An orientation event PSU:EDU_Fest was held at Polotsk State University.

The main goal of the event was to foster motivation in students of specialized classes or groups with a pedagogical focus when choosing a profession, within the framework of implementing the Concept for the Development of Pedagogical Education in the Republic of Belarus for 2021–2025.

– Today’s meeting is relevant to all of us. It is very important that school graduates do not go to universities in the capital, to big cities, but stay here, in our region, – said the Chairman of the Regional Council of Deputies, Vladimir Terentyev, during the grand opening of the fest. – Having seen what Polotsk State University is famous for, having become acquainted with the conditions created here for students today – believe me, they are simply magnificent! – you may feel that both the city and this university are yours. I think if you choose PSU, you will not regret it.

In the current academic year, 678 students are studying in specialized classes and groups with a pedagogical focus in the region.

The event was attended by 230 eleventh-grade students from general secondary education institutions in Vitebsk and Novopolotsk, as well as from Verkhnedvinsk, Vitebsk, Glubokskoye, Miory, Polotsk, Rossony, Ushachi, and Shumilino districts.

Groups of students visited eight thematic platforms where pedagogical training programmes offered by the university's Faculty of Humanities were presented in an interactive format.

Graduates of the "Psychology" specialty will help people by providing psychological counselling, diagnostics, and correction. To this end, students master psychological assistance techniques and conduct training sessions during their studies. At EDU_FEST, prospective students had the opportunity to learn about some of these methods. /p>

Learning a foreign language is not an easy task. It is even more difficult to know it well enough to teach it to others. Students of language specialities shared how they cope with such a challenge with schoolchildren at the "Do you speak...?" platform. The students also learned about the PSU Centre for Foreign Languages, where they can additionally master English, German, Chinese, Polish, French, Swedish, or Spanish. At the "Made in Belarus" platform, the discussion, of course, was about "our native language". Winners of Belarusian language contests received memorable bookmarks with wishes. For example: "May your hopes come true on weekdays and Sundays!"

PSU carefully preserves and continues the centuries-old educational traditions of Polotsk region. Every year, students of the "History" speciality actively participate in archaeological research in Polotsk. The students learned many interesting facts from a historical quiz at the "Make New History" platform.

In the "Technical Labour and Entrepreneurship" speciality, students are taught to create things with their hands and are explained how to translate their skills into the business sphere and start their own company. Therefore, for prospective students at EDU_FEST, the "Hand Made" platform was organised, the name of which speaks for itself.

To be admitted to the "Physical Culture" speciality, one must successfully pass the entrance examination. The prospective students demonstrated their good physical fitness at an active flash mob with fitness steppers.

Representatives of the Centre for Strategic Communications also told the students about the unique opportunities the university offers to its students. They also spoke about internships, scholarships, discounts, free first classes for learning a foreign language, the university's driving school, and other features that are unique to PSU.

Dmitry Khoma, Head of the Main Department for Education of the Regional Executive Committee, noted in his address to the youth that it is already very important today to understand who will come to work in schools and who will teach children. There is a great interest in ensuring that future young specialists remain in their chosen profession for life and never regret it. The Rector of PSU, Oleg Romanov, also spoke about the attractiveness and prestige of the teaching profession on this day.

– A teaching profession is creative and meaningful. It is not "shuffling papers," it is real life. Every lesson is a new lesson, – said Oleg Alexandrovich. – When you know that you have invested a part of your mind, your soul into the development of young children – it is priceless. If you choose this profession, your life will be creative and joyful. As for Polotsk University, it is attractive not only externally – with its buildings and auditoriums. It is also good because people live and work beautifully here, and there is an opportunity to spend student life brightly, richly, interestingly, within a good system of relationships, among friends, intelligent and interesting educators.

In the future, Polotsk State University plans to hold not only Open Days but also specialized festivals: both for teaching professions and for those interested in physics, programming, economics, and other fields.

Source: vitebsk-region.gov.by