The matriculation ceremony for first-year students of St Petersburg University

The event will consist of two parts. As part of the ceremony, which will take place on Academician Sakharov Square, the first-year students who have received the highest score during the entrance examinations will take the oath to become part of the University brotherhood. Nikolay Kropachev, Rector of St Petersburg University, and guests of honour will personally give student ID cards to the first-year students.

Also, during the first part of the Freshman Initiation Day from 10.30am to 2pm in the gallery of the building on 5 Mendeleevskaya Line, there will be a Student Fair designed to introduce first-year students to the extracurricular and student life at St Petersburg University. The museums, the library, the University Publishing House, as well as social, scientific, sports and creative student organisations will inform new students about their activities. At the stand ‘St Petersburg University Museums’, first-year students will be able to sign up for tours of the Twelve Collegia building, the Botanical Garden and the Dmitri Mendeleev Museum and Archives by a QR code.

Then, the festive events will move to the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island, where the traditional ceremony of setting the ships of hope afloat into the water area of the Neva River will take place. The idea was put forward in 2011 by Semen Altov, a comedy writer and an Honoured Artist of the Russian Federation. Since then, every year after the matriculation ceremony, St Petersburg University’s first-year students set their ships with a wish afloat.

Programme

11am Gathering of guests on Akademician Sakharov Square

12 noon Matriculation ceremony for first-year students of St Petersburg University:

• the midday firing of the cannon from the bastion of Peter and Paul Fortress will herald the start of the ceremony
• welcoming speech by Nikolay Kropachev, Rector of St Petersburg University, and speeches by guests of honour
• flying the flags of the Russian Federation, St Petersburg and St Petersburg University
• presenting student ID cards to the best first-year students
• the oath to become part of the University brotherhood (the text is read by the Chair of the St Petersburg University Student Council and the best first-year students)
• the student ‘Gaudeamus Igitur’ hymn performed by the St Petersburg University Choir of students

1.30pm The end of the matriculation ceremony for first-year students of St Petersburg University

1.50pm Gathering of participants on the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island for setting the ships of hope afloat

2Pm-3.30pm Annual traditional ceremony of setting the ships of hope afloat