Koenigsberg University

The history of Kaliningrad State University is closely connected with the history of Koenigsberg University rooting in the past, in the history of cultural and spiritual development of not only German people but the neighbouring East-European peoples - Polish, Lithuanian and Russian. The history of Koenigsberg University, of the famous Albertina lasted four centuries. It tore off in 1945 when as a result of the Second World War Koenigsberg and a part of the Eastern Prussia were handed up to the USSR. Even now 50 years later we can see the signs of German culture kept till nowadays. On the island between two branches of the Pregel river there are walls of the Grand Cathedral rising above.

In the ancient times the famous citizens of the town were buried at the walls of the temple. Here in 1568 the founder of Koenigsberg University - the last Teutonic Grand Master and the first Prussian Duke - Albert Gogentsollern (1490 - 1568) was buried. And very near - it was enough to cross the church court - the old University building stood. The first Prussian Duke performed great services in forming intellectual and spiritual atmosphere of new Prussia but the most significant of his creations was the foundation of Koenigsberg University, though the decisive point was not only culture but needs of state building, of the policy and ideology. Albert understood that the way to the state independence was through the gate of the Prussian high school.

The solemn opening day happened on the 17-th of August in 1544. Under the sounds of chime Albert introduced the first rector Georg Sabinus to the audience. This event was marked by the solemn divine service. The seal with the image of Albert the Duke was produced. Albert presented the University his own collection of books and also handed over the books from the former Orden and cloister libraries.

Koenigsberg University was managed like the other German Universities. German Universities following the traditions of medieval time as a rule consisted of four departments: the «lowest» department of philosophy and three «highest» departments of theology, law and medicine. Tuition started at the philosophy department where every student had to learn seven «free» arts: grammar, rhetoric, dialectics, music (sacred singing), arithmetic, geometry and astronomy. It was only possible to enter the «highest» departments having learnt the courses of the philosophy department.

For teaching there were ten professors engaged to the University. The number of students contained 314. Mostly they were citizens of Prussia, some of the students came from Poland, Lithuania and other neighbouring lands. This policy did not contradict the main aim of the University founders: to propagate Lutheranism and German culture along Baltic lands.

During its long history Koenigsberg University went through various periods of time. Nevertheless in Albertina the primordial spirit of honoring the freedom of creative personality was always kept. University is scientific societies and traditions, it is teachers and students, it is libraries and archives, buildings and laboratories. The Second World War dispersed or destroyed book collections and archives of Koenigsberg University, the great part of University buildings were ruined. Teachers and students were deported to Germany. But up till now there is no philosophy without I.Kant, no mathematics without K.Yacoby, no astronomy without F.Bessel, no literature without E.Hoffman.

13. Find English equivalents in text 3:

Древние времена; основатель; государственная независимость; бой курантов; монастырская библиотека; средневековье; обучение; противоречить; основная цель; архив.

14. Role-play and group work:

1. Divide into groups and play out the solemn ceremony of the opening day as if you lived: a) in the 16^th century; b) in the 21^st century.

2. Find interesting facts and tell about great people who taught or worked at our University at different times as if you were them.

15. Read and translate text 4:

The present of Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University

Substantial changes have taken place in the system of Russian higher education in the last decade. The process of training began to change in accordance with the Pan-European tendencies in the framework of the "Bologna process". The introduction of the two tier system of higher education has been legislatively fixed, and the Russian higher education institutions will offer two degrees those of "bachelor and master", instead of the previous one-level system of training — that of a five year "specialist" programme.

The financing of education and science has been considerably increased. The national project "Education" is being implemented at the moment On the basis of competition, 57 best Russian higher education institutions obtained considerable state grants for the pur­chasing of the newest equipment and the in-service training of their staff. It is extremely important that young people strive for obtaining higher education. The number of students per 1000 people in Russia is now higher than in the majority of the European countries. State universi­ties, where the majority of the students are trained free of charge are fully subsidized by the state. At the same time, many of those, who failed their entrance exams, are trained on the fee-paying basis in both state and private higher education institutions.

Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University is one of eight federal universities of the Russian Federation, train­ing 17 thousand students. But in many respects and especially be­cause of its geographical location and its firm links with both Rus­sian and European universities, I. Kant Baltic Federal University has become one of the winners, one of the universities, implement­ing the national project "Education".

Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University represents the system of Russian higher education in Europe and acts as a bridge between Russian and European education spaces for the benefit of all Rus­sian regions.

It is the bridge that has been chosen as a logo of the University. The University continues time-honoured traditions of Russian higher education, and learns from European educational experience. The University is aimed at maintaining and spreading academic and research traditions of Koenigsberg University Albertina, which is one of the oldest Universities in Europe, has a 464 year history. The University's greatest alumnus is Immanuel Kant, the world-famous philosopher, who was even a Russian citizen for some time. The name of I. Kant forever linked the city of Koenigsberg and Al­bertina University with the spiritual heritage of humankind.

The University in Kaliningrad began its life as Kaliningrad State Pedagogical Institute in 1947. In 1966 the Council of Ministers of the USSR and the Ministry of Higher and Secondary Education issued a decree granting Kaliningrad State Pedagogical Institute university status. In 2005 the University was renamed afterImmanuel Kant. In 2010 the University attained federal status.

Today the University is a higher education institution which is of regional and federal importance. The University trains specialists in 50 fields. More than 200 education programmes are implemented here. The University hires 1,500 staff.The number of students, postgraduate and doctoral students exceeds 17,000. The academics of the University carry out research in 36 fields of science. More than 100 monographs, 240 course books and4,700 articles have been published during the past 5 years. The University runs a number of postgraduate programmes and has 350 doctoral students taking their PhD courses in 33 fields o! study. There are 10 doctoral dissertation panels in 17 fields of science.

Regionally, the University sees its mission in integrating the system of education in the region and raising its competitiveness m the light of the Bologna process. Nationally, the University aims to strengthen Russian stateness and promote Russian culture in the Russian exclave, given the EUenlargement. Internationally, the University accomplishes the mission o| holding an open dialogue between Russian and European higher education institutions and promoting students academic mobility.

The University trains specialists to meet the demands of the re­gional labour market, runs in-service training courses, and carriesout research. On the one hand, it is part and parcel of the Russiansystem of higher education. On the other hand, the University is n dynamic partner of the European interaction processes. It represents the Russian system of higher education in Europe. An outpost of Russian higher education in Europe, the University is fully aware of its mission to promote Russian language and culture nationally and internationally.

The University is internationally acclaimed for its Kant Stud­ies, research into Russian Philosophy, the study of language mo­dality, a complex study of the Baltic Sea region, territorial and landscape planning, the study of the World Ocean, quadruple and nuclear resonance research, physics of the ionosphere, geomag­netic processes and the spreading of radio waves, differential ge­ometry of manifolds, etc. The University participates in many international research pro­grammes. Fundamental and applied research is done at 62 depart­ments of the University as well as at 40 research centres and labo­ratories of the University. The University is proud of its Baltic Institute for Advanced Studies and Education, which is one of 9 similar institutes in Rus­sia. The major topic of research is «Europe and Russian: past, pre­sent and future». The University actively participates in international projects in education. One of the most significant projects being implemented in University is the "Eurofaculty" project.

Dynamically developing, the University has become a large education, research and cultural centre of the Kaliningrad region, a true representative of the Russian system of higher education in Europe. It has partnership agreements with more than 50 universi­ties from 16 countries. The University is a member of the European University Association, the Alliance of Universities for Democ­racy, The Baltic Sea Region University Network, globalisation of higher education has always been a priority. The University aims to develop new forms of international cooperation, thus facilitating the harmonization of Russian and European systems of education.

