The program of double degrees: Kalashnikov Izhevsk State Technical University and Alexander Dubček University of Trenčín (Slovakia)
In July two more students graduated from Kalashnikov Izhevsk State Technical University and Alexander Dubček University of Trenčín.
According to the official site of Bologna process, double degree is a certificate of a higher education, which is given by two or more universities together, based on a double study program.
A whole series of Russian universities practice cooperation with European universities in double degree programs, as a result, graduating students get double degrees in both universities.
Several universities-partners of Kalashnikov Izhevsk State Technical University participate in such programs. These are universities of Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Egypt. One of them - Alexander Dubček University of Trenčín ( http://tnuni.sk/aktuality/ ) is a young university in Slovakia (only 18 years old) and for 16 years this university has been our partner. Prof. Boris Yakimovich, Rector of Kalashnikov Izhevsk State Technical University and Prof. Ali Aliev, Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences are Doctors Honoris Causa of Alexander Dubček University.
Ali Aliev, professor of Kalashnikov Izhevsk State Technical University:
- Alexander Mokrushin, MSc became the first student of the double degree program in 2013. Besides, he became the first Russian and generally the first foreign master graduate of University of Trenčín. Now he needs to defend PhD thesis under the same conditions. Currently he is the candidate of Slovak university and after he defends the thesis he will be the candidate of science in Russia and doctor of philosophy (PhD) - under the European academic tradition.
This year, two more graduates from our university excellently defended their theses defence in Trenčín. Anna Chukavina and Albina Habibullina obtained double degrees. I must say that we succeeded in this program with a big help of our Slovak colleagues, their work and convictions about the necessity to develop cooperation between our universities. First of all, it is Peter Liptak, Dean of the Faculty of Special, Mobile and Manufacturing Technology who helped our students with everything, Lukaš Bridík, the tutor of our graduates, Dana Rakusova, professor of Slovak language and Oto Barborak, the head of the department.
This program of double degrees cannot become for the masses by objective reasons. For example we would like to offer this program to students from our Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, but Slovak university is more concentrated on applied sciences and engineering. And if we compare the study programs for students of the Department of Heat Engines and Plants, “theorists” will find the possibility to study at technical universities in Brno or Bratislava...
We already found out a certain algorithm for those who wish to become a participant of this program. When our master student goes to Trenčín, some students from Kalashnikov Izhevsk State Technical University go with him for the period of probation. So, applicants get to know the way of life there, take a closer look, etc. In my opinion, this system works very well and can be used in future.
Anna Chukavina, master in Aircrafts Engines of Kalashnikov Izhevsk State Technical University and master of Alexander Dubček University, Head of the laboratory at the Department of Heat Engines and Plants of Kalashnikov ISTU:
I found out about this program at the end of the 4 year in the university. There was a delegation from Trenčín University with Peter Liptak, Dean of the Faculty of Special Technology. In the presentation, they said about the university and study programs. They suggested probation period with a study for free and dormitory. Three of our students had already been there for a probation period. They spent there 1 month. I wanted to try that too. In March 2012 I went there for internship and I liked everything very much: everything was new, different, another system of education, Europe. So that’s how it started for me.
The only one barrier was the need of the Slovak language. Not so many people in Slovakia know English, for example, bus drivers didn’t understand it. We had Czech language courses at Kalashnikov Izhevsk State Technical University, so I started with that and those courses were very helpful with learning the Slovak language. Nevertheless, Albina and I were lucky, because a lot of professors in Trenčín University can talk and understand Russian, basically, our communication was in “Russian Slovak” language.
Because of our education system, we weren’t all the time in Slovakia. At the same time, we were studying at Kalashnikov Izhevsk State Technical University. Both universities were fine with it, but because of the trips to Slovakia and back, we had to study 3 years, instead of 2 usual years in the magistracy.
With the permission of the dean, we’ve got individual plans, every professor gave individual tasks. In Slovakia we attended lectures, learnt the Slovak language and worked in laboratories. We had to get used to it – the education system in Slovakia is different, all software is different. But anyway we didn’t have the same courses in universities - something we got in the university there, something in the university here.
In private life everything was comfortable: clean and calm dormitory, room for two persons, we could see the university building from the windows of our dormitory.
