International Students are in Particular Need of Support

Distance lectures, project work on video conferencing platforms, and even meeting with friends via video communications: all this is true about the spring semester for students of St. Petersburg Polytechnic University. Polytechnic University fully supports its students in such a complicated time. “We try to conduct all changes in the training format carefully, focusing not only on training per say, but also on the support of our students, teachers and staff. On any matters related to the educational process, students can contact the Directorate of the Main Educational Programs of the university and their institutes,” emphasized Rector of SPbPU, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Andrei RUDSKOI.

International students who study at SPbPU in preparation for university entry programs are in particular need of support. Many of them started classes shortly before the pandemic. To be in a foreign country, away from home and without knowledge of the language is tough. Therefore, the leadership of the Higher School of International Educational Programs presented a range of activities whose task is to support and encourage international students, and, of course, to ensure that the learning process in the spring semester goes without failures and deviations from the program.

Teachers and students stay in touch

All classes in the Russian language and general subjects are held in a remote format. As of today, the students will attend online classes according to the current schedule. Through e-mail, social networks or instant messengers, they stay in contact with teachers, and have the opportunity to ask clarification questions at any time. Teachers of the HS IEP shared with the students the Internet resources that they use in their work. Now students can watch educational videos on the history of Russia, culture, literature, and much more during the vacations and as additional learning tasks.

Hotline for the students of the preparatory department

For any questions, students of the preparatory faculty can contact this email address: dzhamalova_s@spbstu.ru. You can submit your questions in Russian, English and even Chinese.

The online consulting office at PolyUnion

The international student club PolyUnion provides information support to international students through its official online communities VKontakte, Facebook and Instagram. Even more, any international student can address the message window at VKontakte on the matters of studying, visas, tuition payments, etc. The tutor in charge will promptly send the student the contacts of the necessary department, inform about the situation at the university, based on the data of the operational command unit, and give advice on other issues, such as, for example, virtual tours of St. Petersburg museums and theatrical productions that can be viewed online.

Online Interclub event

Starting this week, speaking clubs will start working on the PolyUnion virtual platform. It is planned that on Tuesdays there will be days of the Russian language, on Thursdays of the English language, while Saturday will be devoted to international communication: participants will get acquainted with the features of Italian, German, French, Chinese and other languages. Foreign students will also conduct classes. The schedule of club events will be published in advance on social networks.

Every Friday at 19:00, a cinema club will operate at PolyUnion; so far, the showings will go virtually. Films will alternate: a week of Soviet classics will be replaced with the classics of other countries, the world cinema in English with subtitles. 5 minutes prior to the start, a link for viewing will appear on the social networks of the Interclub. During the film screening, participants will be able to communicate with each other and discuss the film in a general chat.

Tutor Forces и PolyUnion launch a “WE ARE TOGETHER” flash mob

Not only the Tutor Forces student service actively works at the PolyUnion international club but also arranges its events. In the near future, a flash mob for international students of the Polytechnic (and not only) will take start. It aims at supporting all international students who now are away from home. In order to participate in the flash mob, you need to shoot a video or take a photo with a leaflet that says “WE ARE TOGETHER” in your native language and upload it to social networks with the tag #TogetherWithPolytech. A subtitled video clip will be made using the photos and videos on how important it is to support each other in this thorny time.

Prepared by Center for International Recruitment and Communication. Text: Olga Dorofeeva