The annual information days for international students from Arab countries, French-speaking countries, and China have been held at South Ural State University. The goal of these events is to inform international students about migration rules, fire safety, and the rules of living in dormitories and life at SUSU.
The annual information days for international students once the new academic year begins are already a tradition. A series of such events begins with international students from neighbouring countries, in particular, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, and ends with students from distant countries: Arab countries, China, and African countries.
“We have many international students; they all speak different languages. For all of them to absorb the information, we have divided the information days into 3 language groups: Chinese, Arabic, and French-English. This makes students feel more comfortable, and allows us to not translate the same information into several different languages, what significantly reduces the amount of time for these events,” says Head of the International Student Support of the International Office Ekaterina Yurovskaya.
Important information on migration law was presented by the Head of the Immigration Services of the International Office Marina Davydova. The students got an explanation on the rules of residing in Russia and informed about the consequences of breaking migration law, as well as about getting a job.
The Head of the Department of Physical Education and Health Evgeniy Cherepov spoke about the system of athletic improvement and sport-specific clubs, which include various forms of martial arts, tennis, badminton, swimming, fitness, shaping, and aerobics. Professor of the Department of Sports Perfection, Honoured Coach of Russia in Kickboxing Yuriy Romanov explained that training sessions in striking and grappling martial arts are held in special gyms. Students are introduced to techniques from sambo, judo, and other forms of martial arts.
Continuing the topic of health, Director of the SUSU Medical Centre Olga Veselova gave a presentation. She noted that international students must get medical insurance and complete medical screening when they arrive in Chelyabinsk. She also spoke about how international students should react to symptoms of illness.
“The certificate on completion of medical screening is a necessary document for international citizens living in Russia. International students must understand that the autumn temperatures in the Ural region are lower than in some other countries – we recommend that students keep track of the temperature and dress according to the weather. If you get ill, you need to visit the Medical Centre – don’t wait for your condition to get worse. In addition, according to the Russian Federation legislation, notes exempting students from lessons are given when students visit a doctor. We are always ready to help and answer all the questions about health of our international students,” says Olga Veselova.
One of the most important issues of the Information Days is student safety. Senior inspector of the Supervisory Office No.3 of the Main Department of the Emercom of Russia for the Chelyabinsk Region Pavel Safronov spoke about the importance of properly handling fire. The students were shown demonstrations, were told how to behave in case of a fire, and were also shown a video on rescue operations and the work of firefighters.
“Today, special attention is paid to places where big groups of people gather, including dormitories. The main reason why fires occur is that fire is handled carelessly. You must strictly follow all of the requirements stated during fire safety courses, training, and evacuations. But the most important thing is to remember that your life and the lives of others depend on you, and you must pay attention,” noted Pavel Safronov.
Director of the student Campus Lyudmila Zadorina informed the SUSU international students about the rules of behaviour in the dormitories and gave recommendations for maintaining cleanliness in the rooms and taking care of electronics. Lyudmila Zadorina also stressed that it is for those who live in the university dormitories, mutual respect and interest in other cultures is very important.
The participants of the meeting found out about one of the most interesting opportunities when studying at our university – taking part in the rich and creative life of the Association of International Students. President of the AIS Uvindu Wijeweera noted that all SUSU international students are part of the Association, and that there are already around 3,000 people in it at present. Members of the AIS regularly participate in and earn prizes in the International Festival of Sport and the Mini Football Championship, and get acquainted with the unique features of Russia and nature of the South Urals. Events of the Association of International Students are greatly popular, including Chinese New Year, Day of Arab Culture, Culinary Festival, Karaoke Battle, and many more.
“The biggest number of people came to the meeting with students from China, while students from Arab countries split up, some attending the Arabic language group, and others attending the French-English group,” says Ekaterina Yurovskaya, Head of the International Student Support of the International Office.
Overall, the information days were attended by around 500 people from Iraq, Yemen, Egypt, China, Congo, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Nigeria, Turkmenistan, and other countries.
