St Petersburg University master’s student Nikolai Shchelkov: on taking online courses at Tsinghua University

The opportunity to take Tsinghua University’s online courses first came along in the spring term of the 2020/21 academic year. The offered courses covered a wide range of relevant topics, with St Petersburg University students being most interested in: Probability and Stochastic Processes; Fundamentals of Computer Graphics; Introduction to Distributed Systems; Introduction to Big Data Systems; Real Estate Market Analysis; and Behavioural Economics.

In the autumn of 2021, Tsinghua University extended the list of its online courses for international students, including: Introduction to Decision Making; Microeconomics: Intermediate Level; Chinese Studies: Industry, Culture, Society; Project Management Techniques and Processes for Software Development; and others. Following the selection process on the part of Tsinghua University, over 150 students of St Petersburg University were enrolled both as non-degree students and as students with a possibility of credit transfer.

At the beginning of the spring term of 2022, the two universities joined efforts to speed up admission of St Petersburg University students to the online courses at the Chinese partner university. Soon about 90 students are to start attending online classes in a wide variety of disciplines at Tsinghua University. Particularly popular with the University students have been courses in: Behavioural Economics; Brief Introduction to Psychology; Corporate Finance; Modern Western Philosophy; Public Diplomacy: Global and Comparative Perspectives; International Economics; and International Macroeconomic Theory and Policy. The most popular course has become ‘Government and Politics of China’ — 14 bachelor’s and master’s students majoring in different fields of study have chosen this course. On successful completion of the courses, 27 students will be able to transfer their credits to St Petersburg University, the rest of the students are enrolled as non-degree students.

Nikolai Shchelkov is a master’s student at St Petersburg University who took online courses at Tsinghua University. We talked with Nikolai about this learning experience and the knowledge and skills he acquired at Tsinghua University.

What is your field of study at St Petersburg University?

I am an economist and a manager specialising in economics of research and development. The modern economy has become closely associated with digitalisation. For this reason, I decided to enrol in the new master’s programme ‘Digital Transformation Based on Distributed Ledgers’, implemented with the support of the Distributed Ledger Technologies Centre at St Petersburg University.

Why did you become interested in taking online courses at Tsinghua University?

To begin with, Tsinghua University is one of the best research universities in the world, regularly ranking first in Chinese National University Ranking. Secondly, the programme not only enables you to gain relevant knowledge and skills, but also to get transcripts with the academic results acknowledged by St Petersburg University. Thirdly, the teaching staff includes academics from across the world, because Tsinghua University has secured a broad international cooperation with many leading universities worldwide, allowing for effective implementation of the best world-class educational practices.

In addition, online education involves communication with other international students enrolled in similar programmes. This makes it possible to practice and improve your English skills. Besides, I was attracted by the opportunity to manage my study load (number of courses) based on my own understanding of my needs and capabilities. E-learning format enables me to effectively allocate time for work, study and personal life.

What courses did you choose?

I was offered a choice of 15 courses for one semester. On the one hand, they were in line with my curriculum at St Petersburg University. On the other hand, they covered a wide range of areas: from General Economics and Philosophy to Applied Sciences such as Distributed Ledger Technologies and Machine Learning. A detailed course guide in English was provided for each course.

I selected for myself the following courses: Foundations of Logic; Game Theory; Introduction to Big Data; and University English for Academic Purposes.

How was the programme organised?

The e-learning programme was well-organised — both on the part of St Petersburg University and Tsinghua University. This made it possible for me to focus on my studies. The Academic Office of St Petersburg University provided me with the necessary contacts of the programme curator and each specific course assistants. They replied to my questions as soon as possible (as a rule, during one day), and their answers helped to overcome any emerging problems.

All interaction occurred in a digital environment. The lectures were conducted mainly via Zoom or other video conferencing platforms, and I never experience any connection issues. All the necessary information was posted to student’s personal account on the Tsinghua portal: your timetable; lecture materials; supplementary readings; news; and much more. We also used the WeChat messenger as a rapid contact channel. The Chinese colleagues explained how to set it up and join the necessary groups. Some professors used additional tools, such as: cloud storage; online survey tools; and gamification platforms. In each case, the students were given detailed instructions on how to use the instruments.

