Students of Our Chemical Department Studied at Artois University in France

Maria Biryukova and Elizaveta Genyk, 4th-year-students of the Chemical Department of Astrakhan State University, covered an exchange program from Sept. 2016 to Jan. 2017 at Artois University in France.

“We covered Course L3 at Artois University; this is the last course for the program “Bachelor of Chemistry”. We studied some disciplines (Organic Chemistry, General Chemistry, Physical Chemistry) earlier. Nevertheless, we got new knowledge of them, as there were real differences in teaching techniques and in the syllabi contents. Besides those disciplines, we studied Crystal Chemistry and Green Chemistry, which we are going to cover during our next term as well. Our program also included lab workshops, and Artois University provided us with all the necessary things to do the set assignments.

We spent practically all day round at the University, from 08.00 a.m. to 05.00 p.m. Our classes could last one hour, or 1.5 hours, or even 2 hours each – it depended on what discipline we studied. Lectures and workshops were combined. Our studies passed in a pleasant natural environment; our professors treated their students as equals treat equals. Before our exams, we took trial tests, which helped us see our weaknesses.

Besides our studies, we went to free excursions. We visited the local brewery (Brasserie Artisanale de l'Abbaye – Le Cateau-Cambresis), the coal recovery historical center (Centre Historique Minier – Lewarde), and we saw the city sights of Arras. At the end of our studies, all the foreign students were invited to a New Year party.

We are planning to continue our education by covering the master program “Green Chemistry” at both Artois University and Astrakhan State University.