ITMO University and the Nanyang Technological University have been collaborating for several years. During the meeting with the Singaporean university delegation held in St. Petersburg last year, ITMO representatives highlighted that the development of collaboration on science and academic mobility is a high priority for ITMO University. The NTU has a strong research base, uses the latest education approaches, and regularly secures leading positions in global university rankings. Thanks to the summer school, ITMO graduate Anastasia Volkova got an opportunity to study at one of the leading world’s universities.
The Preparing You For the Working World summer school is aimed at teaching students to communicate in a global business environment. More and more companies are entering the global market; more international teams are emerging. To work well in such teams, employees need not only professional training but also soft skills.
All the lectures and workshops at the summer school focused on developing these skills. Students from China, Hong Kong, Norway, Vietnam, Russia, and several African countries came to Singapore in the middle of July to take part in the event. Among the things they were taught were critical thinking for complex problem solving, public speaking, negotiation techniques, as well as teamwork and leadership skills, and creative thinking.
“What I found the most useful was a course on personal branding. Your personal brand is all about who you are and what you want to be known for. Everything you post on social media automatically becomes a part of your brand, and many employers will check your social media accounts before hiring you in order to get some background information. You're the average of the five people you spend the most time with. That’s why it’s so important to surround yourself with successful people,” shared Anastasia Volkova.
The teachers of the summer school also carried out a series of workshops on self-awareness. According to Anastasia, self-awareness is when you know what you want to do with your life, what is best for you, and what makes you happy. You can’t master it in a day, it’s a life-long process, but you have to work on it from time to time.
All the courses at the summer school were conducted by teachers of the NTU. According to Anastasia, they are professionals in their field, very passionate and enthusiastic about what they do. What she found most challenging were public speaking classes, but the teachers were very experienced and supportive, and it made the process much more enjoyable for her.
“All the teachers were very supportive and encouraging, the lessons were dynamic and interactive. The Nanyang Technological University is one of the leading universities in Singapore offering their students excellent studying facilities and a lot of practice. All lectures are recorded and made available to students as videos, there are special rooms for studying and working on joint projects, a modern library, and recreation areas,” says Anastasia Volkova.
The skills Anastasia acquired during the summer school will help her develop the StudentsUP program at ITMO University. The program is aimed at teaching first-year students basic soft skills, such as teamwork, conflict management, and creative thinking. Anastasia plans to launch one more section intended for senior students who will soon begin their professional career.
She added that visiting Singapore was a unique experience in itself.
“Singapore is like a completely different world. Their mentality is very different from ours: there are many restrictions there but people abide by the rules believing that these are beneficial for their country. For one, there are hefty fines for smoking, and no one smokes in public places. The air is very clean, especially in comparison with St. Petersburg. Singapore is a very clean city in general; chewing gums are banned there. The public transport system is modern and efficient; there are many double-decker buses, so they’re almost never crowded,” notes Anastasia.
To learn more about studying at the Nanyang Technological University, contact the Academic Mobility Support Office.
