Testimonials

The reasons that underpinned my decision to take part in the summer school were the international outlook of the program, the involvement of leading professors in the educational process, the visit to industrial facilities and the chance to be exposed to the Russian culture in a vibrant city as Saint-Petersburg. I am delighted that all professors, as I expected, were very knowledgeable, open-minded and positively-oriented, and also very eager to transfer their knowledge in a non-traditional (more interactive) way. Furthermore, the visit of some large electricity generation (Rosenergoatom, the branch of Leningradskaya NPP) and turbine manufacturing (REP Holding) sites was undoubtedly a cornerstone in terms of providing additional added value to the program. In addition, for the positive outcome of the school contributed the big variety of cultural activities organized during the stay. For instance, the excursions to the world-renowned The State Hermitage Museum and Peterhof Palace, and the boat trip along the Neva river were absolutely marvelous. Last but not least, all program coordinators were extremely supportive and always ready to help throughout the entire program, which has made the stay even more delightful. So this is my impression of the summer school in a nutshell. Hopefully, it will suit your needs. Please let me know if there is anything else that I have forgotten. Also, I believe that this type of international programmes are not only about acquiring new knowledge, experiencing the life in a new country with a different culture, but also about establishing new professional contacts. Hence, I am hoping that we will manage to keep our contacts successfully in the future as well. Since I don't have all the contacts of your university colleagues who have been involved in the summer school (and I don't want to miss anyone), please say hello to them from me. Lastly, I wish you a great success to all your current and future endeavours.

Now that I have just finished my studies in Russia I can say with no doubts that I have a deeper comprehension about this unique country. What I most liked about my experience in the Summer Program was the opportunity to study and live together with many people from all over the world, Bulgaria, Finland, Italy, Mexico, Switzerland, Romania, the United States, including also other places from Russia! For sure this is not a mere opportunity, but an exercise for peace and fraternity. It is also incredible when you have a group of professionals who are ready to welcome you and offer the foreign students a valuable assistance in so many ways. The trips organized by the coordinators are the highest point of a mature project which learnt that a complete educational experience must go beyond the ordinary classroom. Furthermore, Saint Petersburg is one of the places with greater cultural potential in the world! I strongly recommend this international experience!

This summer in Saint Petersburg has been quite a life-changing experience. I have always loved everything related to space programs and space communications, and this course has shown me a really interesting approach to this field. Above all, I loved the internationality of the course, which has allowed me to make very useful acquaintances.

The summer school provided me with the chance of working and learning among people from different continents gave me some first hand experience about what I am going to face through my studies in an international university. Another reason why this program was good for me was its lecturers. Not only they were some of the best professors of the SPbPU but also we got some lecturers from industry which provided us with some practical knowledge which cannot be found in any books. Besides we had the chance to be in one of the most beautiful cities of the world, Saint Petersburg. Words cannot convey the experience we had in this city.

The integration of cultural and academic activities were very fitting for the "Open your mind to Russia" course. The elements of Russian language, history, and business culture come alive in the contexts that St. Petersburg and it surroundings provide. My views of Russia and its values have changed as much as could be expected from a three-week program, due to the flexibility of the programme both in and outside the classroom. Exceeding the formalities of the programme, the uniquely internation composition of the student population, spanning east and west, offers a remarkable environment reflecting the international position of Russia.