Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: Peoples'Friendship University of Russia
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
A project on the safety of air conditioners at home, Adyghe dances, and an interactive game with a renowned political scientist. The Summer Methodological University, in which RUDN University Institute of Ecology student Daria Dobrova participated, was a very eventful program.
An educational session organized by Adygea State University took place at the "Mountain Legend" tourist center in the picturesque foothills of the Caucasus. Over 50 students, graduate students, and faculty spent the week working on project solutions that address key contemporary challenges.
This year's theme was: "People in a Changing Reality: Security, Risks, Challenges."
Summer University participants developed solutions in four critical areas:
environmental safety; socio-cultural security; technological and information security; economic and managerial security.
"This wasn't just a study session, but a whole adventure that began from the very first day, when we were taken to the Mountain Legend base. It was here, surrounded by majestic mountains, that we spent our entire action-packed week—a week of study, creativity, and true connection with nature and like-minded people," says Daria Dobrova, a second-year Bachelor's student at the RUDN University Institute of Ecology (Energy and Resource-Saving Processes in Chemical Engineering, Petrochemistry, and Biotechnology).
Playing diplomats
On the very first day after arrival, the participants immersed themselves in lectures that laid the foundation for their future project work. Throughout the week, a professor from Adygea State University worked with the students, helping them refine their projects and present their interim results to faculty and other teams. In addition to fundamental lectures, the students enjoyed teambuilding workshops and in-depth psychological counseling, which helped them better understand not only the project but also themselves. Another memorable event was a lecture by renowned journalist and political scientist Fyodor Lukyanov on global politics. Specifically, he and the students discussed the recent US-Russia summit in Alaska. The very next day, Fyodor organized an interactive simulation game of international relations for the university participants.
"By trying to solve global problems and starting wars, we felt like real diplomats," says Daria Dobrova.
A special feature of the program was immersion into the region's cultural environment. Participants fondly remembered the ethnic evening, where they learned about captivating Adyghe dances and participated in a master class on their performance.
"And what a delicious finale to the evening! We made traditional pies—haluzhi—and devoured them with joy," says Daria Dobrova.
The university participants also experienced the unique natural beauty of the Caucasus. They hiked to the Rufabgo waterfalls, visited the Lago-Naki gorge, the mysterious Azishskaya cave, and the Azish-Tau ridge. According to Daria, the natural beauty energized and inspired the students.
Air conditioners and security
As for projects, Daria worked with a team on ideas in the "Environmental Safety" category. As the student noted, the goal of the summer university was to teach participants how to approach projects in a way that would qualify for grant funding. Her team settled on the topic of air conditioner safety in everyday life.
"Many people outside of work, where the temperature, cleaning, and operation of the air conditioner are strictly defined by regulations, don't know how to use it properly. They don't know how to set the temperature according to the weather outside, or how often to clean the filters. Even though the unit always comes with instructions, many don't go beyond the assembly pages and use it intuitively," says Daria Dobrova.
The girl's team presented a study on "Young People's Awareness of the Impact of Split-Systems on Human Health." The survey was conducted among summer university participants, so the project was aimed at young people. The presentation was successful, and, according to Daria, the faculty's overall response to all the students' work was positive.
"I left the shift physically tired, but incredibly happy. The Summer Methodological University gave me not just knowledge and a project, but a sea of emotions, new friends, and the feeling that I spent this time with great benefit for both my mind and soul," says Daria Dobrova.
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