Mobility Student on Her Study in Padua

Published: Friday, 02 March 2018 07:13

Two academic mobility students from the NMSTU’s Institute of Metallurgy, Mechanical Engineering and Materials Processing returned to Magnitogorsk after a semester at the University of Padua, Italy.  

Below you will find some interesting extracts from the interview given by one of the mobility students Polina Makarova.

- Are there any differences in education system between Italy and Russia?

- Italian students commonly use Moodle, a learning platform with the help of which they can sign up for exams or courses. This is an absolute plus. It is all computerized, so there is no need to physically go anywhere, which saves a lot of time. Also, Italian students view education differently. They understand that it is their priority to get education and not their teachers’. The selection process is quite rigorous. There can be up to 300 students in a group, and you can feel that there is a healthy competition among them even when you watch students come in for a lecture. You should try to take you the best place or at least any place at the desk, because if you show up just 5 minutes before the lecture starts or if you come late, you won’t find a seat and you will have to sit on the floor with your notebook on your lap.

- It seemed to me Italians were reluctant to share their notes because they understand what competition is and how important a university degree is. The teachers strictly examine students and they would never just automatically give you a pass. There is no dialogue between the teacher and the students at the lecture, but rather the teacher is reading a lecture while the students are methodically taking notes.

- What knowledge and skills that you acquired at NMSTU did you appreciate having when studying in Italy?

- We get a lot of practical training at NMSTU, we have a good understanding of the processes, we take practical training at the steel works, so it made it much easier for me. When professor Stefania Bruschi realized at one point that I had a good idea of the practical aspects and when we got to looking at steel rolling, she asked me to make a presentation for my groupmates. To give a presentation at the international level – there was personal interest in that for me, to see if I am capable of doing it. So I said ‘yes’. And it was a success. My fellow students were impressed. After my presentation two students of materials engineering said they would be interested to study at my home university. So they are coming over this September.

- Thanks to you!

- Not really. If not for NMSTU, if not for our vice rector for international affairs who saw my potential, I wouldn’t have gained this experience. I am grateful to professor Korchunov, to the department of design and operation of metallurgical machines and equipment and to our University for their ambition towards international engagement. I see it as a merit of a first class university. Our city is not a capital but it has Professionals with a capital P. Having a good command of English, I didn’t realize what kind of weapon I possessed. It was a very important trip for me. So here is my advice to all the students: it is important to invest in yourselves and always work on improving your skills. The more effort, time and money you invest in yourself when you are young, the more you will gain in the future.

Author of the original article: Svetlana Artemova,
Information Policy Office