OUR PROGRAMS

Our classes are held in the new university building which has an unusual shape of a pentagon with a large glass dome with the Russian flag on top. It has an observation deck where you can enjoy a wonderful view of Akademgorodok. In the photo, our students from Japan pose against the Ob Sea which can be seen behind the forest surrounding the university.

One of the most popular places for taking photos in the city centre is a wall that has an inscription "I am from Siberia". This graffiti on an electric booth is an outcry of Siberian patriotism and one of the compulsory stops in our tour of the city. A group photo shows our students from the USA, Germany, Holland, Belgium, China, our teacher-guide and a student volunteer (as seen from left to right).

20-minute walk through the forest of Akademgorodok will take you to the Central Siberian Botanical Garden. It is an exceptional opportunity for those who are interested to see some rare open-field plants and to learn more about them. A group photo features our students from Turkey, South Korea, Japan, Italy, the USA together with members of staff and teachers of our Centre.

The Novosibirsk Planetarium rises above the city and allows you to enjoy a breathtaking circular view of the Siberian metropolis. You can also take a walk in the scenic park around the Planetarium or ride on a Ferris wheel to get even higher and to take more spectacular photos. But the essential element of this trip is naturally watching a space movie shown on the planetarium dome while seated in a most comfortable arm-chair.

If you have never been to Russia before you will find out that it is an ancient pagan summer festival, which is still celebrated in Russia. All our students are warned that for that reason alone anyone can be doused with water in the street, so we have created the tradition of taking our students to the beach where the unpleasant impact of such surprise is reduced to the minimum and is turned into a fun activity. We rent a gazebo, have a barbecue, sunbathe, play active games and chat in Russian, of course! The photo features our students exploring the Ob river shore.

Tea drinking in our "tea room" is a daily tradition and a pleasant break between classes. It is a wonderful opportunity for our students to relax, to get to know each other better and to practice their Russian with their teachers and Russian student volunteers in an informal environment. Tea and coffee are accompanied by Russian pies, which are daily made in the university canteen, and other delicious desserts.

The museum which has an impressive collection of carefully preserved exhibits dating back to the Soviet period of the history of our country presents a special interest for our students. Some of them recognize the objects similar to those they saw in the houses of their European grandparents, some examine with curiosity previously unknown devices and learn more about the technology of the 20th century, and some cannot wait to try on old-fashioned dresses, coats and hats or to have their pictures taken in a special sort of cap, like a French student in the photo.

Not every city in Russia can boast such a museum while Novosibirk takes pride in housing the Museum of Railway Technology which happens to be conveniently located in Akademgorodok. Here all visitors are taken to the train cars dating back to the periods of Tsarist Russia and World War II. Also the members of organized excursions are given a detailed account of the many types of modern train models and their predecessors. There are also old military vehicles and regular retro automobiles on display.

Many of our visitors do not have a clear understanding of who the "Cossacks" are and what the "Cossack ostrog" is. This excursion provides us with an excellent opportunity to close this knowledge gap which is important as the Cossacks are a unique part of the history of Russia and some Eastern European countries. They performed their responsibilities of the People's army and lived in closed communities, abiding by their own laws and preserving their traditions. During the visit to the Cossack Ostrog our students have a chance to go horse-riding and to meet a contemporary "chieftain" — the chief of the fortress. He tells his guests about the history of the Cossacks, teaches them to throw knives and shoot a gun, and shows authentic Cossack clothes which you might be allowed to try on.

Siberian summer is hot and green but very short, which is why we do our best to spend as much time outside as possible.
In order to help us reach this goal, our Russian student volunteers assist in organizing various sport events for our students. As an example, can serve the Fun Run which is held at the University stadium and which might include competitions in standing on balance boards, walking on a tight rope and playing various ball games while enjoying the sun. The photo shows our student from South Korea partaking in these fun activities.

Entertainment activities which we practice during the Summer school season also include a wide range of board games. This collection keeps growing due to the contributions of our volunteers and students from different countries. As a rule, board games unite a considerable number of fans who are free to decide on when and where they want to play after classes, be it our tea room or one of lawns in the university courtyard.

The military historical festival "Siberian Fire" takes place in the outskirts of Novosibirsk during the first weeks of the Summer School. A huge field surrounded by forest hosts numerous events (mainly reconstructions of historical battles) related to different epochs such as the Middle Ages, the years of the Patriotic War with Napoleon, World War I and World War II. The venue also has food courts, stalls with handicrafts and a number of concert stages with dancers, singers and musicians performing live throughout the whole event.

We really like teaching Russian to students. But why stop at one subject? We love to invite craftsmen for our students every month of the summer school so that everyone can take home something made with their own hands. Such a souvenir will remind of the summer spent in the Academgorodok. Over the years, we organized different master classes: painting plates in the Russian style, traditional painting of Easter eggs, carving handicrafts from wood, weaving birch bark bracelets and sewing amulet dolls.