I cannot omit to mention my classmates’ support. People from different countries helped me figure out how to solve problems, and I did my best to help them in return. Many professors, in addition to lectures and seminars, organised online feedback channels where you could ask questions on the course.

Did you encounter any challenges?

Of course, it was not without challenges. My joy at seeing the list of offered courses was quickly replaced by frustration with the timing and the schedule. Due to a five-hour time difference with Beijing, some classes began at 3am or 4am in St Petersburg. As a consequence, I had to eliminate a few courses straight away. There were not many of them though. Furthermore, the suitable courses interfered with my work schedule. I had to negotiate with my superiors a flexible workweek so that I could study on some working days. Anyway, I managed to overcome these barriers. I must admit, it was not easy to combine study and work, but I knew what I was getting into, and in the end I never regretted it.

The good news was that there were no Chinese language requirements. Absolutely all the necessary information was in English.

It is worthy of note that the overall educational level of students at Tsinghua University is noticeably high. To be honest, it was not easy to study. It demanded full immersion in each course, completion of homework assignments and active participation at seminars. There is no relief given to anyone — everyone is on an equal footing. So, if you think of enrolling in a course pro forma to get easy credits, this programme is not for you.

How many courses from the list to take is up to you — the number is not formally limited. In my experience, however, I would recommend selecting two or three courses. As for me, initially I selected four courses; yet, successfully completed only three of them. One course had to be abandoned in order to focus on the remaining ones and master the course material properly.

What did you like the most — particular courses, professors, or course delivery?

My overall impressions of the programme are positive. I intended to get international communication experience and acquire knowledge on subjects that interest me — these outcomes were achieved. I wanted to combine this with my work and studies at St Petersburg University, and I managed to do that. The organisation of online education at Tsinghua University facilitates achieving such goals and outcomes.

I still keep in touch with the guys from the e-learning programme. One of my new friend’s parents moved from China to Russia many years ago. He knows several languages and we have had interesting discussions with him about cultural differences between our two countries. Another classmate has never been to Russia, but she has been dreaming of visiting it. Also, there are guys from other countries in Asia and Europe — with each of them I established good communication and rapport.

In addition, I would like to tell you about the courses I took. Each of them is original. I especially remember the course ‘Fundamentals of Logic’ taught by Professor Dag Westerståhl from the University of Stockholm. The simple but informative structure of the course, unhurried teaching style and subtle professional humour made my learning experience as smooth and stress-free as possible.

In the Game Theory course taught by Professor Xiao Liu, we were regularly immersed into real decision-making cases. At the seminars, we analysed the actions of the great commanders of the past using a strategic decision tree. We also predicted the behaviour of the ‘Wolves of Wall Street’ and competed with our classmates in mini-games on a digital interactive platform.

Professor Yang Fang’s Academic English course is distinctive for its emphasis on live communication. The course’s main objective is to train you to think in English in professional communications. We made presentations and asked each other relevant questions. I am an economist and I was excited to listen to reports on various subjects from students majoring in other fields, such as: Art; Architecture; Environmental Management; the History of Communist China; and even Nuclear Physics. The questions that my classmates asked me about my report did not appear trivial. In fact, they made me look at my project from different angles.

How did your education affect you and your professional career? Have you been able to put the acquired knowledge and skills into practice?

I have had good English since school, but I always lacked confidence when speaking English. The online academic programme at St Petersburg University and Tsinghua University has been my first significant experience in international communication. After having completed the programme, I was finally able to answer the question of whether I could use this skill in my work in the affirmative. Currently, I work in a company where English is the main language for internal communications. The courses in Logic and Game Theory enabled me to structure my thinking and take a more comprehensive look at development scenarios in any field. Also, it is important for me to expand my existing network to make new contacts in different parts of the globe. All in all, I consider myself lucky to have had the opportunity to get into this programme.

