TOPIC 7. OUR UNIVERSITY

Higher education plays an important role in the life of any country as it provides the country with highly-qualified specialists for future development and progress. In all industrial countries standards of living are steadily changing. This means that styles of teaching, quality of learning materials and organization of the university itself have to be continuously brought up to date and improved. The scientific and technological progress of a country is determined by the qualification of specialists.

Ufa State Petroleum Technological University is one of the largest and most prestigious institutions not only in Bashkortostan, but in Russia too. It trains young people to become engineers in oil and gas industry. We are all proud of being students of our university. It was founded in 1948 as Ufa Oil Institute and in 1993 it got a university status. There were only 150 students and 3 faculties at that time. Now it has 3 branches (in Salavat, Sterlitamak and Oktiabrsky) and trains 14,000 students at eight faculties:

1. Automation

2. Oil and Gas Mining

3. Pipeline Transportation

4. Mechanical

5. Technological

6. Architecture and Building

7. Economics

8. Humanities

The head of the university is Rector. Each faculty has a number of specialized chairs and is headed by dean. The course of studies lasts 5 years. The academic year begins on the 1-st of September; it lasts nine months and is divided into two terms. Students take exams at the end of each term. Twice a year students have vacations – two weeks in winter and two months in summer. The first – and – second year students obtain thorough instructions in the fundamental sciences, such as mathematics, physics, chemistry and drawing as well as computer engineering and a number of others. It is known that the knowledge of the general engineering subjects is necessary for future engineers. The curricular are enriched and broadened by instructions in such subjects as foreign languages, history and economics. The third – year students get more advanced knowledge and begin to concentrate on their special interests, so to say, on their “major” subjects and take many courses on these subjects. Specialized study help students to become specialists and prepare them for their future work.

Theory is accompanied by practice. We’ve got a lot of laboratories, classrooms, libraries, computer centres, workshops to provide high level of training. The university is in close connection with oil enterprises, so our students can have their practice in oil plants, refineries, pipe-line construction sites, at research institutions, oil and gas companies and other places throughout the country.

Students are provided with student’s hostels. The students making good progress get state grants. Some of students are sponsored by enterprises.

In their spare time students may go in for sports in our own sports centre, attend computer centres, dance classes, English theatre and other societies and clubs.

Education is a process through which culture is preserved, knowledge and skills are developed, values are formed and information is exchanged. Education is the way to success!