On October 3, 2016 the Federal Republic of Germany celebrates one the most important holidays – German Unity Day. This year the German embassy in the Republic of Belarus invited its country’s friends, all people who are interested in the German language and culture, to take part in the German Week.
On October 4 the programme of the German Week at PSU was opened with a seminar, devoted to the student project connected with international tourism development in Polotsk region «Guide to Polotsk». According to the plan the audio guide in German will be created by the students of the faculty of History and Philology and the faculty of Information Technology till March, 2017.
On October, 5 the opening of the photo exhibition «We’re at friends», contributed to the long-term cooperation between cultural, educational and research establishments of Germany and Polotsk State University.
The Head of the Science Library said: «The photographs, which are introduced here, have been taken during the last few years. There are several black and white pictures which get us back to the origins of this cooperation. The represented photographs are very warm and optimistic. They demonstrate a strong friendship between our students, academic staff and representatives of German establishments».
After the exhibition opening the open lecture «Internationalization begins at home. Concept, implementation and the first success of the internationalization of Freie Universität Berlin» was held by Tobias Stüdemann, the representative of Freie Universität Berlin in Russia.
In the report Tobias Stüdemann discussed important and actual questions connected with academic mobility among students and academic staff, shared successful experience of internationalization of Freie Universität Berlin.
The problems of international educational trajectory, double master programmes and joint international educational projects were also considered. At the end of the lecture the academic and university staff had a possibility to discuss with Tobias Stüdemann the questions connected with academic staff duties, faculty financing, using of modern technologies in teaching process. After the lecture all the guests had a chance to visit a solemn opening of the 7th musical season of lunch-concerts.
Tobias Stüdemann also visited campus in Mezhdurechye where he had a meeting with representatives of Law faculty and discussed the perspectives of possible cooperation in the field of jurisprudence between Polotsk State University and Freie Universität Berlin.
In the evening Polotsk College gathered all the guests for demonstration of best short films presented at the annual Short Film Festival «Shorts at Moonlight» held in Mainz (Germany).
The German Week was continued on October 6 by two other interesting events which were held at the conference-hall of Polotsk College. At the beginning Tobias Stüdemann had one more lecture with students, Master and PhD students. Our German guest told the audience about the history of Freie Universität Berlin, revealed the secrets of the successful contact with a potential foreign coordinator and shared the experience of the development of international research career. At the end of the lecture Tobias Stüdemann answered the questions and talked to young researchers of our university.
The second event was contributed to the presentation of the students of the faculty of History and Philology who got priceless experience during their participation in summer courses organized by DAAD and Academia Baltica.
The solemn closing of «German Week at PSU» was the performance «Luisa Miller» presented by Honored Student Theatre «ART».
For summing up the honoured guests were invited to the stage – first pro-rector of PSU Svetlana G. Vegera, dean of the faculty of History and Philology Tatiana Gordeyenok, DAAD lecturer Almut Müller, the deputy head of the mission of the German Embassy in Minsk Ana Luther, attaché of cultural work of the German Embassy in Minsk Merle Varneke, the first deputy head of Novopolotsk administration Alexander V. Golubenok.
We hope that such events can be a very good tradition at Polotsk State University!