Volga Region University held a ceremonial meeting of graduates dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the university. Representatives of all stages of the university's history gathered in the concert hall: graduates, teachers and staff, sports veterans. Together they remembered the first steps of Povolzhsky and the bright student years.

The festive meeting was opened by the current rector of the Volga Region University Rafis Burganov. He greeted the guests and told how the university has grown over 50 years.

- For the first time, 150 first-year students came to the walls of the Kazan branch of the Volgograd State Institute of Physical Culture. Now, 4,300 students are studying at the Volga Region University. This path was not easy, but we did everything so that 16 thousand young people who graduated from the Volga Region University allowed it to become one of the best sports universities in the world, - emphasized Rafis Burganov.

Ex-rectors also visited the Volga Region University. Alexander Kuznetsov addressed the history of the university and told what the new status brought.

- Thanks to the fact that the university received the status of an academy in 2008, we opened a Dissertation Council for the defence of doctoral and candidate works. At that time, Galina Golubeva and Igor Konovalov received doctoral degrees. Under the council, graduates defended 100 doctoral and candidate theses. It is pleasant that many of them continue their professional activities within the walls of Volga Region University,’ shared Alexander Kuznetsov.

Yusup Yakubov warmly recalled the history of the university: the Naberezhnochelninsky period and the then Rector Georgy Tsyganov, the return to Kazan, the construction of the main building and the first intake of students in the new building.

Vladimir Leonov, Minister of Sport of the Republic of Tatarstan, also welcomed the graduates of Povolzhsky and noted the well-coordinated work of generations for the benefit of the university.

- Povolzhsky University is the flagship sports university of Russia. Every day the teaching staff, administration, and most importantly the alumni and students prove that the university is worthy of this title. They maintain a strong brand of the university, the name of which is heard not only in the Russian rector community, but also abroad, thanks to modern sports facilities and outstanding athletes,’ emphasised Vladimir Leonov.

But the main part of the day for the graduates was meeting their favourite teachers and classmates. Those who graduated from Povolzhsky recently visited the teaching and laboratory building with nostalgia. And graduates from Naberezhnye Chelny learnt how the university has grown and how it now trains specialists in physical culture, sports and tourism.

Gulnaz Tukhvatshina, a 2019 graduate, was the press attaché of the Volga University football team during her student years. After graduation, she continued working in the field of sports media and became head of the press service of the Ministry of Sports of the Republic of Tatarstan.

- Despite the fact that I graduated not so long ago, I noticed how much the internal organisation of student life has changed. In my opinion, before the athletes lacked unity, but now they are united and have become patriots of Volga Region University, proudly representing it at competitions,’ said Gulnaz Tukhvatshina. - I am glad to see today the teachers and guys with whom I studied together. A curling tournament was recently held in Povolzhsky, where the staff of the Ministry of Sport of Tatarstan competed with teachers and students. It was a new and interesting experience - it is important for us to understand how students at Povolzhsky learn and have fun.

Photo: Pavel Zheleznyak

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