The University Shift for 48 high school students from the People's Republic of Donetsk has ended. The educational and tourist programme was organised by Saratov State University from September 26 to October 5. They took part in educational, cultural, leisure, patriotic, and sports events.
Saratov State University is the only university in the region that trains preschool and other and teachers, so the shift is called The Teachers of the Future. The project is supervised by the Russian Ministry of Higher Education and Science, the Russian Ministry of Education, and the University Shifts Russian Movement of Children and Youth.
The shift participants visited the university museums and modern scientific laboratories. The scientists showed them promising developments and unique equipment in the laboratories of Remote Controlled Theranostic Systems and Biomedical Photoacoustics, as well as Digital Integrative Bioengineering Systems Interfaculty Technological Fablab.
In the Start into the Profession educational block, the university teaching staff told the high school students about the teaching profession. The guests from the People's Republic of Donetsk discussed the skills necessary for school teachers, learned about the pedagogical projects of Saratov State University, and played a pedagogical game.
They planted seedlings in the Birch camp, together with students and university management attended a concert for the anniversary of the reunification of Donbass and New Russia, met with the representatives of the regional headquarters of the #WeAreTogether project, talked with the university activists, and found out about the Movement of the First organisation.
As part of the cultural block, the high school students visited a sightseeing tour of Saratov and Space Conquerors Park named after Yuri Gagarin, watched the premiere of the Deniska's Stories play in the Young Spectators Theatre and saw the exhibition, The Romanov Dynasty, in the Russia is My History museum.
SSU Rector Aleksei Chumachenko supervised the shift and accompanied the children at many events. He spoke about the opportunities for schoolchildren. ‘This is the first time we are taking part in the University Shifts. And this is important for us. For ten days, we have shown much more than there is at the university. We said about all the projects that are available to the youth of our country. These are courses, research, and social projects. But the main thing is the opportunities. Our university is ready to share knowledge and skills, because we strive to develop the potential of young people focused on Russia.’
At a meeting with the participants of the University Shift, Governor of Saratov Region Roman Busargin thanked the university and the rector for organising the programme and also hoped that many of the children would study in the region and may stay here to live.
Accompanying the schoolchildren, Adviser to the Director of Education and Cooperation with Children's Non-Profit Associations of Mariupol School Tatyana Oseyeva admitted at the meeting with the Governor that they were very happy to take part in the University Shifts project. The children enjoyed going on excursions and, of course, participated in the educational programme, and Saratov proved to be a hospitable and friendly region.
The shift ended with an online meeting with the Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of Russia Olga Petrova. She noted that, thanks to the University Shifts, the children had the opportunity to see the city on the Volga and find out about the SSU scientific and educational potential. She gave a parting message to the schoolchildren. ‘Always believe in yourself, do not be afraid to come up with ambitious goals, and implement them. This is the development. May you and I always live in peace, love, and kindness. We will continue dreaming about the next shifts and such happy moments.’
The counsellors, the students of SSU different faculties and institutes, worked with the children from the PRD during the shift. Evgenia Bakulina, a student of the Faculty of Biology, an activist of the People in Black movement, marked that she really enjoyed interacting with the project participants. ‘The guys are wonderful! This is my first team, I do not want to part with them at all. The children like many trips, but, by now, they are more interested in Saratov.’
According to the high school students, the shift was wonderful, they noted the eventful programme, the work of counsellors, as well as the warm welcome of Saratov Region.
‘The shift was quite interesting, but difficult at the same time. There were many informative excursions. For example, I really liked the trip to the landing site of Yuri Gagarin. The meeting with the governor was impressive for all of us. Of course, as a result, there are more positive emotions than emotions from fatigue,’ Maria Yanchenko, a pupil of the eighth form (Donetsk), shared her opinion.
‘I will always remember this shift primarily because of the people. I have met many peers and counsellors. I liked the meetings with Aleksei Nikolayevich and Roman Viktorovich the most. And I also really liked the city, I will invite my family to come here,’ Lilia Kravets, a tenth form pupil (Donetsk) said.