The opportunity to take Tsinghua University’s online courses first came along in the spring term of the 2020/21 academic year. The offered courses covered a wide range of relevant topics, with St Petersburg University students being most interested in: Probability and Stochastic Processes; Fundamentals of Computer Graphics; Introduction to Distributed Systems; Introduction to Big Data Systems; Real Estate Market Analysis; and Behavioural Economics.

In the autumn of 2021, Tsinghua University extended the list of its online courses for international students, including: Introduction to Decision Making; Microeconomics: Intermediate Level; Chinese Studies: Industry, Culture, Society; Project Management Techniques and Processes for Software Development; and others. Following the selection process on the part of Tsinghua University, over 150 students of St Petersburg University were enrolled both as non-degree students and as students with a possibility of credit transfer.

At the beginning of the spring term of 2022, the two universities joined efforts to speed up admission of St Petersburg University students to the online courses at the Chinese partner university. Soon about 90 students are to start attending online classes in a wide variety of disciplines at Tsinghua University. Particularly popular with the University students have been courses in: Behavioural Economics; Brief Introduction to Psychology; Corporate Finance; Modern Western Philosophy; Public Diplomacy: Global and Comparative Perspectives; International Economics; and International Macroeconomic Theory and Policy. The most popular course has become ‘Government and Politics of China’ – 14 bachelor’s and master’s students majoring in different fields of study have chosen this course. On successful completion of the courses, 27 students will be able to transfer their credits to St Petersburg University, the rest of the students are enrolled as non-degree students.

Nikolai Shchelkov is a master’s student at St Petersburg University who took online courses at Tsinghua University. We talked with Nikolai about this learning experience and the knowledge and skills he acquired at Tsinghua University.

What is your field of study at St Petersburg University?

I am an economist and a manager specialising in economics of research and development. The modern economy has become closely associated with digitalisation. For this reason, I decided to enrol in the new master’s programme ‘Digital Transformation Based on Distributed Ledgers’, implemented with the support of the Distributed Ledger Technologies Centre at St Petersburg University.

Why did you become interested in taking online courses at Tsinghua University?

To begin with, Tsinghua University is one of the best research universities in the world, regularly ranking first in Chinese National University Ranking. Secondly, the programme not only enables you to gain relevant knowledge and skills, but also to get transcripts with the academic results acknowledged by St Petersburg University. Thirdly, the teaching staff includes academics from across the world, because Tsinghua University has secured a broad international cooperation with many leading universities worldwide, allowing for effective implementation of the best world-class educational practices.

In addition, online education involves communication with other international students enrolled in similar programmes. This makes it possible to practice and improve your English skills. Besides, I was attracted by the opportunity to manage my study load (number of courses) based on my own understanding of my needs and capabilities. E-learning format enables me to effectively allocate time for work, study and personal life.

What courses did you choose?

I was offered a choice of 15 courses for one semester. On the one hand, they were in line with my curriculum at St Petersburg University. On the other hand, they covered a wide range of areas: from General Economics and Philosophy to Applied Sciences such as Distributed Ledger Technologies and Machine Learning. A detailed course guide in English was provided for each course.

I selected for myself the following courses: Foundations of Logic; Game Theory; Introduction to Big Data; and University English for Academic Purposes.

How was the programme organised?

The e-learning programme was well-organised – both on the part of St Petersburg University and Tsinghua University. This made it possible for me to focus on my studies. The Academic Office of St Petersburg University provided me with the necessary contacts of the programme curator and each specific course assistants. They replied to my questions as soon as possible (as a rule, during one day), and their answers helped to overcome any emerging problems.

All interaction occurred in a digital environment. The lectures were conducted mainly via Zoom or other video conferencing platforms, and I never experience any connection issues. All the necessary information was posted to student’s personal account on the Tsinghua portal: your timetable; lecture materials; supplementary readings; news; and much more. We also used the WeChat messenger as a rapid contact channel. The Chinese colleagues explained how to set it up and join the necessary groups. Some professors used additional tools, such as: cloud storage; online survey tools; and gamification platforms. In each case, the students were given detailed instructions on how to use the instruments.

