The SPbGASU International Students Council (ISC) summed up the results of its work in the second semester of the 2024/2025 academic year.

What is ISC?

The International Students Council, created in 2017, promotes the exchange of cultural traditions and experience among students, as emphasized by the chairperson of the ISC Antonia Angelova. According to her, the ISC holds up to 60 events a year and participates in dozens of international conferences. To date, five ISC activists have increased their academic status, going from bachelor's to postgraduate studies.

"The International Students Council is not just a project, it is our multinational student family. Graduates continue to cooperate with the ISC, participating as mentors for new students, organizing events and contributing to the development of the community. The ISC is looking forward to all interested students of our university, ready to show initiative, participate in volunteer and creative activities, as well as those striving for self-realization and the discovery of new horizons," Antonia reminded.

Meetings, tours, initiatives

In the spring semester, the International Students Council held a number of events. Thus, within the framework of the project "Russian Conversational Club" 12 weekly meetings were held: creative evenings, such as art therapy with coloring matryoshka dolls, interactive games, dance competitions and poetry evenings. Thematic days dedicated to Russian holidays, developmental events for improving communication skills in Russian were also held. The guys visited a folklore festival including the Russian folk song studio "Lada".

Within the "Kuppija" project, an intensive course on 3D modeling was successfully completed. Participants mastered the basics of modeling, key tools and documentation. Senior and PhD students shared their experience and practical recommendations, which contributed to the improvement of the students' professional level.

As part of the Mini-tour project, the ISC went on a one-day trip to Karelia.

"The ISC visiting school is an educational and cultural event. The school program included work on projects aimed at adapting foreign students to the educational and socio-cultural environment of the university. In addition, the International Students Council held a series of trainings, aimed at team building and creative thinking," Antonia Angelova clarified.

ISC represented the university at the International Scientific and Practical Conference “Serving the Fatherland: Traditions, Values, Innovations” in the Mariinsky Palace, which brought together 200 participants from 25 Russian universities.

Besides, the International Students Council continues to support environmental initiatives and held several waste paper collection events and an eco-lecture in the spring semester.

Awards for activists

At the end of the semester, several members of the International Students Council were awarded for their active participation in organizing and holding events, volunteer activities, and for helping foreign students adapt.

The academic achievements of the ISC activists were also noted. Thus, the Deputy Chairperson of the ISC Aigul Orazdurdyeva defended her master's thesis with distinction - the first final qualifying work at SPbGASU, prepared as a startup (a real business project). The Deputy Chairperson of the ISC Sabrinahon Solehzoda, an active participant in international events, also defended her master's thesis with distinction and worthily represented SPbGASU foreign students as part of an exchange program in China. The active members of the council - the main organizer Murodali Niyozov and the project organizer Soykan Shenturk - successfully defended their final theses.

Head of the SPbGASU  International Relations Division Shuainat Akhmadulaeva noted the high efficiency of the community and proposed a number of ideas for expanding its future activities.

The participants of the International Students Council expressed gratitude to the management of SPbGASU for their support in implementing projects and initiatives. It was emphasized that thanks to their assistance, it was possible to successfully organize events aimed at developing cultural dialogue, strengthening interethnic communication and creating a favorable environment for foreign students.