STUDENTS ARE INTERESTED IN COMPETITION

In April the Federal Antimonopoly Service organized tours for students of Moscow universities

Staff of FAS PR Department gave information to the visitors about the antimonopoly authority, and showed videos at the Public Liaison Office, from which the students were able to learn about the main areas of FAS work. In FAS museum they found out about the history of antimonopoly regulation and the law-making efforts of the Antimonopoly Service. FAS staff used examples from the practice of the antimonopoly authority to explain the tasks that FAS encounters and solves on a daily basis.

A group of I-year economic students from RUDN learned about the peculiarities of the work of FAS Anti-Cartel Department. Deputy Head of the Anti-Cartel Department, Takhir Scherba, explained what cartels are about, and how FAS has to fight against them.

Aspiring professional self-determination, III-year students from the Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Service decided to take part in a business game and try on the roles of representatives of business and the regulator. Their task was to reduce electric power tariffs in an imaginary town – Mtsensk, the Ossiiskaya Republic. The efforts to reduce the tariffs and defend the interests of different parties truly flamed up! The participants actively put forward proposals for business, the regulator, a sales company and even for the governor, and decisions were made that they could be proud of, or on the contrary regret at the end of the game.

Students truly liked the game. In their opinion, it was an opportunity of obtaining a new unexpected experience, undertaking responsibility for the decisions made and seeing the possible consequences in a game environment. It also gave them a chance to present their civic position and evaluate the role of the antimonopoly body in developing and protecting competitive environment.

Political Science students from Moscow State University were interested in control over foreign investments in strategically important companies in Russia, regulated by FAS. Vsevolod Savin, Deputy Head of Legal Unit, FAS Department for Control over Foreign Investments informed the visitors about the role of foreign investors in the national economy and their positive effect as well as the efforts to exercise control over foreign investments and the principles, on which the Government Foreign Investment Commission works.

Head of FAS PR Department, Irina Kashunina pointed out: “Student tours to the antimonopoly bodies have become a good tradition. For students, it offers an opportunity to determine their future professional avenue, and for FAS it is essential in terms of competition advocacy and preventing violations of the antimonopoly law. Today’s students will tomorrow become lawyers, economists, businessmen and perhaps even join the ranks of the Antimonopoly Service. It is important that they understand already what competition means and why it is necessary to follow the rules of fair competition”.