Belgrade high school student took part In omsk 2013 math contest
Pavle Čorovič, a student of Gymnasium No.9 (Belgrade city, the Republic of Serbia) took part in regional Mathematics Contest held by Omsk State University named after F.M. Dostoevsky. Student’s visit to Omsk Oblast was organized with the support of OMSKNEFTEKHIMPROEKT JSC (ONHP).
January 26, 2013 (Saturday), 10 a.m. Within few minutes one of the Omsk State University auditoriums got filled with 9-11 grades high school students accompanied by parents and teachers. The adults came to cheer up the students who had 4 successive hours to solve mathematical problems and equations. Boys and girls who managed to succeed in school and in municipal Contest now can get a chance to enter All-Russian level and to be admitted in prestigious universities of the country.
It was hard to spot a Serbian High School Student among Omsk 9th–11th graders. Only a badge with his surname hinted that he travelled a long way and came from a faraway city of Belgrade. How is it possible to meet a Serbian boy at Omsk State University? This question without any doubt was raised by many Contest participants. Pavle Čorovič decided to try his best in mathematics in our Siberian city. Omsk is quite close to him for a number of reasons.
It should be noted that there is an ONHP branch office in Serbia. Moreover, ONHP concluded a Cooperation Agreement with the University of Belgrade and students from this university managed to undergo on-the-job training in ONHP. For more than 10 years ONHP has been implementing a program called “School-University-Company”. So called “Technical (or Engineering) Classes” (i.e. classes having specialized in fundamentals of engineering sciences) are successfully arranged in secondary educational institutions. High school students undergo summer intern in ONHP production departments. Students of fundamental engineering specializations are in the spotlight of university management. The best students are awarded with employment contracts. Serbian high school students and university students undergo on-the-job training in Omsk and then have an opportunity to be hired by ONHP local branch office. International cooperation geography is expanding from year to year: China, Singapore, Kazakhstan… Sharing of experiences is absolutely essential especially for young professionals as far as the future of global engineering depends on them directly.
As for Pavle Čorovič personally, a decision of his new visit in Omsk and his participation in Omsk 2013 Mathematics Contest was made upon his successful completion of ONHP internship.
The background story of such event is very useful to know for those who are young, ambitious and mostly for those who starting from youth are construction and design engineering-oriented.
The exchange program in ONHP has been going on for several years already. In March 2011 ten top Omsk high school students, the winners of ONHP on-the-job training went to a high school in Serbia. The Omsk high school students participated in educational process and shared their experience. Now those former high school students study in the leading Russian universities specializing in engineering. In case of the students’ brilliant results at the university, they will be engaged in work by ONHP.
In August 2012 Serbian high school students in return were invited in Omsk for ONHP on-the-job training. Pavle Čorovič was among them. For two weeks young people were getting acquainted with petrochemical industry and rich culture of Siberian city. Serbian guests successfully managed to overcome all language barriers. They enjoyed communication with their peers and attended all cultural events. And when in January 2013 Pavle returned in Omsk to participate in an intellectual contest, he went with pleasure in Omsk State Drama Fifth Theater and watched “Romeo and Juliet” there. He also went sightseeing around “Omsk Fortress” culture complex. He also met ONHP young professionals and students whom he got to know last year. A foreign guest went back to his motherland on January 29 with rich background of bright impressions and unique experience.
The participation of the Serbian teenager in smart competition was commented by those who hosted the event as follows.
Mrs. Tatyana E. SHCHERBO, Chief Specialist of Supplementary Education and Guidance Department in Ministry of Education of the Omsk Oblast gave her feedback regarding the participation of Serbian high school student in Omsk Mathematics Contest.
“There is a Cooperation Agreement between Omsk Oblast Government and the Republic of Serbia. Last year with the support of ONHP our city hosted talented children from Serbia. Each of them chose his or her major: mathematics, English, chemistry… The students discovered that such Contests are held in Omsk annualy and Pavle Čorovič, a winner of the Serbian Mathematics Contest, intended to try himself. He is a very intelligent and literate young boy. For sure he is out of competition as far as it is regional, not international stage. However this experience is very useful for him. He will be able to compare task level”.
Mr. Alexander S. STERN, one of Contest moderators, Head of Algebra Department in Omsk State University named after F.M. Dostoevsky, Cand. Sc. (similar to PhD in Physics and Mathematics), also shared his opinion with us in this regard:
“I am familiar with education system in Serbia. I had a chance to speak both with students and with professors. Students in Serbia are very well prepared to be admitted to the universities. The fact that Gymnasium No. 9 student came to Omsk is rather praiseful. There was a minor language barrier, however he successfully managed to overcome it. If international cooperation with Serbia in the field of education is up and running, both parties will gain unique experience”.
ONHP is willing to continue cooperation with foreign educational universities. Design and Engineering, which is our company main focus, is a highly intellectual engineering sphere. Exchange of experience and incorporation of intellectual efforts are quite important especially for young professionals because the future of global engineering depends on them.