I cannot omit to mention my classmates’ support. People from different countries helped me figure out how to solve problems, and I did my best to help them in return. Many professors, in addition to lectures and seminars, organised online feedback channels where you could ask questions on the course.

Did you encounter any challenges?

Of course, it was not without challenges. My joy at seeing the list of offered courses was quickly replaced by frustration with the timing and the schedule. Due to a five-hour time difference with Beijing, some classes began at 3am or 4am in St Petersburg. As a consequence, I had to eliminate a few courses straight away. There were not many of them though. Furthermore, the suitable courses interfered with my work schedule. I had to negotiate with my superiors a flexible workweek so that I could study on some working days. Anyway, I managed to overcome these barriers. I must admit, it was not easy to combine study and work, but I knew what I was getting into, and in the end I never regretted it.

The good news was that there were no Chinese language requirements. Absolutely all the necessary information was in English.

It is worthy of note that the overall educational level of students at Tsinghua University is noticeably high. To be honest, it was not easy to study. It demanded full immersion in each course, completion of homework assignments and active participation at seminars. There is no relief given to anyone – everyone is on an equal footing. So, if you think of enrolling in a course pro forma to get easy credits, this programme is not for you.

How many courses from the list to take is up to you – the number is not formally limited. In my experience, however, I would recommend selecting two or three courses. As for me, initially I selected four courses; yet, successfully completed only three of them. One course had to be abandoned in order to focus on the remaining ones and master the course material properly.

What did you like the most – particular courses, professors, or course delivery?

My overall impressions of the programme are positive. I intended to get international communication experience and acquire knowledge on subjects that interest me – these outcomes were achieved. I wanted to combine this with my work and studies at St Petersburg University, and I managed to do that. The organisation of online education at Tsinghua University facilitates achieving such goals and outcomes.

I still keep in touch with the guys from the e-learning programme. One of my new friend’s parents moved from China to Russia many years ago. He knows several languages and we have had interesting discussions with him about cultural differences between our two countries. Another classmate has never been to Russia, but she has been dreaming of visiting it. Also, there are guys from other countries in Asia and Europe – with each of them I established good communication and rapport.

In addition, I would like to tell you about the courses I took. Each of them is original. I especially remember the course ‘Fundamentals of Logic’ taught by Professor Dag Westerståhl from the University of Stockholm. The simple but informative structure of the course, unhurried teaching style and subtle professional humour made my learning experience as smooth and stress-free as possible.

In the Game Theory course taught by Professor Xiao Liu, we were regularly immersed into real decision-making cases. At the seminars, we analysed the actions of the great commanders of the past using a strategic decision tree. We also predicted the behaviour of the ‘Wolves of Wall Street’ and competed with our classmates in mini-games on a digital interactive platform.

Professor Yang Fang’s Academic English course is distinctive for its emphasis on live communication. The course’s main objective is to train you to think in English in professional communications. We made presentations and asked each other relevant questions. I am an economist and I was excited to listen to reports on various subjects from students majoring in other fields, such as: Art; Architecture; Environmental Management; the History of Communist China; and even Nuclear Physics. The questions that my classmates asked me about my report did not appear trivial. In fact, they made me look at my project from different angles.

How did your education affect you and your professional career? Have you been able to put the acquired knowledge and skills into practice?

I have had good English since school, but I always lacked confidence when speaking English. The online academic programme at St Petersburg University and Tsinghua University has been my first significant experience in international communication. After having completed the programme, I was finally able to answer the question of whether I could use this skill in my work in the affirmative. Currently, I work in a company where English is the main language for internal communications. The courses in Logic and Game Theory enabled me to structure my thinking and take a more comprehensive look at development scenarios in any field. Also, it is important for me to expand my existing network to make new contacts in different parts of the globe. All in all, I consider myself lucky to have had the opportunity to get into this programme.