On 31 August, the Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering held its Freshman Day. New students gathered in the assembly hall to hear opening remarks from university administrators, learn about opportunities for professional and personal development, and take their first steps into student life.
Welcome!
The first-year students were addressed by faculty deans, university department staff, and representatives of partner companies.
Andrey Nikulin, Dean of the Faculty of Civil Engineering, congratulated the students on the start of their studies and noted that the engineering profession required not only technical knowledge but also comprehensive personal development. "There's no such thing as an engineer who just knows how to use numbers and add them up. They are always individuals who are culturally, morally, and creatively developed," he emphasized, urging first-year students to actively take advantage of the opportunities the university offers, participate in creative and student events, propose their own ideas, and think about their future careers from the very first days of their studies.
Andrey Nikulin placed special emphasis on the university's collaboration with leading construction companies. He encouraged students to focus on the best in the industry, gain practical experience, and carefully consider the quality of their future professional work.
During the meeting, a representative of the FSK Group of Companies, an industrial partner of SPbGASU, addressed first-year students of the Faculty of Civil Engineering. She discussed internship opportunities, tours of construction sites, and future employment prospects. Students were introduced to key areas of professional development in the construction industry: work in the client service, general contracting, and design organizations. Career paths for production engineering, project managers and supervisors, foremen, architects, and design engineers were also discussed.
"A specialist, an expert who will advance in their career, is someone with developed personal effectiveness, communication skills, and emotional intelligence," noted the FSK representative. She also emphasized the importance of continuous education and encouraged students to go beyond the knowledge they acquire in class and to continually expand their professional competencies.
A photo with coursemates
The first-year students of the Faculty of Architecture were greeted by the dean Andrey Surovenkov. He noted that the students had a long and exciting life ahead of them, one that would bring new knowledge, connections, and discoveries. However, studying at the Faculty of Architecture will require serious and consistent work.
Speaking about the architectural profession, Andrey Surovenkov emphasized that its foundation lied not only in computer software, knowledge of standards, and design skills, but also in developing one's own professional perspective. "The architectural profession isn't just about drawing skills, working with architectural software, knowledge of standards, and design skills—it's about developing one's own professional perspective," he said.
The dean urged first-year students not to fear criticism and to embrace it as an integral part of their professional development. He explained that working on an architectural project is a sequential process in which the initial solution is gradually refined through discussion, analysis, and numerous iterations.
Andrey Surovenkov placed special emphasis on students' independent development. He advised them to read professional literature, study completed projects, observe the urban environment, and continually expand their knowledge, starting from their first year.
"Don't wait until your fifth year, start becoming an architect right now," the dean of the Faculty of Architecture told first-year students.
He also noted that students could always turn to faculty and staff in the dean's office for help and advice. He said the faculty should be a space where students can try, make mistakes, ask questions, and collaborate to find optimal solutions.
A tree of knowledge with wishes for first-year students
SPbGASU geography
An important part of Freshman Day was familiarizing students with the university's security and internal regulations. Oleg Pospelov, Head of the Integrated Security Department, spoke about access control and internal security procedures, emergency procedures, evacuation drills, and first aid.
First-year students were also reminded to be wary of suspicious items and unfamiliar offers of easy money, and to promptly contact university staff if any questions or unusual situations arise.
Freshman Day was the first major introduction to university life for new students. Ahead of them are years of study, new projects and professional connections, participation in scientific, creative, and social activities, and the opportunity to gradually shape their own professional trajectory.
We congratulate our first-year students on the start of their student life and wish them success in their studies, exciting projects, new discoveries, and a vibrant university life!
