Interview with SGIA MGIMO 3rd Year student Ekaterina Bolychevskaya (Russia)
Not only foreign students choose English-language programs at MGIMO SGIA. Ekaterina Bolychevskaya (Russia) entered SGIA based on the Unified State Examination results. She told us how it feels to study in an international environment and what opportunities MGIMO has opened for her.
How did you come up with decision to enter MGIMO SGIA?
When I was still studying at the lyceum and just thinking about which direction to link my future with, I knew that I would like to continue studying foreign languages, as well as to understand international processes in the world. I have always been interested in history and international relations, since it is interesting, important and always in demand. The English-language program of the SGIA faculty provided an excellent opportunity to study in English everything that interests me so much.
How did you prepare for admission?
At first, there was intensive preparation for the Unified State Exam, in addition to classes at the lyceum, I devoted a lot of time to self-study. At the same time, I took annual courses at MGIMO in order to prepare for entrance exams. Thus, by the time of admission, I was already familiar with the institute.
What do you think about the level of education in MGIMO?
The teaching staff of MGIMO is really highly qualified. Teachers do have high-quality knowledge and extensive experience in their fields, they are always open to communication and ready to help. In addition to informative classes MGIMO also provides an opportunity to attend interesting lectures and conferences, as well as exciting events. For example, Model UN or Model Bundestag. All this makes it possible to apply the acquired knowledge in practice. Of course, the amount of material to study is quite large and requires a lot of time, patience and effort. Despite this, I manage to cope with the load. Sometimes I have to overcome myself, even infringe on my interests and give preference to studying. But I can say that my expectations were fully met, since I entered MGIMO exactly to study.
What's special about MGIMO SGIA for you personally?
The university attracts students from all over the world with their own traditions and worldview. English-language program makes it possible to significantly expand the understanding of different cultures. Thanks to it, I have a real experience of interacting with people from other countries. I was lucky enough to become friends with amazing people with different mentality and culture, which is very important to me. Moreover, thanks to SGIA, we can get acquainted with interesting and famous people from different fields, because it is so exciting to see an outstanding personality in the news, and then meet in person.
What languages are you studying?
I study German and Spanish. Languages are taught at a very high level. The teachers of the German department are quite demanding, but this is the key to success in studying. Teachers are very responsible and attentive to the training of each student. I have five German lessons a week, therefore, homework needs to be done every day. Tests are regularly carried out, as well as tasks are checked at each lesson. The learning process is not easy, it requires a lot of time and effort, but the result is evident and I already see progress. I really enjoy studying German, the program is very versatile, for example, political translation, analysis of videos with native speakers, reading books in the original - an integrated approach that makes learning very effective. I also study Spanish as a third language, which we have three times a week. I believe that language courses are one of the most important components of education at MGIMO and without proper knowledge of various foreign languages it is impossible to work in the field of international relations.
Can you say that studying in MGIMO has opened new opportunities for you?
Studying at MGIMO makes it possible to clearly understand Russia's place in the world, and in the current situation it is especially crucial. Understanding opens up new opportunities and directions where I can apply my knowledge, promoting the interests of my country. During three years of my studies, I focused my attention exactly on studying. Soon I will have a summer internship, and our university provides a very large selection of places to take it. As a result, I hope to make even more acquaintances and get new opportunities.