Unit 4. South Ural State University

Before You Read

I. Study the official website of the South UralUniversity. Write a diagram for its structure and explain it.

 

II. Research the answers to the questions about South UralStateUniversity.

 

1. What do you know about the history of the University foundation? What was its first name?

2. What happened to the University during the Great Patriotic War?

3. How did the University develop after the war? How many times was it renamed?

4. South UralUniversity is one of the major education and research centres in the Ural region, isn’t it? What fields of study does its research activity combine?

5. What have its recent years been characterized by?

6. How many students are currently enrolled?

7. What activities are the University students engaged in?

8. What contribution is made by the students into the research work conducted by the University staff? Are there any students’ scientific associations in SUSU?

9. What sort of extracurricular activities are developed at South Ural University? What kind of creative and sport teams are there in the University? Who are leaders and organizers of the creative movement at SUSU? Is South Ural University a participant of the All-Russia Festival “Student Spring”?

10. Does the list of the alumni of the University include any notable scientists, engineers, politicians?

 

III. Scan the text about Zlatoust Branch of South Ural State University.

 

Our University

 

The largest resident division of State Educational Institution of Higher Professional Education “South Ural State University” is Zlatoust Branch. It is located in the city of Zlatoust and has a rich history.

It was founded in 1951 as Educational Consultation Point (Tutoring Centre) of All-Russia Correspondence Polytechnical Institute. In 1956 Zlatoust evening department of Chelyabinsk Polytechnical Institute was established. It offered programmes of higher education in metallurgy, mechanical and electrical engineering. Yury Gurevich was appointed its first dean. On the basis of these two higher institutions Zlatoust Faculty of Chelyabinsk Polytechnical Institute was set up in 1959. Since then it has been renamed several times. In 1965 when the chairs of metallurgy, higher mathematics, mechanics and Marxism-Leninism fundamentals were organised, it started providing full-time education. In 1966 after the metallurgical faculty there appeared the machine-building faculty headed by Yury Romanov. In 1996 the faculty of economics was opened, Vladimir Kukk being its first dean. As a part of South Ural State University our branch has been developing together with its growth and change.

Nowadays Zlatoust Branch of South Ural State University is a large higher school where about 2,500 students are currently enrolled. At present there are 3 faculties consisting of 11 chairs. Their highly qualified teaching staff includes more than 130 lecturers. At least half of them acquire scientific degrees of candidate and doctor of sciences. The education is realized according to 14 programmes of full-time and part-time training.

South Ural University in Zlatoust occupies 4 large many-storeyed buildings. There are many halls and classrooms to deliver lectures and practical classes. There are two laboratory buildings including 5 computer classrooms which are equipped with up-to-date devices and where students conduct various experiments. Production practice is an integrated part of the curricula. The University has a large library with the collection of more than 80,000 books. There is a students’ canteen at the University. But there are no dormitories or hostel buildings for out-of-town students. They have to rent apartments.

The metallurgical and machine-building faculties offer full-time (5 years) and part-time (6 years) education, the latter is provided through evening courses. The faculty of economics train specialists by means of full-time and correspondence tuition. Students’ academic workload includes a wide range of courses in the framework of the curriculum. The training comprises lectures, seminars, workshops, lab works, etc. Students’ knowledge assessment includes tests, oral exams, independent assignments and course papers. The graduation paper is a piece of independent research prepared under the guidance of a supervisor. The University offers a number of postgraduate programmes mainly in the field of metallurgy, mechanical and electrical engineering.

The students’ life in the University is many-sided. In addition to academic work our students are involved in numerous extracurricular activities guided by Deans, teaching staff and the Primary Undergraduate and Postgraduate Students’ Union Organization. They include student science conferences, contests and olympiads in various fields, social and political arrangements, artistic creativity, journalism, and sport.

