KHACHATUR ABOVYAN ARMENIAN STATE PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY

Would you ever think that participation in the “Summer School” international programme could give a student more experience and develop more capacities than actually practiced in one academic year? In fact, this is possible.

And this opportunity was given to the students of the Pedagogical University during their participation in the project implemented by the Maxim Tank Belarusian State Pedagogical University in Minsk. During the ten days of the “Summer School” the studnets of our University managed to make friends with the studnets of various Universities of China, Russia and Tajikistan.

Due to the Master Class and Intellectual class sessions held on the very first day the participants of the project got acquainted with the peculiarities of Belarusian language and made their first steps by speaking to one another in the new language.

During the official opening ceremony of the summer school named “Future Starts Here” the participants met with the first Vice-Rector of the Maxim Tank State Pedagogical University Svetlana Kopteva, who wished good luck to everybody and hoped for the participants to come back with their best memories of Minsk.

Likewise, one of the important achievements of the summer school was also the communication and friendship of people with various cultures, their mutual interest towards one another’s cuisines and national peculiarities.

During the ten-day project the participants were lucky to attend the Second European Games held in Minsk at that period.

What is more, Minsk impressed everybody with its size, cleanness, and a lot of green parks. One can say that Minsk has left behind its “Soviet” past. Even though it is one of the single cities of Europe that lives with its own rules, as well as those who prefer self-education, can surely find bookstores and libraries for themselves. And in fact, the National Library of Minsk is one of the massive constructions from the roof of which one can enjoy the full panoramic view of the city; and that’s where the Belarus National Archive is also located where the students got familiarized with certain documents related to the Great Patriotic War. Likewise, as the result of visits done in the course of the summer school, the studnets were also impressed with the Historical Museum of the Great Patriotic War and the National Art Gallery, which increased interest towards the history of Belarus even more.

Therefore, the excursion trips organised to the Mirskiy and Nesvizh Castles, Khatyn historical village, and the Belarusian Folk Museum of Architecture and Rural Life filled up the students’ knowledge of the history of Belarus.

Furthermore, together with all this, the arrangement of the “Summer School” project coincided with the Belarus Independence Day. During those days the capital city was in holiday mood and festivities. The students, participating in the project had a chance to attend the holiday parade organised on the Belarus Independence Day.

To conclude, during the official closing ceremony of the project the studnets were awarded Certificates and had the opportunity to share with one another about the peculiarities of the education systems as well as education offered at the universities in their native countries.

Sousina Khachatryan
4th year student of the ASPU Department of TV Journalism, Participant of the “Summer School”