NOVOSIBIRSK STATE PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY
The 2025 admissions campaign for higher education is underway: the NSPU lobby is bustling with numerous prospective students and their parents discussing courses and entry requirements. However, the atmosphere in the Reading room today is quite different. This place gathered those who have already taken their first significant step in education – international students who have completed the preparatory programme for admission. The NSPU Department of International Affairs and Academic Mobility provided them with support throughout this process.
The students speak a range of different languages, but now they’re ready to share their emotions in Russian. The NSPU teachers and volunteer mentors assist them from the moment of arrival and throughout the academic year, so the students have been supported in adapting to their new country.
- Who is a waiter? – asks Anna Vitalievna Bobrova, Associate Professor of the Department of Modern Russian Language, a student from China. - It’s someone who works in a restaurant, - suggests a girl from Algeria.
Laughter, smiles, and a friendly game of chess between students from Croatia and Cameroon are typical activities in this friendly environment full of mutual understanding. The key thing is that it all happens in Russian.
Adaptation Starts with People
The NSPU Vice-Rector for Research Tatyana Aleksandrovna Romm highlighted the fact that international students undergo not only an academic journey but also a cultural one:
- I am very pleased that our students got interested in extracurricular activities. Over the course of the year, our volunteer buddies organised various adaptation camps for them. Besides, our international guests also visited the Blue Bird camp and have already made lots of friends there. By the way, they send their regards to you! This has been a valuable experience, and I sincerely hope that next year you will also take some extracurricular activities which will help you to cope with our cold winter, chilly autumn, rather cool spring, and ultimately support your studies.
Volunteer buddies play an essential role in this process. They are the first to meet international students arriving in Russia. They assist them with purchasing a SIM card, navigating the timetable, and locating shops that sell familiar food. These are crucial steps that contribute significantly to a successful adaptation.
In her speech at the award ceremony for international students, Ekaterina Igorevna Barancheeva highlighted the valuable contribution made by volunteer buddies to create intercultural communication among the students at NSPU.
- The Rector’s Office of our university extends its sincere gratitude for your support in organising events dedicated to fostering intercultural and interethnic connections within our student community.
We also appreciate our international guests’ presence at NSPU, the representation of their culture, and their efforts in helping our Russian students gain a broader understanding of the diverse world, its opportunities, and its various cultures.
From the bottom of the heart – in Russian
International students share their experiences. Šime from Croatia, who intends to pursue a PhD, speaks a very good Russian:
- It is a tremendous honour for me to study at NSPU. Russian has been easy to learn as it bears similarities to Croatian. I look forward to our continued collaboration.
Huda from Algeria honestly said that the beginning was challenging:
- I was very much reliant on my parents and had never travelled alone before. However, I have now become independent, and I am grateful to the teachers for helping me reach the point where I can already speak a little Russian.
Ariel from Cameroon shared that he arrived without any knowledge of the language but has made significant progress over the course of a year:
- Initially, I didn’t understand anything, but now I am able not only to comprehend but also to speak. This is all thanks to our teachers.
Adaptation is the journey
According to Anna Vitalievna Bobrova, students face various challenges:
— Chinese students seek out familiar restaurants and spices, while African students search for ingredients from their native cuisine. However, all must face the Siberian climate.
Despite the challenges of daily life, international students discover support, friendship, and new opportunities here. Most importantly, they become members of a large university family.
The NSPU adaptation programme for international students encompasses Russian language classes, cultural activities, and support from mentors. The university is committed to providing an environment where students from across the globe can feel comfortable.
- These certificates mean more to us than just official documents. They are a reminder of our first year in Russia, - remarked one of the students during the award ceremony.
It is through such moments that impressions of both the university and the country are shaped. Judging by these young people, those impressions will undoubtedly remain unforgettable.
