I’ve got Bachelor’s Degree in “Metallurgy” and also Master’s Degree in “Machine building” after graduation from Karaganda state industrial university in Temirtau. For the first time I went to Italy in September 2012 by scholarship programme ARCADE EMAR2 (Erasmus Mundus Action 2) to internship with duration of one month as a lecturer in Polytechnic University of Turin (PUT), Turin. PUT was founded in 1859 and is located in North Italy. In 2011 it entered TOP 75 universities and takes the first place in Italy. It may be noted that university has two educational buildings, one of them is architectural, it’s Castle of valentine, located by the river PO, a picturesque place where is Valentino park nearby.
As soon as I arrived the first thing that caught my eye were clean streets mainly made of stone and architecture of residential buildings. Every corner of city is a unique architectural delight since kings’ board. City is full of various castles and palaces by names of kings and queens who reigned in that time and determined relief of Turin. Regarding university I was struck with its technical equipment, there is no alive communication between people during registration and getting any information, everything is automated. Everywhere are terminals as in corridors so in the streets, the purpose of which is to satisfy the needs of residents, starting with bike rental ending with the purchase of food. Most of all I was shocked with a large number of “non-native”, but it concerns only university and its borders, because it is based on admission of foreign students in the ratio of 70/30 (foreigners/local).
There should be noted invaluable help of my colleagues in informing me about this scholarship programme and support in passing competition, where one of the main parameter was knowledge of English language (or Italian, according to the country) and certificate conforming knowledge of language, TOEFL in my case. Being as invited intern my objective was not study in the truest sense of the word, the main task was to improve skills of work on equipment for analysis and testing and also get acknowledged with order of educational and scientific process in university. System of our education differs radically from Italian one, because they haven’t such determination as student groups because of free choice of subjects, students don’t meet more than 1-2 times during a day, except language courses. Also I was surprised with duration of lectures – up to three hours with five-minute break, if you’re lucky, that’s why it’s so popular among students to take coffee to lecturers, therefore coffee in Italy is of the highest quality and very tasty, there are a lot of kinds, my favorite ones are mochaccino and macchiato.
Professor who was in charge of my internship Giovanni Maizza, supervisor of computational Multiphysics group, for the time spent in group I became their inseparable part, there were 4 students of the 4th course undergraduates of the 1st and the 2nd courses and also PhD students in our group. Students are deeply involved in research activity of group in the level of junior research officers.
I’d like to note thoroughness of Italians, this concerns both workers and heads, there is no such separation class as “If I’m the boss I shouldn’t do some my responsibilities”, no! Everybody is involved equally for solution of common goals. During the time of internship I had some few cases of alive communication with supervisor, as all information which he presented to me was only in e-form. There is no tension connected with using gadgets in everyday life. All people from young to old use smart phones, because it’s convenient.
Except of study I used my free time as efficiently as possible, I have visited all all sightseeings of the city. Every day was full of bright emotions and feelings. The most memorable was weekend in Rome, it is a wonderful city which can’t be described with words, it is necessary to see it with the Colloseum, Senate, fountains and other beauties. The main thing that is necessary to live in Italy is – “Know who you are and take some friends with you”. For all who want to study in Europe I wish good luck and enjoy your time, because you haven’t such chance every day!
Buona fortuna, amici miei!
Eldar Azabanbayev,
Doctoral candidate