The Center of Elite Training is Now an International Member of the American National Collegiate Honors Council

 

Not too long ago at all, a new division appeared at SUSU for students who excel in their academics and try to improve their intellectual potential as much as possible. This is the SUSU Elite Training Center, which was formed within the 5-100 Russian Academic Excellence Program. The goal of the project is to give future specialists a chance to receive additional professional skills while diving in to the world of science and, therefore, improve their career growth prospects.

The process of elite training at SUSU occurs in two forms.

Based on the academic programs in which the large number of new students enroll with a high level of academics, there are separate academic groups of elite training formed. The program of elite training being realized in these groups consists of the main academic program and elective disciplines. Projects aimed at future employers are organized.

In those cases where there are not enough applicants with high levels of academics in an academic program to create new groups, groups of elite training are formed from students with high marks from related academic programs (multi-profile groups of elite training.) Students of these groups study in their elite groups alongside their education by their main academic programs.

  • Selection for academic groups of elite training occurs during application to the university.
  • Selection for the multi-profile groups of elite training occurs in the beginning of the second semester.
  • Each division (institute, faculty, department) participating in the elite training system forms topics for theoretical or industrial projects related to the interests of the university or the main employers. The employers approve them and choose future specialists by these project topics (heads of projects).
  • Students who wish to participate in these projects are chosen on a competitive basis. Project groups with the optimal group size are formed (3-5 people).
  • The heads of these project groups recommend that students attend certain courses organized by the SUSU Elite Training Center. The courses which are mandatory are announced. The other courses are elective.
  • Attendance of various courses in the system of elite training is organized by the Elite Training Center of the university by application from the university's divisions. Attendance of each course ends with a test (pass-fail or exam).
  • Students of the ETC can attend any course electively.
  • Students who will be receiving elite training at South Ural State University are students who:
    • Successfully completed projects within their groups;
    • Successfully mastered their mandatory courses as directed by their project head;
    • Successfully mastered a number of disciplines by their choice, with a course length alongside the mandatory disciplines of no less than 450 days;
    • Do not have any grades of 2 or 3 (on a 5-point system) in studying their main courses.

Not too long ago, by initiative of the Elite Training Center, our university joined the National Collegiate Honors Council, which was one more point on the development and popularization of these programs among students.

We spoke with the director of the center Aleksandr Drozin and the assistant director Elena Kurkina and found out how they were able to move their division to such a high level.

– What jobs do you offer your students?

AD: – Our university works with the strongest employers – the Emerson company, a few metallurgical businesses, and a pipe-rolling factory.

– In which institutes and programs at SUSU have groups of elite training been formed?

EK: – We formed elite training groups for which applicants with high EGE scores were chosen. These groups were formed in the School of Economics and Management (3 groups) in the economics, management, and economic safety programs. We also created groups in the Institute of Law of our university and the Institute of Architecture and Construction.

– How did your division end up in this international association of elite training centers?

AD: – We decided to get in touch with different universities offering this kind of training. It turns out that in our country, there are almost no universities that do this, but there are many of them abroad, especially in the USA. We studied these kinds of programs (abroad they are called “honors programs”). Their students also study additional courses, complete employer projects, and receive special degree. Three fourths of universities in America use these programs. We sent an e-mail to the National Collegiate Honors Council organization, which unifies the elite training efforts of 75% of universities in the USA, and said that our university also has programs for elite training in which 300 students and 30 professors participate.

EK: – It was very important to have information about the Elite Training Center both the official site and social media. Of course, this had a significant role in receiving a positive response about joining the international society of universities with elite training (honors programs). After some time, they sent us documents which, after approval from the rector, we completed, and our university became a member of the National Collegiate Honors Council.

– What does membership in this society offer you?

AD: – We have access to their resources – their programs and subjects. Thanks to this association, we can get in touch with various universities directly. We now have the chance to invite researchers and exchange experiences.

EK: – In terms of membership in this association, not every university is a part. Moreover, in Russia, we are the only ones at this time.

– How will the completion of these courses appear in student documents?

EK: – We intend for the students' degrees to show the additional courses they mastered and internal certificates will also be awarded.

What is the length of education at the Elite Training Center?

EK: –  The length of education is not fixed. The student will have to master a certain number of courses, after which they will be able to give the students the proper documentation. All of the program modules which go above the main academic programs must be completed to receive documentation about elite training. If, for example, a student shows interest in studying in the elite training group, then he will take certain tests in the courses he missed or will take entrance tests on their qualifications, after which he will continue to study, but already with a more broad academic program.

 

Marina Kovyazina
You are reporting a typo in the following text:
Simply click the "Send typo report" button to complete the report. You can also include a comment.