We translated our master theses to the Slovak language (the theme of my thesis is “The methods of solving chemical problems in the heat engine chamber”). The thesis defence and all state exams were also in Slovak, we were in the same group as Slovak students. In this sense, there were no differences between us and Slovak students. We had a defence on June12, and the graduation was on July 4. Everything went successful and we were very glad.
Albina Habibullina, master of Kalashnikov Izhevsk State Technical University and master of Alexander Dubček University, the leading engineer of the Department of Rocket Engineering of Kalashnikov Izhevsk State Technical University.
When I went first time to Slovakia for two-month internship, I liked it very much – the university and attitude to us.
Thanks to our tutor Lukaš Bridík who cared of us for two years like of own children, we even had a joke that he is “our second dad”. By the way, when we went there, he didn’t speak Russian very well, but our communication for two years made his Russian better. He was really curious about it and learnt language with us.
In general, the language barrier is the big problem in this program. It wasn’t difficult for communication, Slovak and Russian are close Slavic languages. So, if you don’t understand everything first, in one month you will understand most common words and phrases. Basically, even if you can’t speak Slovak, you’ll start to understand the speech of others.
To be honest, professors tried to speak Russian with us. Elders learnt Russian in schools and could speak. But we tried to speak Slovak and after some time I caught myself on a thought that I was thinking in Slovak.
But in scientific and technical terms it was really hard to understand Slovak. At the thesis defence, professors were fine with us speaking Russian in the difficult parts, when we didn’t know terminology.
The differences in the education system of course exist, but the professors were loyal to us and also it was easier with individual plans. In general, I was impressed not by the education system but by the attitude of the participants of study process.
The tendency of studying among Slovak students is impressive. They learn a lot independently, design something at home, armorers try to assemble guns.
They don’t have the education for the purpose of a degree, they have the education for the purpose of education itself. Everything is really serious, organized with professional goals. I guess not many of our students can demonstrate enthusiasm like that. And if we compare Slovak teachers and ours, Slovak teachers don’t have such a high professional qualification as ours, but they are more exacting to students, to their real results.
For me it was really interesting to write my master thesis (my theme is “Analysis of intensive strained position of the rocket engine frame on a solid fuel”). That was very fascinating for me and, of course, it was immensely useful. Now I would like to go to the post-graduate study at Kalashnikov Izhevsk State Technical University where I will learn absolutely different field - chambers of afterburning in hybrid rocket engines, processes of hydro-flow dynamics. Hybrid engines need a lot of time to get to know it, many people take it to hearts, but there are a lot of unsolved problems about it and I should learn about new programs etc.
During all this time we became good friends with Slovak students, with group mates - they helped us with study. We had a rest also together, traveled a lot in Slovakia, we were in three German cities, in Vienna, visited each other and they invited us to Slovak goulash.
Guys have been here, in Izhevsk, with an exchange program and promised to come one more time. By the way, they went to the initiation of the first-grade students - and they were very excited about it, because they don’t have such funny out-of-the-study activities, as we have. But there is another great tradition in Alexander Dubček University - the real autumn ball. Girls are preparing for this ball for the whole year with choosing and sewing dresses, boys sew tail-coats - everything is extremely beautiful and romantic.
About private life: Dormitories in Trenčín are better than ours (2.5 euros per day, that’s around 100 rub.). We were lucky: there were special coupons (around 70 rub for lunch) in the university canteen for two semesters. Portions were very big, so we took the rest of lunch to the dormitory for evening. That’s common, it doesn’t surprise anyone, they even suggest to pack the food.
For students who are thinking about this program of double degrees, I would recommend to use a probation period first and understand if you need it or not. And of course, you should learn the language. And remember that during master studies you have to go to Slovakia at least for five times.
A lot of things depend on travel experience, knowledge of visa rules (for example, after the second trip we could make a multivisa and didn’t have to go all the time to Yekaterinburg for getting it), knowledge of the price of the journey (ticket could cost from 4,000 rub to 12,000 rub), knowledge of different areas. I will share my experience with pleasure, tell more about all details, don’t be shy to write me on my e-mail: habibka.ru@mail.ru. I will answer.
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- Last Updated on Friday, 12 September 2014 16:13