Deputy Director of the SPbGASU Educational Center for Project-Based Learning Natalia Zaitseva, Inna Sukhanova, Viktoria Vinogradova
The SPbGASU Educational Center for Project-Based Learning (ECPBL) has launched an elective course, "Project-Based Activities," giving students the unique opportunity to work on real-world projects and receive consultations from industry experts.
What makes this elective unique
On 24 September, the ECPBL held an organizational meeting to explain the participants the implementation of the elective course and to answer questions from students and partners.
This is a new format for the university, bringing together students from various fields of study, industry partners, and SPbGASU teachers.
"First and foremost, I would like to thank the faculty and students for their willingness to embrace new forms of learning and their trust in the university as the organizer," noted Vice-Rector for Continuing Education Viktoria Vinogradova. She also thanked the university's partners, who provide students with the opportunity to work on real-world projects and give consultations and expert support.
The uniqueness of this elective lies in the opportunity for students to complete projects based on task orders from industry partners and use them in their final theses. Furthermore, this is an excellent opportunity to establish themselves with potential employers.
Participants in the elective will work in teams supervised by SPbGASU teachers and university partners. Project defenses are scheduled for December.
"Many of the projects proposed by our partners are innovative and can be considered a challenge even for practicing professionals. We hope that the students will be able to use the experience they gain in their final theses and in their future professional careers," said Viktoria Vinogradova.
"The elective will also serve as a platform for recruiting students and employers to get to know each other," added Inna Sukhanova, Director of the SPbGASU Educational Center for Project-Based Learning.
How the work process is structured
"The elective course 'Project-Based Activities' includes weekly theoretical lectures hosted in the LMS Moodle online course management system, workshops from partners, and consultations with instructors and industry experts on specific topics," explained Inna Sukhanova.
The university mentor's responsibilities include developing an individual activity plan, overseeing preparation for the current assessment, and collaborating with an industry expert to determine the final product. This is the first time the elective has been held, and the organizers are considering all communication and work formats. Therefore, they encourage participants to build on their experience together to ensure the elective is successful.
Teams work on diverse projects, and each student can choose a topic that interests him. The elective program includes 20 projects from 14 partners (LenOblAHMK, StroyKraft, Concern Titan-2, SPb GKU GCRPO, Metropolis LLC, SPbGASU, Glavstroy-SPb Specialized Developer, Ridan Trade, Sysoft Development, Setl Stroy, Setl City Architectural Bureau, NIP AQUAEFFECT, SPb GUP Passazhiravtotrans, and Gazprom Proektirovanie).
Ksenia Shapovalova, a fourth-year student in the Faculty of Civil Engineering majoring in Industrial and Civil Engineering, believes that project work is a great opportunity to work in an interdisciplinary team and see the project process from its inception to its implementation.
"I was interested not only in the project work and interaction with the industry, but also in the opportunity to implement the completed project. It's wonderful to see the building you planned completed. Especially since my experience with the industry is currently limited to internships. I hope that by the time I graduate, I'll be able to significantly expand this experience thanks to the elective," Ksenia shared her expectations.
