From Oxford with Love: Why do Students from a World Top University Go to Perm?
25 students from Oxford and 2 students from Aberdeen and Manchester came to study in Perm, Urals, Russia from 25 June to 3 August. Perm University has received an official Partner’2018 "stamp" by the Office of Internships, Oxford University - for academic cooperation within summer schools.
The 2018 PSU summer schools offer 6-week undergraduate courses in computational and theoretical physics, microbiology and pharmaceutical chemistry – promoting features that usually only distinguished scholars are granted. Alongside Russian senior researchers, Oxford students enjoy a full access to lab equipment - picking relevant projects or choosing the research line of their own. Off-campus activities include studying rare plants and animal species, rafting down the local rivers, exploring the wild life and natural landscape of the Urals. Feedback by Oxford interns from previous years explains their choice and affection: these are the kind of activities Moscow and St. Petersburg universities can hardly offer. The set of practice-oriented activities help international students to claim for better jobs when back home.
“The summer schools do not only provide advanced research opportunities, but a chance to explore a different country, " says Mr Igor Kadzhaya, Head of the International Department, PSU. “Besides a variety of cultural events – theatre performances, museum exhibitions, sports’ events, we guarantee exciting life experiences – classes in Russian cuisine, for example. We want to be sure the Oxonians stay in the company of friends. There is a plentiful space for personal discoveries, moving around the city, meeting new people.” Recently the Oxford group has watched the Sky Fest balloon show and stepped into the Kungur 'ice' cave, as well as joined the local fan zone to watch the World Football Championships. PSU volunteers explain about using local transport, making bank operations, settling at a student hostel and finding best places to shop.
