Testimonials

Diana Mistreanu

In late February, Saint Petersburg’s magnificent streets, colourful facades, and its cultural as well as its (particularly lively, I must say) nightlife are shrouded in wintry magic, and the Nordic vibes of the city are so cosy that they give you the feeling you’ve just stepped into a different dimension of the existence. That alone is so overwhelmingly beautiful that you’d think that this city just can’t offer much more than that.

Well, you’d be wrong, as I discovered while attending the Winter School in Russian language and Culture organised by Peter the Great St.Petersburg Polytechnic University – one of the city’s oldest and most prestigious academic centres.

I enrolled out of curiosity. I wanted to brush up on my Russian and didn’t really expect much of the program, but, turns out, I was surprised right from the start. One of the best things about this experience was the highly professional staff – the teachers are well-trained, widely read, energetic and ready to answer any question you might come up with, whether it is about the Russian Dative, Dostoyevsky or the history of the city. For someone interested in art and history, the afternoon sessions will be delightful. The teachers are knowledgeable and eloquent, and the program coordinator makes sure you have everything you need to enjoy the time you’re spending there. It was, overall, an unforgettable experience, which successfully combined studying, sightseeing, and having fun!

Thank you all for working so hard and making it possible!

Diana Mistreanu, University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg (Winter School 2019 “Russian Language and Culture”)
Christina Halemba

The Summer School gave me a great insight into the field of ERP Systems and SAP. I liked the small classes and cozy learning atmosphere. Moreover, I benefitted a lot from the intercultural atmosphere by communicating with the other international students attending the summer school program. A lot of great events and trips were planned by the university, so that we could experience St. Petersburg to the fullest. St Petersburg is a great and beautiful city with a lot of sights, restaurants, cafes and bars to visit. It's got an amazing culture and I will never regret my decision to have participated in the SPbPU Summer School Program. I can definitely recommend it!

Christina Halemba, Technical University of Munich, Germany (Summer School 2018 “Modern SAP Technologies”)
Benjamin Peralta

The Architecture & Civil engineering summer school at SPbPU was a fantastic experience, not only regarding the lessons and what I learnt in class, but it was also fascinating to get to know the Russian culture and the amazing city that is Saint Petersburg. Besides, I´m truly grateful of having had the chance to meet people from all over the world and sharing all kinds of experiences with them. In conclusion, my days at SPbPU will be something that I will never forget.

Benjamin Peralta, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Chile (Summer School 2016, module “Architecture and Civil Engineering”)
Sebastian Bialek

First of all, I like Russian language, it is very melodic for me, that is why I came here. Secondly, I am studying Power Engineering, and a huge part of the Polish energy industry is connected with Russia. So I am sure that in future I’ll use my Russian language skills effectively. For me the most interesting part of the program was the Speaking club, because there we were talking only in Russian. Since my level is not very high yet, it was quite challenging for me not to switch to English and to speak Russian as much as possible. We discussed different topics and it was indeed very practical, I enjoyed my time in St.Petersburg a lot!

Sebastian Bialek, Silesian University of Technology, Poland (Summer School 2017, module “Exploring the Russian Heritage”)
Magnus de Witt

I followed the summer school "OPEN YOUR MIND TO RUSSIA" in 2013, it was a well organized mix of lectures and social program. The social program shows us the most important and famous historical and cultural heritage like Peterhof and the Hermitage, but also the life in St. Petersburg nowadays. The lectures gave me a good overview about the history and culture of Russia. Moreover I got a good impression of the develop of the Russian economy. The knowledge which I gain during this two week program was very helpful for my further studying, especially for my class in "International Business and Cultural Diversity". I really like to get in contact with people from other countries therefore it was a great opportunity and I could extend my international network.

Magnus de Witt, Fontys University of Applied Sciences, the Netherlands (Summer School 2013, module “Open Your Mind to Russia”)