Vice-Rector for Youth Policy and Social Issues at South Ural State University Anton Manuilov took part in the online discussion “Educational Networking: Formation of Communities and Social Connections during Education” , which was held at the Yurait.Academy .
Educational networking is the process of developing and maintaining business and personal connections for the purpose of mutually beneficial cooperation and professional growth in the academic environment.
The experts discussed key topics:
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Belonging to a university as an element of self-identification of a student, teacher, or employee.
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Forming connections between students through collaborative learning and project activities.
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Organization of networking and supportive environment.
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Development of extracurricular student societies, clubs, and associations.
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Activity of alumni communities and their impact on the university.
Anton Manuilov demonstrated by his own example the benefits of participating in university organizations:
"Student self-government is an effective social lift in our society. I myself was a member of such an organization, went through all the stages: from an activist to the chairman of the student council. Working in self-government bodies helped me realize myself in the field of education."
The speaker also emphasized that it is only up to the students how they are perceived by the university administration:
“A student council is either a nominal body that operates only on paper, or an organization that has a certain competence, subjectivity, and actively manages the affairs of an educational organization.”
During the discussion, Anton Evgenievich shared the experience of the South Ural State University:
"Our university holds the " Successful SUSU " festival every year - a fair of opportunities for extracurricular activities. We choose a day, and our public associations and creative teams present their activities to first-year students."
According to the expert, extracurricular activities play a special role in the development of a student’s personality:
"Training and upbringing are two sides of education. Students will not be able to master fundamentally important skills, such as communication skills, at lectures and seminars. They are developed as a result of extracurricular activities. Today, a university prepares not just certified specialists who solve production problems, but versatile individuals who follow the path of self-education."
The recording of the event can be viewed at the link.