Those who have an inclination to carry out research work take part in scientific conferences and realize innovation projects together with their scientific advisors within scholarships and grant programmes financed by the regional authorities and federal funds. Sport makes a significant part of the student leisure time. There are students’ football, volleyball, basketball, skiing, swimming and other sport teams in South Ural University Zlatoust Branch. Field-and-track relay races are traditionally conducted among students. The students are usually engaged in photo, drama, beauty and many other contests held in the framework of out-of-study activities. Our student rock groups are very popular with the young people of Zlatoust. Social and political issues are also in the focus of the students’ attention. They take an active part in numerous forums, conferences, gatherings, trainings, master-classes, round-table discussions held by different discussion centres and laboratories. The most famous amateur artistic group of the branch is the University KVN team which is a participant of the KVN teams’ festival. Besides, our students have the opportunity to try their hands in journalism by presenting their articles in the university newspaper “Kuda idyosh?” (“Quo vadis?”). Many of these types of activities are taken during an academic year. For summer vacations students can join students’ building teams to be involved in construction projects.

It can be said without any exaggeration that being the biggest department of the largest university in Chelaybinsk region for 60 years South Ural University in Zlatoust has become a recognized centre integrating essential features of the educational, scientific and cultural activities in the mining and metallurgical zone of the Southern Ural region. Every year hundreds of its graduates start working in different branches of national economy, production, science, education, mass media, prosecutor’s offices and courts. Zlatoust Branch is rapidly developing meeting the requirements of the present day society by offering up-to-date programmes for young people of our town and region. The staff is proud of the University traditions and achievements but at the same time they realize the necessity of preserving the accumulated intellectual potential, improving the quality of teaching and educational methods to obtain better results in training qualified specialists aimed at promoting progressive development of the University in future.

 

After You Read

I. Find the English correspondences for the following words and expressions in the text.

 

Государственное образовательное учреждение высшего профессионального образования, филиал, Учебно-консультационный пункт, Всесоюзный заочный политехнический институт, вечернее отделение, кафедра основ марксизма-ленинизма, очное отделение, курсовая работа, дипломная работа, научный руководитель, студенческий профком, легкоатлетическая эстафета, круглый стол, творческие (художественные) коллективы, команда КВН, газета «Куда идешь?», студенческий стройотряд, горнозаводская зона.

 

II. Answer the questions.

 

1. What year are you in? What faculty and department are you a student of?

2. What sort of admission examinations did you pass when applying for the University? Was the competition high? Why?

3. What kind of course are you taking at the University? Why have you chosen it? Have you decided on your future profession on your own? Did your parents influence your decision?

4. How long does your programme of training last?

5. How many days a week do you attend classes?

6. How many shifts do you have for full-time (part-time) training? When does the morning (day, evening) shift begin and when is it over?

7. What kind of academic subjects does your curriculum comprise? At what stage of study are special subjects taught? What subjects are you studying now?

8. Do you attend lectures and classes regularly? Do you do all your assignments in time? Have you ever fail at an examination? If yes, what do you think the reason is?

9. What is the system of grading at your faculty? What is your rating in your academic group? Are you behind the other students in any subject? What subject(s) are you especially good at?

10. Are you carrying out any research work? Who is your scientific supervisor?

11. How are you getting on with your mates and tutors? Do you have any problems in communicating with your groupmates and adapting to university culture?

12. What sort of recreational activity do you prefer? What are your leisure interests?

13. Are you engaged in any extracurricular activity? Does it help you in socializing?

14. Do you do any sport? What kinds of sport are popular with the students of your group? What competitions are held at your faculty?

15. How do you spend your summer vacations? Have you ever been a member of a student building team? What sort of work did you do? Was it well-paid?

16. What kind of job are you planning to apply for after graduating from the University?

 

III. Work in pairs. Do you agree or disagree with the following statements.

 

1. Larger schools are better than smaller ones.

2. It is impossible to enter the University without coaching or attending preparatory courses.

3. The best lecturers are the old ones.

4. It is better to live in a dormitory or student hostel than to rent an apartment.

 

IV. Prepare an oral presentation of South Ural University Zlatoust Branch. You can use the information given in the text and the official website of the University. Extend it with your personal information and predictions about its future development.

 

V. Ponder on the following items and present your ideas in class:

– advantages and disadvantages of getting a higher education in a local university,

– challenging higher school culture,

– importance of proper learning environment,

– student qualities that provide top academic performance.

VI. Tell about your faculty and your academic environment. Exchange your ideas with your partner.