Foreign Countries Economy has conducted the final defense of Term Papers of Bachelor students on the subject "Shadow Economy". These research projects were carried out by the 3rd-year students in terms of the SHEXP project implementation.

The topics covered such important issues as shadow economy, criminal economy, official and unofficial employment, offshore centers, taxation and business/government relations.

The scientific supervisor for the Term Papers is Associate Professor Dmitry Lomsadze.

04.03.2019

The scientific monograph "Shadow Economy of Europe and Russia: problems and ways of resolution" has been published. Authors: VSU Rector, Professor, Doctor of Economics, Dmitry Endovitskiy and Associate Professor, Ph.D. in Economics, Dmitry Lomsadze.

This monograph is published in the framework of SHEXP project implementation. The book researches on the modern issues of shadow economy both in Russia and EU. These processes are studied in the context of conceptual reasons of existence and forms of shadow economy. The work uses scientific approaches and methods of foreign and Russian experts in the area of evaluation of meaning and scale of shadow economy, as well as the analysis of specific features of shadow economy in Russia and EU. The scale of shadow economy and its correlation with the tax morale within a country is viewed as a concept. A special attention is devoted to the experience of EU in the area of counteracting shadow economy and the possibilities of adaptation of this experience for Russia.

Scientific supervisors: Head of Institute of Europe of Russian Academy of Science, Al.A. Gromyko and Head of Department of Economic Development of Voronezh Region, Professor A.M.Bukreev.

100 books have been published. Each contents 178 pages.

The information on publication is also available on the VSU website:

http://www.vsu.ru/ru/news/feed/2019/03/10778

On 19th March, 2019, the regional issue of “Rossiyskaya Gazeta” (a federal printed media established by Russian Government) has published an interview with the authors of monograph “Shadow economy of Europe and Russia: problems and ways of resolution”, VSU Rector Prof. Dmitry Endovitskiy and Associate Professor Dmitry Lomsadze. The interview contains full information that the monograph was prepared and published on the basis of Erasmus+ Jean Monnet Program in terms of the SHEXP Project.

Overall volume of the newspaper: 5000, full-color.

Regions of dissemination: Voronezh, Lipetsk, Belgorod, Tambov, Kursk and Orlov Oblasts of Russia.

Full text is available in Russian language in the “Materials” chapter of current website.

On April 17th the International Relations Department has conducted an annual scientific conference of students. In the framework of the conference the Associate Professors Dmitry Lomsadze, Natalya Zhurbina and Elena Yakushkina have launched a scientific seminar devoted the 30-years Anniversary of Jean Monnet Program. Lecturers, bachelor and master students from “Foreign Regional Studies” Major took an active participation in the seminar. The main results of SHEXP and EUMig projects were presented. These projects have been successfully implemented in the International Relations Department since 2016. The bachelor students have presented their speeches on the topics of the projects. The best works will be published in the scientific herald of International Relations Department.

Total number of participants: 40

The Regional Studies Chair of International Relations Department is running 3 Jean Monnet Projects now, which indicates a high level of interest from lecturers and students of the Department in the area of collaboration with the European Union.

The information about the scientific seminar devoted to the 30th Anniversary of Jean Monnet Program is also published on the VSU website.

 

On 14th of May Dr. Dmitry Lomsadze was invited to take part in the XVI International Conference “Increasing the effectiveness of management for creating the favorable conditions for small and medium enterprises in the Republic of Belarus” which took place in Minsk in the Institute of Entrepreneurial Activity. He presented a keynote speech named “Institutional approach to shadow economy: conceptual problems of theory and practice”.

On May 15 – 17th Dr. Lomsadze presented his lecture as a visiting professor on the topic of shadow economy. He also presented the main results of the SHEXP project.

The conference speech, lectures and follow-up discussions with students and lecturers have revealed a high level of usefulness of this research and educational programs development not only for Russian, but for Belarus Universities as well. The management and professors of Institute of Entrepreneurial Activity have expressed their great interest in joint development and integration of the “Shadow Economy” module into the study process of their Institute together with VSU.

Dr. Lomsadze was awarded a letter of recognition for his contribution into the development of international collaboration between Universities of Russia and Belarus.

More details about this event can be found at the official website of the Institute of Entrepreneurial Activity by the following link:
http://www.uoipd.by/ru/news/1000.html

On June 21 – 24^th the Chair of Regional Studies has hosted the defenses of bachelor graduation papers. These papers were conducted as researches under the supervision of Dr. Dmitry Lomsadze as an integral part of SHEXP project.

Results of defense:

Student Taldykin M.A. “Shadow economy: drug trafficking and methods of fighting it in the EU”. Mark: excellent.

Student Turischev V.G. “Offshore centers of Europe and their influence on the growth of shadow economy”. Mark: excellent.

Student Shvetzova M.I. “Influence of migration on the shadow labor market in the EU”. Mark: excellent.

Student Zhukovskaya L.A. “Corruption in the EU”. Mark: good.

Congratulations to our graduates!

June 27, 2019

The 33th volume of the scientific publications book "Panorama. Scientific works of International Relations Department of Voronezh State University" has hosted the research works of the students of European Research Major conducted under the supervision of Dr. Dmitry Lomsadze in terms of the SHEXP project implementation. Topics of works included:

Shadow labor market in the EU countries

Shadow economy in the EU: counterfeit production and ways of fighting it

Modern problems of EU relations with global offshore centers

Role of civil society institutions (churches, media) in overcoming shadow economy problems

Modern economic problems of Spain

Full texts (in Russian language) are available by the following link:

http://ir.vsu.ru/periodicals/pdf/panorama/Panorama_2019.pdf

On June 26th, 2019, the student of Regional Studies Chair of International Relations Department, Elena Dedyurina, has successfully defended her Master Thesis named "The experience of Europe in fighting counterfeit production and the opportunities of its adaptation in Russia".

The research was conducted under the supervision of Dr. Dmitry Lomsadze in terms of SHEXP project implementation. Mark: excellent.

The scientific results were published as a joint monograph of D. Lomsadze and E. Dedyurina, "The experience of Europe in fighting counterfeit production and the opportunities of its adaptation in Russia", and also as a series of publications in scientific journals of Russia and Belarus.

Publication texts are available by following links:

http://ir.vsu.ru/periodicals/pdf/panorama/Panorama_2019.pdf

https://vk.com/doc84490017_507316680?hash=39d6089fb84072079d&dl=373b62d7b2cc542985

On July 4th, 2019, the second issue of the "VSU Scientific Herald", "Problems of higher education" Series, has published the scientific review by the Director of the Institute of Europe of Russian Academy of Sciences, AL. A. Gromyko of the joint monograph of VSU Rector, Dr. Dmitry Endovitskiy and Dr. Dmitry Lomsadze, "Shadow Economy of Europe and Russia: problems and ways of resolution".

The reviewer gives a high positive response to the scientific work of Voronezh researchers and notes especially that "the reviewed book is a significant innovative research that gives a great theoretic and practic contribution to economic sciences and which is also very valuable for the higher education study process, also including economic management and practical policy of state and business".