Cooperation between SPbPU and the University of Stuttgart: Twenty-Five Year Long Road
Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University and the University of Stuttgart (Germany) have been partners for 25 years. The Rector of the German University, Prof. Wolfram Ressel has the title of the "Honorary Doctor of SPbPU", scientists of both universities work together in a number of scientific fields, and students actively participate in exchange programs. On April 28 a large delegation of the University of Stuttgart, headed by Rector Wolfram Ressel visited Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University.
“I find cooperation between our universities outstanding. It is carried out not only in the scientific but also in the cultural field, our scientists work on joint research projects, and our students take an active part in exchange programs. Therefore, the Polytechnic University is our strategic international partner,” said Wolfram RESSEL, the Rector of the University of Stuttgart.
During his visit to the Polytechnic University, Prof. Wolfram Ressel gave a lecture, devoted to automobile road design, to the students of the Institute of Civil Engineering (ICE) SPbPU. The lecture had two parts: in the first part the professor talked about the general principles of designing roads by German standards, and in the second, special part – about road surface drainage. Prof. Ressel showed the factors that influence the presence or absence of water film on roads, he spoke about how hydroplaning speed and special methods of finite elements are calculated.
The Institute of Civil Engineering has recently started up training on the new Bachelor's profile "Construction of roads and highways", therefore for the students of this major the professor's lecture literally became a visual aid for the studied discipline. “The lecture lasted about an hour, and in this hour the kids gained a large amount of information, - said N.I. VATIN, director of the ICE. - Independent search and systematization of this information would have taken them several weeks. Professor Ressel presented the material in magnificent English, in a very concentrated, very lively and very easy to understand manner».
The Institute of Civil Engineering actively uses the English language in training their students, so they, knowing the specialized vocabulary, were free to communicate with the professor and asked him questions. “The students listened carefully, answered questions, they were with me - this is exactly what I wanted to see” - Wolfram Ressel shared his impressions.
At the end of the lecture the professor invited SPbPU students to participate in exchange programs. “The University of Stuttgart is part of TU 9 - a group of leading German technical universities. Each of the nine universities in TU 9 has exchange programs - for a month, for three months, for a semester. I encourage you to participate in them,” said Wolfram RESSEL.
More than 100 students from the University of Stuttgart arrived together with their Rector at SPbPU for the exchange program “Russian civilization”, all of them musicians of the Academic Choir and Orchestra of the University of Stuttgart. The students used the unique opportunity to combine the useful with the pleasant: in the framework of the tour to St. Petersburg they will complete the course “Russian civilization” here.
According to V.V. Krasnoshchekov, head of the department “Basic Training of Foreign Citizens”, Institute of International Educational Programs (IIEP),, "Russian civilization" is a monthly course, if the students finish the course successfully they will get two European credits in the German university. The students studied remotely for three weeks: they were sent the materials about the history of St. Petersburg and Russia in general, and for one week they will study directly in St. Petersburg. On April 28 in the conference hall of the Scientific Research Building of SPbPU the students from Germany were given a lecture about the history and culture of St. Petersburg and were made acquainted with the cultural heritage of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University.
“The students will also have a rich field trip program in St. Petersburg and its suburbs, - explains V.V. Krasnoshchekov. - Together with the Russian students acting as tutors, the kids will complete assignments related to the history and culture of our city”.
Tobias VILLERDING, participant of the exchange program, shared his impressions about the program “Russian civilization” and St. Petersburg: “This is my first visit to St. Petersburg, and it immediately struck me with its beauty! Everything I have read and studied in Stuttgart about your city came to life and sparkled with new colors. St. Petersburg is a city of inspiration. I am sure that the concert that we give together with the chorus "Polyhymnia", in the White Hall of St. Petersburg Polytechnic University will sound in a special way”.
The University of Stuttgart and Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University have long time collaboration and active cooperation in the cultural sphere. As part of the strategic partnership between the universities, it was decided to organize a cultural exchange of the Academic Choir and Orchestra of the University of Stuttgart and academic choir “Polyhymnia” SPbPU. On April 28, 2015 2015 choir "Polyhymnia" gave a concert at the University of Stuttgart, and the very same day, one year later on April 28, 2016, the Academic Choir and Orchestra of the University of Stuttgart together with choir "Polyhymnia" performed on the stage of the White Hall, SPbPU.
Media Center, SPbPU