Chinese Students Choose Polytechnic University: Shanghai Representative Office Helps Them to Make the Choice

Over the years, more and more young people from the Celestial Empire show interest in the various educational programs of Polytechnic University. A significant role in attracting foreign applicants to the University belongs to the SPbPU Representative Office in Shanghai. Its staff negotiates with schools and universities in China, establishes contacts with new recruiting companies, give advice to future applicants and their parents.

Quite frequently students from the PRC come to study at Polytechnic University in groups. This was the case with the Xian University of Technology: since March, 18 students have been studying materials processing and research technologies at the Institute of Metallurgy, Machine Building and Transport within the framework of an international educational program.

“To go to study at SPbPU was the best choice I've ever made. Living in another country lets you take a fresh look at the world. The training is in English; we study the quality control of metallurgical products, modern methods of materials research, composite and nanomaterials, physical and mathematical modeling of thermal mechanical processing of materials. Besides this, once a week we have classes in the Russian language. Of course, this is far from easy, but we all like it very much. The atmosphere in the classroom is lively and inspiring; professors explain the material in detail and thoroughly. Two months in SPbPU gave me a lot - both in the educational and cultural aspects,” said the monitor of the group Glenn LEE. Program Coordinator, Associate Professor of the IMMET Department of Technology and Materials Research A.A. NAUMOV spoke about the diligence of foreign students: “I have never seen anyone in the group to miss classes. At the lectures, they all very attentive, focused, and this is a great thing to see.”

Not everyone would dare to go for studying in a country several thousand kilometers away from home, but Glenn assures that he and his friends have quickly got used to living in Russia. “We live in comfortable dormitories, and in our free time, we take long walks around the city. We have big plans for May: we are going to see more museums and, if the weather allows, we will go to Peterhof,” he said.

In the process of learning, IMMET students will take part in an international scientific conference MMAMT-2019, which will take place in the end of June at the base of SPbPU.

Recently, another group of students from China started studying at SPbPU. They also came from Xian Technological University. 17 young men and women will study the physical and radio engineering fundamentals of telecommunications at the Institute of Physics, Nanotechnologies and Telecommunications. “This is an additional international educational program, and training goes in English. Classes are conducted by doctors and candidates of science, talented young scientists. We plan to show the young people laboratories of the Institute of Physics and Technology, we’ll make the excursions informative,” said the program coordinator, associate professor V.V. LOBODA.

As part of the international program, the students will visit the St. Petersburg Academic University, the Nanotechnology Research and Education Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences; go on an excursion to the Svetloye Radio Astronomy Observatory; take part in an international conference YETI-2019, which will be held on the basis of SPbPU in June. For several months, the young people will learn the basics of optical telecommunications and organic electronics, digital devices, materials of micro- and nanoelectronics, as well as gain knowledge in automating physical measurements using LabVIEW and National Instruments technology.

The successful experience of Xian University of Technology attracts other universities in China: recently, a meeting with employees of the Shanghai University of Applied Technologies (SUPT) was held at the SPbPU Representative Office in Shanghai. On behalf of the university management, Chinese colleagues expressed interest in sending SUPT students to SPbPU for Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree programs, as well as in their participation in the programs of the International Polytechnic Summer School.

Prepared by International Academic Cooperation Department. Text: Olga DOROFEEVA