Students of the Faculty of Energy and Power Engineering at South Ural State University obtained grants for studying abroad in the frameworks of academic mobility programmes. Now they are to study in China, Slovakia, Hungary and Germany.
South Ural State University has been cooperating with Chinese higher education institutions for a long while. In 2017, the university welcomed the first flow of Chinese students from North China Electric Power University. In July of 2019, 15 students from China majoring in Electric Power Industry and Electrical Engineering and in Thermal Power Industry and Thermal Engineering successfully defended their graduation theses.
In its turn, North China Electric Power University receives SUSU students. This year, four SUSU students obtained a CSC (China Scholarship Council) Scholarship granted by the Government of People’s Republic of China, and a BGS (Beijing Government Scholarship) Scholarship issued by Beijing Municipality. Having completed Bachelor’s studies at SUSU and getting enrolled for Master’s studies, students are going to China for a year, and by the end of their study all subject grades and credits will be transferred to SUSU.
Dean of the Faculty of Energy and Power Engineering, Aleksandr Shishkov, explained why international activity is important for both the faculty and the university as a whole:
“International cooperation is one of the main advantages that our university can provide to students. Young people have the opportunity to go abroad, get a degree and practice foreign languages, all of this for free. This is a considerable factor that makes university applicants choose SUSU.”
Postgraduate student of the 3rd year of study from the Department of Automated Electric Drive, Nikita Savosteenko, submitted an application for a scholarship in the city of Žilina in Slovakia and got it. He became one of three people in the country who got this scholarship. From January till November of 2020, he is going to an internship fully covered by the scholarship.
“It is great to have the possibility for international cooperation between our university and other universities around the world. This provides a lot of opportunities for students. For me, the trip to Slovakia is a good chance to defend a PhD thesis,” notes Nikita.
According to Nikita, the selection was very tough. The primary requirement is a big number of publications in Scopus and Web of Science databases, and certificates of significant research accomplishments and patents. A document which proves the knowledge of English language was required as well. One of the key factors was the desire and the possibility of a mentor from the university abroad to choose this student to supervise. Without having been chosen, it would be impossible to get to the university in Žilina.
International activity is carried out in all Department of the Faculty. In last year’s May, Master’s degree student from the Department of Power Stations, Grids, and Electric Power Systems, Ilia Plisetskii, and Master’s degree student from the Department of Thermal Power Engineering, Mikhail Maiorov, applied for an internship at North China Electric Power University in Beijing.
Head of the Department of Thermal Power Engineering, Konstantin Osintsev, told us about the students’ success:
“The students obtained an internship for half a year, which they have successfully completed. Then the Chinese party offered to extend the internship. The students returned to SUSU, defended their graduation theses, and then Mikhail Maiorov obtained a grant for studying in China within postgraduate studies in the major of Thermal Power Industry and Renewable Energy Sources for 2019-2022.”
Let us note that two more 3rd-year students of the Faculty of Energy and Power Engineering received a grant for studying in Hungary for one semester starting from September of 2019. One student got enrolled for Master’s studies in Munich (Germany).