On 27 December 2021, Yuri Gagarin State Technical University of Saratov hosted the opening of the Foreign Students Association
Acting Rector, Doctor of History, Professor, Honored Worker of Higher Education of the Russian Federation Sergey Naumov, Vice-rector for International Relations and Cooperation with authorities Tatiana Kasaeva, Vice-rector for Social and Educational work Natalia Obrezha, students-representatives of 30 countries took part in the event.
The main objective of the association is to help international students to adapt and socialize during their studies in Russia, to acquaint them with history and culture of the country and the region, as well as to strengthen mutual understanding and to create trusting relationships.
Opening the event, Sergey welcomed students from other countries:
“I am sincerely glad to meet you today and happy to congratulate you on the coming New Year holidays. You are all representatives of wonderful countries. There are about 500 foreign nationals studying at the Technical University. It is a serious challenge and great responsibility for SSTU. We have always supported you and will continue to do so. I am confident that you will achieve great professional heights, and the acquired knowledge, competencies, skills and abilities will help you in this”.
Young people from more than 30 countries study at SSTU. Here they receive quality higher education at various levels of study - undergraduate, specialist, masters and postgraduate. In addition to the educational process, international students are introduced to the history, traditions and culture of Russia and the region. Foreign students have already visited theatres, museums and places of interest in Saratov and Engels, and have become participants in the scientific and creative life of the university. For example, they talked to Svetlana Zhurova, the Russian State Duma deputy and Olympic champion in speed skating, in terms of "Dialogue on Equal Grounds".
Yesterday during the meeting international students and postgraduates made presentations about their native countries, in detail told about the cities where they were born and grew up, unique sights and architectural monuments, a variety of customs, traditional dishes and languages found in the territory of their states. So, graduate student Osama Jburi spoke about Iraq, graduate student Bougherara Fouad told about Algeria, students Baghain Waleed and Al-Rabadi Alaa Bashir Eida spoke about Jordan and student Kiroulos Gad spoke about Egypt.
At the end of the event, the Acting Rector answered all the students' questions, including sharing the secrets of his success:
"The most important thing is to be able to listen and hear, read, be purposeful and inquisitive, want and love to learn constantly, be open to innovation. And it is important to remain human at all times, in all circumstances".
Foreign students expressed their gratitude to the Acting Rector for the meeting. Meetings of the association in this format will be held on a regular basis.
