“From a Fear of Heights to Soaring High”: SPUFT Holds Freshman Induction Programme

A total of 649 students enrolled at the University this year. From 14 to 18 September, a series of events was held for them at a sports and entertainment centre to help these recent school graduates take a confident first step into university life.

This year’s motto was “From a Fear of Heights to Soaring High.” The main challenge freshmen will have to conquer is a new and important stage in their lives - and a large, close-knit team is there to help them through it.

“I remember myself when I first entered university, along with all my fears: the fear of independent living and of studying, when you bear a huge responsibility for your results. There is this unfamiliar word - ‘exams’ - as well as new teachers and a new student community. Your school years are behind you, and you are ready to reach a new challenge. The purpose of the induction programme is to make this transition easier for students. Our university creates all the conditions necessary for creative young people to begin their studies in a comfortable environment,” said Viktor Tatarsky, Acting Rector of SPUFT.

The freshman induction programme comprises a wide range of activities designed to help every newcomer feel part of the University community. The programme included outdoor games organised by the student sports community, psychological training sessions, business simulations and an introduction to the student self-government body.

One of the project’s key features is that it is run primarily by students themselves. Those who only recently went through the induction programme as freshmen now serve as group mentors, station leaders and volunteers. They welcome newcomers, accompany them and help them take their first steps in university life. This year, around 30 students who had completed the Mentors’ School worked at the venue every day.

“The number of students willing to become mentors for newcomers grows every year. This may be because students know from their own experience how effective this system is,” said Valeria Novikova, Vice-Rector for Youth Policy and Educational Work.

In this way, the induction programme has become a system for passing experience from one generation to the next. Senior students do more than simply share their knowledge: they introduce the new generation to life at the University and to its traditions, which are built and passed down from one cohort to another. The programme is updated every year in response to students’ suggestions, but its foundation - mutual support and mentoring - remains unchanged.

“We are already actively communicating with our student mentors. On some topics, it is easier to talk to them: the informal tone of communication with people who are almost our peers helps us relax and feel more at ease,” said Elena Maltseva, a first-year student in the Department of Producing.

The induction programme is organised not only by the student team but also by University staff. The Psychological Support Service works closely with the Centre for Competencies and Professional Initiatives, the Centre for Career and Inclusion Support, and the Department of Physical Education.

The programme does not end here. Freshmen will attend talks on topics relevant to student life and take part in city tours. The induction programme will conclude with the “First Steps” talent competition, where newcomers will take to the stage for the first time as full-fledged members of the University’s large creative community.