25 specialists - young educators and scientists from Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan - participated in the work of the scientific-educational school based at the Pskov State University. Training within the implementation of the project "Summer Institute for Teachers and Researchers" in the direction of "Russian Culture and Values (language, literature, cultural studies)" took place over two weeks (August 14-27). Participants of the school mastered the additional professional program of advanced training "Russian Language and Literature in the Mirror of National Culture", visited several leading Russian higher education institutions, developed, and presented projects of international inter-university interaction for the promotion of the Russian language and culture.

Representatives from our university also embarked on this journey: Senior Lecturers from the Department of Preschool and Primary Education, Anna Bumazhenko and Anna Ivanova, and a lecturer from the Department of World Languages, Kristina Tolkachyova. Today, these young educators are sharing their impressions of the "Summer Institute for Teachers and Researchers" project.

Kristina Tolkachyova:

"I have a lot of impressions, and all of them are positive. Every day brought something new and interesting: diverse modules covering topics like teaching Russian as a foreign language, communicative processes in the global and academic space, linguoculturology, lexicography, working with literary texts, and more. We explored new cities and their landmarks.

We had internships at the Institute of Russian Literature of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Pushkin House), the National Research University Higher School of Economics, Pushkin State Russian Language Institute, and St. Petersburg State Economic University. We visited the Pskov and Izborsk Museums-Reserves, the Pushkin Reserve, Pskov-Pechersk Monastery, the Pskov Drama Theater named after A.S. Pushkin, and strolled through St. Petersburg, Peterhof, and Moscow."

Thanks to the training at the "Summer Institute," I learned more about Russian education, the scientific schools of Pskov State University, and had the opportunity to meet other scholars from CIS countries. I attended interesting lectures and masterclasses and was impressed by Russia's landmarks.

Our sessions took the form of roundtable discussions, debates, masterclasses, and lectures. There was constant interaction between speakers and the audience, and we received answers to all our questions. In my teaching activities at VSU, I will use various forms of creative assignments for students demonstrated by specialists from Pskov, as well as exercises and games from teaching methodologies that were offered to us in abundance.

The culmination of our training was the preparation of a group project. I collaborated with representatives from Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, and our project was a scientific and methodological portal for teachers of Russian as a foreign language called "World of RFL" (World of Russian as a foreign language). Its goal was to create a networked community of Russian as a foreign language teachers for sharing experiences, ideas, and materials. Thanks to the portal, educators will be able to organize productive in-class and extracurricular activities for Russian language learners, expand opportunities for creativity and project-based learning. Any teacher can become an active member of the community by sharing their materials, and authors of the best developments, as determined by open voting, can participate in the summer school for Russian as a foreign language teachers.

I am very grateful to Valentina Vasilyevna Bogatyreva, the Rector of VSU, Natalia Anatolyevna Ilyina, the Rector of Pskov State University, and Vasily Vladimirovich Frolov, the project leader of the "Summer Institute for Teachers and Researchers," for the opportunity to participate in such a wonderful project! "

Anna Bumazhenko:

"Pskov State University and VSU have been long-standing partners, implementing joint projects and exploring new avenues of collaboration. An example of this is the 'Summer Institute for Teachers and Researchers.'

This is a unique platform that provides an opportunity to delve into the greatness of the Russian language and grasp the fundamentals of Russian linguistics; attend classes by exceptional speakers; find a new direction in your work; get acquainted with the historical and cultural heritage of hospitable Pskov land, as well as the great cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg; and make reliable friends and partners in the scientific community."

What I remember most about the "Summer Institute" ?. Firstly, we had the opportunity to attend classes taught by highly professional educators whose dedication to the study of language communication is admirable, inspiring us to follow their example.

Secondly, we worked productively as a team, presenting a unique project titled "Russian Language and Culture: a Bridge between Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan." Its goal was to promote the study of the Russian language and culture and strengthen ties between universities in Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan by creating a dictionary of idioms titled "Phraseological Mosaic: Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan."

Thirdly, we had a wonderful time outside of classes. Notably, the evening of hospitality stands out, where esteemed PhDs formed their rock band "Fathers and Sons" and rocked out to compositions based on the poetry of Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin!

I express my gratitude to the organizers of the "Summer Institute" and to the rector of VЫU named after P.M. Masherov, Valentina Vasilyevna Bogatyreva, for providing the opportunity to participate in this unique project! I promise to share the knowledge and experiences I gained with my students and colleagues. If the opportunity arises, I would gladly visit Pskov again because, during the two weeks of the internship, we formed strong bonds. Importantly, even after dispersing to different countries and cities, we continue to stay in touch."

Anna Ivanova:

"Our internship program was engaging, rich, and diverse, encompassing not only education but also cultural events, sightseeing, and informal interactions with colleagues.

Our sessions were structured into educational modules, allowing us to organize and consolidate the knowledge we already had and acquire a wealth of new, valuable information for our future professional endeavors. I want to express immense gratitude to all the speakers, true experts in the field of the Russian language and literature!

I also remember how, at the end of our training, we collaborated as a team on a project in the format of a conversational Russian club. This club aims to help participants from CIS countries learn more about the Russian language, culture, and traditions. Its format includes online webinars, roundtable discussions, presentations..."

Two weeks passed by very quickly, but during this time, we managed to become one big family. I am confident that we will meet again, so I invite all participants to visit the festival city of Vitebsk, which has its own history and a special atmosphere!

I express my heartfelt gratitude to the rector of VSU, Valentina Vasilyevna Bogatyreva, the rector of Pskov State University, Natalia Anatolyevna Ilyina, and all the organizers for the opportunity to participate in the "Summer Institute" project! May the partnership between our universities continue to strengthen because friendship between countries and regions begins with friendship between people!"