The university I study at

The petroleum university is one of the leading¹ higher schools on training of scientifically pedagogical staff for profile higher schools of Russia. It trains specialists for oil-and-gas and building complexes. In postgraduate studies² they train specialists of the top skills on 27, and in doctoral studies³ - on 5 scientific directions.

225 persons study in postgraduate, and 22 persons are trained in doctoral studies. More than 100 professors of the university carried out the scientific management⁴ of post-graduate students and doctors. In 1996 the first eight graduates defended their theses. Basically these are young people in the age not older than thirty - the future professors and heads of the faculties of the university.

Eight specialized councils⁵ on awarding of scientific degrees of candidate and doctor of sciences⁶ work at the university. For the years of the existence of the university 140 doctor's and 1150 master's theses were defended at these councils. Curriculums⁷ according to standard specialties are successfully improved. Except for the traditional five years' program, training of specialist is carried out on multilevel system (the bachelor - the expert - the master).

Educational process at all grade levels undergoes great changes⁸. The wide development is received by modern information and computer technologies.

One of the major fields of activity of the higher school in modern conditions is its international cooperation in the fields of science and education with foreign universities and organizations. Today at the university more than 150 foreign students from 24 countries of the world are trained.

In recent years there were made more than 17 agreements with educational and scientific institutions of France, England, Canada, Austria, Hungary, Denmark, China and other countries. They are successfully realized.

Groups of post-graduate students and doctors take annual training⁹ in the French institute of petroleum, at the University of the city of Mishkoltz (Hungary) and at the Gorny institute of Austria and in other countries. For the first time¹⁰ in 1996 24 teachers of the USPTU after having trained at the Huyron university (England) have received international certificates giving them right to teach their specialty in English.

Post-graduate students and teachers of the university take part in international conferences with reports, participate in exhibitions and read lectures at foreign universities.

The Ufa State Petroleum Technical University is a component of the uniform educational space¹¹ of the Russian Federation and participates in integrational processes with the thermal power stations of the Russian Federation and the republic of Bashkortostan, carries out a united scientific and technical, educational -methodical, industrial and financial politics for the decision of problems facing¹² them.

Vocabulary

1) leading – ведущий

2) postgraduate studies – аспирантура

3) doctoral studies – докторантура

4) scientific management – научное управление

5) a specialized council – специализированный совет

6) to award a scientific degree of candidate and doctor of sciences – присуждать научную степень кандидата и доктора наук

7) curriculum – учебная программа

8) to undergo great changes –подвергаться большим изменениям

9) annual training – ежегодная подготовка

10) for the first time – впервые

11) uniform educational space – единое образовательное пространство

12) problems facing smb. – проблемы, стоящие перед кем-либо

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