Initiation into Students Held at the Department of Ethnopsychology and Psychological Problems of Multicultural Education at MSUPE

On September 19, in Opalikha, Moscow Region, the most important event of the Department of Ethnopsychology and Psychological Problems of Multicultural Education, Faculty of Social Psychology, MSUPE took place – the Initiation into Students.

Every year, on a Saturday in September, second-year students of the master's programs "Practical Ethnopsychology" and "Cross-Cultural Technologies in Psychological Counseling" conduct a solemn initiation into students (ethnopsychological initiation) for first-year students beginning their studies at the department. Traditionally, not only students and faculty of the department but also graduates take part in this engaging and kind event, though it is filled with symbolic trials.

So it was this time: graduates from many years (from 2010 to 2026) came to meet the first-year students and symbolically accept them into our friendly ethnopsychological family. The second-year students prepared a profound psychological scenario on the theme "Elements in Different Cultural Traditions." The sequence of trials was built around the logic of transition from the old to the new – from existing professions to becoming an ethnopsychology student. The action concluded with the search for and awareness of inner supports that will help in mastering the new profession. Having completed many interesting and educational tasks, the first-year students received from the senior students a scroll with humorous ethnopsychological wishes, which has been passed from the second-year group monitor to the first-year group monitor for over 15 years.

The warmth of friendly ethnopsychological communication blended very harmoniously with the atmosphere of a sunny and still summer-warm forest. We are glad that this beautiful tradition is preserved and hope that our new students will pass it on to the next generations of budding ethnopsychologists!