The International Academy has brought together more than 160 students from 11 countries to study seven disciplines, with professors from Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Russia, Iran, and Iraq.
On July 19, when the summer heat was replaced by "St. Petersburg Classic" weather, with a cool breeze and brief rains, and when most Polytech employees went on vacation, Higher School of Nuclear and Heat Power Engineering office was still in a busy working mode.
For the third time, coordinators of the International Energy School opened the summer education program in online format. While the world is trying to give the last "kick" to the coronavirus by opening and closing borders, students from all over the world are looking for opportunities to gain new knowledge and meet new people in their prospective professions even thousands of kilometers away.
Ekaterina Sokolova, coordinator of the School, decided to change the format - now students can become participants of the Energy Academy. The new project also brought in new aspects: a slightly different format of lectures, an extended cultural program, case studies and so much more. This step is logical - virtual lectures do not give close interaction, so we should aim higher and use the online education opportunities to the fullest.
- We call our age the age of technology, the age of the Internet, and now we are faced with circumstances where it is necessary to implement all this into our lives for the sake of safety and health. Well, it is necessary to learn new trends, to be at the cutting edge, not to lose relevance and to be the first in our business. We've already held 2 schools online, Summer 2020 and Winter 2021. While everyone is trying to get out of the pandemic, we are still unable to accept international students in St. Petersburg, but we did not want to hold another online school following the same pattern. We developed the concept of the Academy and even applied with this project to the best youth projects of the city competition," shared Ekaterina Sokolova.
The International Academy has brought together more than 160 students from 11 countries to study seven disciplines, with professors from Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Russia, Iran, and Iraq. This year the coordinators are also reforming their volunteer corps. They create their own team of trained tutors, who can help overcome language and cultural barriers, make creative video projects about the city and the university, participate in student life and promote energy education.
The cultural program has become a traditional part of the School and now the Academy even in the online format - a team of Polytechnic University students shot video tours in Russian Museum, the Hermitage, Peterhof, modern Petersburg, prepared new material about Vyborg.
- We want to tell about the city so that students will have a strong desire to come to St. Petersburg. So that this destination would be in their "to do list" for the nearest future. We often have live broadcasts, we answer questions about Russia, we explode myths and stereotypes, and we keep telling that when theycome here, we would show them around and take to many interesting places. International students in their turn invite us to visit their home countries as soon as the borders are open again. Even though we're all sitting in front of screens, we do our best to be in contact and talk as if we were sitting at the same table," said Academy tutors.
The Day of Guest Speakers has also become a tradition: representatives of energy companies from St. Petersburg met with students at the University before the pandemic, and now they are sharing information virtually - distance does not hinder education! Power Machines JSC, ATOMPROEKT JSC and Gazpromneft STC LLC told about their technologies and development prospects.
The Academy will continue its work until July 30.
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