2019 Summer School: Teachers and Students of Zhejiang University Went to Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University

On July 14-26, 2019, a total of 31 students from 6 departments of Zhejiang University, with the leadership of Professor Zhao Daomu and Zhou Ting, deputy heads of the Department of Physics, went to Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University in Russia to participate in the summer school exchange program which included coursework, field trips and various extracurricular activities.

On the occasion of the 120th anniversary of the establishment of the State University of Technology in St. Petersburg, this summer school has received much attention. At the opening ceremony on July 15, the school's principal, Andrei I. Rudskoi, extended a warm welcome to the teachers and students from all over the world, and pointed out that this summer school brought together about 1,000 students from more than 60 countries, which was the largest summer school in Russia.

On this occasion, Prof. Zhao Daomu and Zhou Ting from the Department of Physics, Elena Velichko, Dean of the School of Applied Physics and Space Technology, Ekaterina Belyaevskaya, Director of the International Cooperation Department, Alla Mazina, Deputy Director of the International Education Department, Maria Zhidkova, Director of Student Exchange and Exchange, and Summer Darina Klimova, the school's director, met to discuss matters related to deepening student exchange program and planned to sign an agreement.

The summer school offered a wide range of courses to choose, and students could choose the corresponding course modules according to their interests. A total of 31 students from Zhejiang school participated in 5 different summer courses. The course plasma physics and controlled fusion was divided into lectures and experiments. In the lectures, the professors introduced the development and application of plasma theory, the current situation and prospect of controlled nuclear fusion. The course experiments allowed students to move from textbooks to applications and experience the charm of plasma physics up close. The course of space technology was jointly taught by several teachers, who taught satellite communications, satellite navigation, GPS, cosmology and many other space technology contents in the form of lectures on different topics. The students also visited the Svetloe radio telescope and laboratory.

Molecular gastronomy course not only contains rich and vivid theoretical knowledge, historical origins and featured delicacies, but also can give you firsthand experience, conducting a series of interesting experiments such as microbial observation, fermented food making and traditional Russian food making. The Russian studies” course divides students into eight groups through a placement exam and includes lessons in Russian, Russian Literature and Russian Business Culture, teaching students in accordance with their aptitude. As a management course, Innovative marketing techniques in tourism was taught by four teachers respectively. After the knowledge point explanation, material analysis and video study, students will present in groups. No matter what kind of course it is, students can have access to some Russian classes and learn daily communication. Language contains culture, and the contact with Russian enables students to have a closer understanding of Russian culture.

The summer courses are full of colorful contents. In addition to attending classes and doing experiments on campus, students also have the opportunity to go out for field trips. We also visited the tokamak facility to learn about the frontiers of controlled nuclear fusion. Visiting St. Petersburg power station and get the field experience of subject technology. From the exoticism of Nevsky Prospect to the grandeur of the art museum, Russia's historical picture scroll unfolds before our eyes. After stepping through the narrow path outside the Naval Consulate General, the organ on the Neva River is leisurely, the flag is flying under the blue sky, and the floating boats float on the water. The charm and rise and fall of the past one hundred years have turned into a singing song. Here is the edification and the infection of historical relics, and the spur and the shock of modern industry. The pleasure of enjoying the beautiful scenery and the satisfaction of expanding knowledge in practice are indeed wonderful. 

On July 26, the summer course drew to a close and the closing ceremony was held in the IMOP building. The closing ceremony happened to be the birthday of a teaching assistant, and the students sang happy birthday song for her together. The chorus of students from different countries with different colors was very appealing, which also symbolized the friendship of people coming from all over the world. Later, more than 100 students came to the stage one after another to sign their names, get certificates and take photos, which put a good end to this short but wonderful learning journey.During this visit, the students not only had access to professional courses and Russian courses, but also had a taste of local traditional culture and customs. St. Petersburg impressed the teachers and students of Zhejiang university with its beauty and hospitality. The exchange also provided students with an opportunity to communicate and cooperate with people from different countries and to feel their unique personalities. In addition to acquiring knowledge, students also learned a lot about learning itself, such as the use of language, adaptation to new environment, and how to master new learning methods different from those in China, which is of great benefit to the improvement of their learning ability.

School of mathematical science -- GUI huaitao

Misty rain, graceful green willow, this is the veil of Hangzhou, hiding beautiful lady;

Azure sky, palaces full of colored glaze, this is the sceptre of Petersburg, assisting the sovereign of the world.

school of biological systems engineering and food science -- Zhang yiru

The trip to Russia is a journey of both intellectual learning and cultural exchange. During this period, I not only gained rich and interesting knowledge from the curriculum, but also felt the local of St. Petersburg and made a group of friends. It was a short but wonderful time.

College of foreign language culture and international exchange -- Lin zhengjie

As a freshman Chinese student who only studied Russian for one year, I was faced with problems such as poor vocabulary and couldn’t listening clearly and can’t express myself. However, my teachers and classmates were very friendly and offered to help me, which benefited me a lot.

Department of physics -- Zheng hao

During our two weeks in St. Petersburg, we learned a lot about plasma physics and controlled nuclear fusion, and visited relevant laboratories at the same time. In addition, in our spare time, we have a certain understanding of Russian language and culture. Read ten thousand books, travel ten thousand miles, time spent thousands miles away from home will become my unforgettable memories.

Department of physics -- Guo kaizhen

During my visit to Russia, I saw the unique customs of St. Petersburg. The Russian people are warm and hospitable, walking in the street, the old people slightly drunk drinking wine as well as greeting us, making gesture of China-Russia friendship, which left me a deep impression. Architecture Scattered in the street and local cuisine brought me not only the collision of vision and taste between east and the west, but also the collision of culture from heart, which not only deepens my understanding of Russian culture, but also enhances my pride in Chinese culture.