01.11.2016  The visit of NovSU delegation to Vitebsk University named after P.M. Masherov

On October 26-28, thirty two students, eight faculty and staff members of NovSU got acquainted with higher education system of the Republic of Belarus and with hospitable Vitebsk.

Deputy director of NovSU Polytechnic School Aleksey Gavrilov, representatives of NovSU School of Humanities – a deputy director Marina Trofimova and a chair of World History Valentina Gorokhova – were a part of NovSU delegation. School of Continuous Pedagogical Education was represented by a chair of Theories and Principles of Physical Education Elena Chistyakova and Associate Professor of Education, Technology and Crafts Vasili Melnikov. There were also staff members of NovSU in the delegation: Head of Interdepartmental Academic and Creative Center Ludmila Martynenko, Head of Office of International Affairs Natalia Shaydorova, Head of Office of International Academic Programmes Irina Ushanova. 

The visit began with meeting with the host university administration, chairs and students-volunteers.

On the same day, a joint exhibition of students’ creative works from both universities opened in the VitSU exhibit hall. The best patterns of painting and arts and crafts were presented there. 

Friendly volleyball match between teams from partner-universities and a joint concert became the main events of the second day of the visit. Brilliant performances of students of VitSU and NovSU Pedagogical Departments were warmly welcomed by the audience.

The cultural programme for NovSU delegation included a loop tour, visit to the Mark Shagal’s house-museum and an excursion to Ilya Repin’s estate museum (Zdravnevo). All those events were unforgettable experience for students and faculty members from Novgorod and for many of them that visit of Belarus was the first one.

The third day of the stay was devoted to visiting of university departments and business meetings. NovSU faculty and staff members discussed the possibilities of networking within the programmes of double degrees, organizing of academic mobility for students (exchange education) and lecturers (guest lectures, joint virtual lessons). Agreement was reached on holding joint plein-airs for students of creative specialties. As a result, a roadmap that identified key milestones in the cooperation was created.

NovSU students had visited Faculties of Law, History, Art and Graphic, Education, and Physical Culture and Sports. In particular, students of the Faculty of History visited the Vitebsk State Archive, where a "virtual excursion" and a visit to the archive location was organized for them. In addition, they listened to a lecture by Tatiana Babenko about Vitebsk archaeology in comparison with Novgorod. Students of Psychology and Education Faculty took part in a master class on inclusive education, and students of the NovSU Department of Special (Defectological) Education told about the volunteer associations operating at their department.

Students of the NovSU Department of Fine Arts and Teaching Methods, Department of Education, Technology and Crafts, as well as students of the Design Department visited VitSU Faculty of Art and Graphics, they took part in the workshops and actively participated in master-classes on ceramics and decorative arts.

The visit ended with certificates distribution. Wieslaw Turkovskiy, Vice-rector for Education Affairs of the Vitebsk State University, thanked all the participants of the academic exchange for productive work during the three days. NovSU students, most of whom lived in the hospitable Belarusian families expressed enormous gratitude to the hosts and to the volunteers, who helped them get acquainted with Vitebsk.

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