SPbPU distance life during the pandemic

Hello from St Petersburg. Like everybody else on the planet, we are also straggling the coronavirus. So predictably, our first post is about this topic that is surely the most actual and the most important one.

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Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University switches to the online and distance learning at all levels of education starting from march 16. Students and teachers communicate with Skype, Zoom and other available services. To facilitate the distance learning process, students are provided with all the necessary educational materials, including textbooks that students usually take at the library. All additional materials are sent by email or using the Google Classroom platform. Teachers are provided with a flexible work schedule in order to effectively organize the educational process. Teachers conduct online classes both in equipped classrooms of SPbPU and from home.

It’s been several days now that due to a confirmed case of a coronavirus-infected student at the Institute of Secondary Vocational Education the dormitory has been quarantined. Three times a day, a doctor and a nurse from one of the city clinics round all the students conduct an inspection and measure their temperature. All the students living in the dormitory will undergo follow-up tests and subject to no positive samples, the quarantine will be removed. Quarantined students are supplied three meals a day, at any time, students can contact the psychologist. The large community of SPbPU supports quarantined students in social networks with #ПолитехВместе (Polytech Together) hashtag. Polytechnic athletes filmed a special set of exercises for students in quarantine, students share interesting books and films that will help pass the quarantine.

Students and employees from Polytechnic University are taking part in lots of social programs which are very important at these hard days, in particular, they donate blood and work as volunteers, bringing food and medicines to pensioners and those who can not leave their house.

Students of Peter the Great St. Petersburg State Polytechnic University transferred to the Mariinsky Hospital the first batch of personal protective equipment for medical personnel 420 protective screens and 80 reusable masks. Personal protective equipment was made using 3D printers and laser cutters in the centres of youth innovative creativity: Fablab-Polytech, 3D Education Laboratory, Center for the National Technological Initiative “New Production Technologies”, SPbPU and “My Business”. It is planned to produce a total of 5000 protective screens. The student initiative was approved by the Innovation and Youth Initiatives Support Fund, which allocated a grant for the project. (https://www.gov.spb.ru/gov/otrasl/c_science/news/187662/)

 So that students do not suffer from a lack of physical activity, the university Poly Dance studio starts online lessons on its Instagram @studiopolydance. Every week starting from April 30 one of the dance teachers will tell about one modern dance direction (BootyDance, Hip-Hop, Zumba, Contemporary, Latina, High Hills and Break Dance) and give free classes. Also, the official University account @polytech_petra organizes online quiz games for students. All these activities help us to be closer to each other.

We join in the words of support to our students, colleagues and partners, we wish everyone good health and we believe that everything will definitely be fine because we are together!