Published on: 2026-04-23
Source: Russian University of Peoples’ Friendship – Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Since March, our university has started classes in the Malay language as part of a special project under the patronage of the rector and the RUDN commission on foreign languages. The project is implemented based on the multilingual development department with the support of the student sector of the trade union committee.
16 students from various departments began their training: the Engineering Academy, the Law Institute, the Faculty of Physical-Mathematical and Natural Sciences, the Faculty of Artificial Intelligence, the Philological Faculty, and the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Program Conditions
The duration of the training under the program is3 years.Upon completion, students receive a diploma in professional retraining and the qualification of translator with the working language pair “Malaysian — Russian”.
This semester, the enrollment of students is alreadyclosed.The group was formed based on the recommendations of the foreign languages departments and the student sector of the trade union committee from among the students with excellent academic performance, who are already studying (or have studied) inprogram “Translator”On a paid basis. Classes for the first group are held in the main RUHN building.2 times a week: on Wednesday from 18:00 to 21:00 and on Saturday from 15:00 to 18:00.
Overall, for students who are allowed to study Malay, providedtwo formats:
- free training â for students of the “Translator” program, subject to excellent and good academic performance, as well as the presence of recommendations from the student council and the department of foreign languages;
- with a 50% discountA — for the remaining categories of listeners based on the results of the selection.
Enrollment for the next stream will open in September 2026, classes will begin in October.
New opportunities
By mastering the Malay language, students will be able to communicate directly with more than 300 million people — and, most importantly, work in one of the most dynamic markets in the world. Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei — new markets and new opportunities.
That’s why AAleksandra Eliseeva,A second-year student of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (majoring in “International Relations”) decided to study the language. As the girl noted, she found it interesting to try something that few people in our country know about so far.
“This is the most unusual language learning experience I’ve ever had. Malay structurally has almost nothing in common with what I studied before (I studied English, Chinese, and German). At first, I was simply amazed by the simplicity of the grammar: in Malay, there are no genders, conjugations, or tenses in the usual sense. But you had to completely restructure your thinking to understand the logic of phrase construction. Classes are very lively, and the teacher immerses us deeply in the context,” —Aleksandra Eliseeva.
According to the girl, she was surprised at how politeness and the hierarchy of culture are reflected in the language. For example, in Malay there is a whole layer of vocabulary for addressing someone depending on their status. She was also struck by the fact that the language almost does not have verbs like “to be” or “to appear,” which are common to us. As for the country’s culture, during the first lessons she learned that in Malaysia, it is customary, when greeting, to slightly touch fingertips and then place the hand on the chest — this is considered a sign of greeting and respect.
“Underwater stones” of the Malaysian
Classes are led by studentsBogdan Denisovich Chernobaev, a linguist with experience as a translator in official Russian delegations abroad and experience teaching at the Linguistic Center of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. According to the teacher, the Malay language is very original and in many ways unique for a Russian person.
“The main difficulty in mastering it is the dialects. To master them at a high level, it is necessary to make quite a lot of effort,” —Bogdan Chernobaev.
Meanwhile, students are learning vocabulary in class and diligently practicing the correct pronunciation of words.
“As soon as the guys reach a more or less conversational level, I will make every effort to have either us go somewhere for a couple of times and meet with everyone who knows Malay in Moscow. There aren’t that many of us, so there will be enough interaction and communication with foreigners as well. I think we will also be able to arrange joint events with colleagues from MGU who study Malay, with the Malaysian embassy. Participate in various conferences and cultural evenings dedicated to language and country,” —Bogdan Chernobaev.
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