A meeting with freshman students recommended for named scholarships was held at South Ural State University. Students were told about how they can fulfill their potential in science and art, and how they can organize their own projects.
The number of freshman students recommended for the named scholarship has increased from 132 to 236 people, compared to the previous year. First-year students who got high EGE (Unified State Examination) points or became the winners or prize holders of either the All-Russian Olympiad of School Students or the Olympiads, included in the list of Russian Council of School Students’ Olympiads, can apply for the scholarship.
“This year, the number of students with high EGE points significantly increased due to the fact the university strengthened its positions in the world’s most recognized rankings. The introduced named scholarship and participation in Olympiads for school students play an important role – the university organizes both subject-oriented Olympiads and Zvezda (The Star) Multi-profile Engineering Olympiad. Besides, target-oriented work with educational institutions which perform training of successful school leavers – lyceums, gymnasiums and schools – favors attracting knowledgeable university applicants,” noted Deputy Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, Yulia Bolotina.
Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs Andrey Shmidt talked about the opportunity to complete education in groups of the SUSU Centre of Elite Education and receive more advanced training in one’s specialty. Freshman students learned about a new educational technology – the project-based learning, implemented into the academic process this year.
“During the first and the second years of study, students obtain fundamental knowledge and participate in student Olympiads. Further on, they can apply for participation in projects, which they are to be working on during their senior years. As a result, we are planning to receive completed projects, created by our students under support of teaching staff and potential employers. In the process of study, they will learn team work, and, probably, will be able to create their own small innovative enterprises.”
Moreover, a lot of attention at the university is paid to learning foreign languages. During their study, students can pass IELTS international certification exam. Andrey Vladimirovich also talked about the fact the having completed their bachelor’s study, students can get enrolled for master’s degree studies and complete a double degree program at universities abroad – Clark University (Massachusetts, USA), Lappeenranta University of Technology (Finland), Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, and some more partner universities in China.
An important topic of the meeting was research activity of students. Freshman students learned that the university develops scaleous interdisciplinary collaborations with globally acknowledged scientists. SUSU organizes scientific events. For example, the Scientific Fights contest, excursions to the university laboratories, etc.
Vice-Rector for Extracurricular Activity and Youth Policy Vyacheslav Burmatov noted that freshman students can join various art organisations of the university and try themselves in concert performing, sport or organisational activity.
“I would like to emphasize that the university is always ready to support students’ projects. If you are ready to propose some interesting idea, you will always be heard out and supported; any initiative will be considered. Besides, our university has always been in communication with the Government of the Chelyabinsk region. Just last week, a decision was made that this year, university students will be able to receive the Governor’s Student Initiative grant in a series of nominations from any sphere of life.”
Head of the Educational-Methodical Department Igor Sidorov told freshman students about scholarships to which university students can apply. They are the scholarships of all-Russian level: named after A.A. Voznesensky, E.T. Gaydar, D.S. Likhachev, Yu.D. Maslyuk and the others, as well as the scholarships constituted by South Ural State University – of the SUSU President G.P. Vyatkin, and a named scholarship of V.G. Degtyar. Also, students can take part in scholarship programs of governmental and non-governmental foundations.
In conclusion of the meeting, students learned about operation of TOP-500 SUSU Consulting Centre and the possibility to receive enhanced scholarship as a reward for academic activity. In the nearest future, freshman students will receive data for access to student’s personal account, tab TOP-500 Portfolio, to where they will be able to register data about obtained certificates or about participation in various conferences.