One of biggest achievements of the University is its participation in the National Project "Education". It is difficult to overestimate the importance of it for the future development of the University. The University presented its strategic programme “The development of innovation and educational infrastructure of the I. Kant State University aimed at strengthening the competitiveness of the exclave region of Russia”. The purpose of the programme is to provide technology, infrastructure and specialists for the innovative development of the Kaliningrad region, the exclave region of Russia.

So, a lot has been done and even more is to be done, but the University is striving for new heights in the implementation of its mission. It is planned to:

1) build up a new University campus and a "science park" at its heart;

2) merge a number of regional colleges with the University and form new profile programmes of higher education;

3) further develop the innovation educational programme onthe basis of "collective use" centers.

16. Find English equivalents in Text 4:

Значительные изменения; в рамках Болонского процесса; внедрение двухступенчатой системы высшего образования; внедрять; обучаться на платной основе; прочные связи с Европейскими университетами; духовное наследие человечества; партнерские соглашения; переоценивать; нацеливать на усиление конкурентоспособности; сливать/присоединять.

17. Answer these questions about education:

1. At what age do children in your country sit their final school exams?

2. How long does it take in your country to do a degree in political sciences/ chemistry/ medicine?

3. Give one advantage you think continuous assessment has over traditional exams.

4. What sort of feedback might a teacher give a student who has just given a presentation in class?

5. Give one advantage for a learner of English of doing homework.

6. What advice about keeping a vocabulary notebook would you give to someone starting to learn English?

7. What is the difference between further education and higher or tertiary education?

8. What would you expect to be the difference between the first draft of an essay and the final draft?

18. Translate the text into English:

Сегодня образовательная политика государства направлена на то, чтобы создать в России новую сеть вузов, выполняющих не только региональную, но и федеральную образовательную функцию.

Балтийский федеральный университет понимает свою образовательную функцию в развитии тех направлений и специальностей в обучении, которые считаются перспективными. Университет старается смотреть вперед, не полагаясь на востребованность нынешнего дня. Например, многие вузы страны пострадали от того, что следовали моде и мало внимания уделяли подготовке технических и физико-математических кадров. БФУ им. И. Канта вкладывает большие средства в соответствующие направления, потому что специалисты высшей квалификации в этой сфере всегда найдут себе работу, в том числе и за рубежом.

Конечно, на приоритетах в обучении сказался переход на двухуровневое образование. В Университете активно развивается аспирантура по многим направлениям, бакалавриат, магистратура и докторантура. Наличие разветвленной сети аспирантских и магистерских программ показывает, что университет развивает науку и может занимать достойное место в ряду других крупных университетов. Что касается студентов, то многие сегодня прекрасно понимают, что магистратура и аспирантура - это определенный базис, который поднимает человека на ступень выше и является показателем его профессионального уровня. Чтобы готовить специалистов такого высокого класса, у Университета есть все возможности.

БФУ очень реалистично подходит к международному сотрудничеству. В настоящее время действуют 70 договоров между БФУ им. И. Канта и различными иностранными вузами Польши, Германии, Литвы, Латвии, Беларуси, Финляндии, Дании, Австрии, Франции, Швеции, Италии, США. Но особое внимание уделяется развитию приграничного сотрудничества с польскими и литовскими вузами. И не только потому что они Калининградской области близки территориально. Просто они проходят те же самые переходные периоды, которые проходит Университет.

. По БФУ им. И. Канта вся Европа судит о российском образовании и науке в целом. И это не преувеличение. Если в ВУЗ сегодня готовы ехать специалисты, ученые из разных стран Европы, значит - в нем уверены и готовы сотрудничать, учиться, обмениваться опытом. Федеральному центру обязательно нужно иметь в Калининградской области сильный университет федерального значения, который станет площадкой для диалога между представителями высшего образования и науки как нашего региона, так и других областей России и Европы.

19. Write an essay on the following topics (200 – 250 words):

1. What do you expect from University life?

2. Write a comparative essay on differences and similarities of the Russian and British systems of education.

3. Education Reform. To Be or Not to Be?

4. Why is (Political Sciences/Sociology) so popular with the students?

UNIT 2

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