St Petersburg University discusses the experience of the Preparatory Course for International Citizens
Experts from St Petersburg University have held a workshop dedicated to the creation and realisation of non-degree programmes that help foreign applicants to prepare for admission into Russian universities. More than 150 representatives of 40 Russian and 23 foreign universities took part in the workshop.
The guests of the meeting learned about: the history of creating the Preparatory Course for International Citizens at St Petersburg University; and the latest methods of educational process, basic principles of customer service, and approaches to attracting new students. Experts from St Petersburg University gave demo lessons on Russian as a foreign language as well as on some vocational subjects such as biology and literature. At the workshop there were graduates from the Preparatory Course who are now students of the bachelor’s programme at St Petersburg University, and one current student of the Preparatory Course. They shared their impressions from the course and demonstrated a very good command of the Russian language.
Also, a new distance learning programme of St Petersburg University ‘Practical aspects of teaching Russian as a foreign language: pre-university training’ was introduced during the seminar. You can find more about the programme here. After the workshop 50 teachers enrolled in it.
The key pillar in organising the work of the Preparatory Course at St Petersburg University was and still is providing high quality education in a comfortable environment with an individual approach to every student.
Dmitry Ptyushkin, Director of the Language Testing Centre at St Petersburg University
The Preparatory Course at St Petersburg University was founded in 2018. Over 250 future students from 59 countries have been trained here so far. Interest in the University nondegree programmes is constantly growing. At the moment the number of applications in 2021 is four times higher than last year. During the pandemic the education was digitalised, so now lessons are provided in an online format. Given the time difference, the schedule of lectures and seminars is tailored to students’ requirements. Also, in 2020 several new classrooms were renovated and they are ready to open for students after the pandemic. For more detailed information you can go here.
Experts from St Petersburg University promote the course and keep in touch with potential applicants via social media sites, where they answer all the questions.
At the same time, the University regularly arranges events for international applicants, where they can find all the necessary information on how to apply to the Preparatory Course. In 2021 such online meetings were held with China, Greece, Turkey, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Poland, Serbia and many other countries.
The University is open to collaboration in the field of the work of the Preparatory Course and it invites those who are interested to discuss cooperation. If you have any questions or proposals, please, feel free to contact us via email precourses@spbu.ru. If you would like to learn more about the experience of St Petersburg University in the sphere of additional education for international students or to apply to the Preparatory Course, write to test.language@spbu.ru.