Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –
The first day of the Polytechnic University at the Expoforum site during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum was eventful. Rector of SPbPU Andrey Rudskoy took part in several events organized by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, and also signed a number of cooperation agreements.
In the morning, experts discussed the topic of personnel training to ensure technological leadership. Opening the session, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education Olga Petrova noted that one of the key steps taken to synchronize the personnel training process with the demands of industrial customers and taking into account the challenges associated with the reset of the geopolitical situation was the creation of advanced engineering schools. The Deputy Minister also mentioned the Priority 2030 program, which was reconfigured this year in the direction of technological leadership. And in all projects launched on January 1, 2025, special attention is paid to personnel training. Therefore, the key principles in the new model of higher education are fundamentality, practice-orientedness and flexibility, which allows for the formation of an optimal personnel training scheme in communication with industrial partners.
Rector of SPbPU Andrey Rudskoy developed the topic, sharing the Polytechnic University’s experience in implementing practice-oriented learning, students completing real projects and R&D for industry, for which new educational technologies are used.
“Each university has its own forms and formats of training that are closely related to the implementation of real industrial or technological tasks. The general public should know about this,” says Andrey Rudskoy. “The Ministry of Science and Higher Education has created a media activity rating, and it shows how a particular university works with different audiences, including future engineers or industrialists. I cannot help but note that Polytechnic University has been in the top three for the second year, including holding first place. We also won a grant from the ministry for the popularization of science, and I think that at the end of the year, a large work by our teachers, scientists, and colleagues from the industrial sector will be published, which will be called “Popularization of Digital Engineering Tools in the Activities of a Modern Engineering University within the Framework of the Concept of Achieving Technological Leadership in Russia.” A serious work, serious reviewers from the Academy of Sciences. Of course, we will send this book to all engineering universities so that they can learn something useful for themselves.”
The discussion was also attended by Rector of the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI Vladimir Shevchenko, Vice-Rector for Science and Digital Development of Bauman Moscow State Technical University Pavel Drogovoz, Acting Rector of Tomsk Polytechnic University Leonid Sukhikh, Director of the Young Professionals Department of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives Alexander Vaino. The session was moderated by Vice-Rector of the National Research University Higher School of Economics Dmitry Zemtsov.
The topic of interaction between universities and businesses was developed at the afternoon session “Cooperation between universities and industries to achieve technological leadership goals,” which was held by Andrey Sharonov, CEO of the National Alliance for Social and Environmental Responsibility, Corporate Governance and Sustainable Development and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Association of Digital Platforms.
In order for Russia to achieve technological leadership and move to a modern system of higher education, it is necessary not only to reform the work of universities from within, but also to significantly strengthen their ties with the business community. The session participants discussed which forms of interaction between universities and businesses show the best results in strengthening the country’s technological potential; how partnerships with companies affect the level of professional training of students, the relevance of curricula, and graduates’ chances of finding a job; how to organize the productive participation of business representatives in the development of educational programs, the educational process, and students’ project activities; what role the state should play in the development and dissemination of effective models of interaction between universities and industry, etc.
Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation Dmitry Afanasyev named the principles of strategic reorientation. The first is focusing on state and industry priorities of technological development, the second is building a unique architecture of interaction with partners by universities. It is important to take into account that the work should be carried out for the future, including the creation of those industries and specialties that do not yet exist, but there is an understanding that they will be needed. It is necessary to reboot all key development programs, such as Priority 2030, PIS, Campus, etc. And, finally, this is a new model of higher education, which is being built in an active dialogue with employers, industrial partners and represents a single fundamental, professional and socio-ideological core with a real practice-oriented educational programs and early professionalization, immersion in real projects and tasks, while being flexible, with the ability to adjust educational programs and sets of competencies to the tasks of technological development of industries.
SPbPU Rector Andrey Rudskoy, using the example of the Polytechnic University, showed that effective interaction with partner companies makes it possible to promptly update educational programs, making them as compliant as possible with the requirements of the modern labor market, and also contributes to the faster implementation of innovative developments.
Ensuring technological leadership is a common task, and the university today is an active participant in this large-scale work, Andrey Ivanovich emphasized.
The discussion was also attended by Olga Dergunova, Senior Vice President — Head of VTB-Education at VTB Bank, Director of the Graduate School of Management at St. Petersburg State University; Dmitry Zauers, Deputy Chairman of the Management Board at Gazprombank; Rostislav Kovalevsky, Director of Innovations at EFKO Management Company; Oleg Krestinin, CEO of METALLOINVEST Management Company; and Kirill Menshov, Senior Vice President, Head of the Technology Block at Sberbank.
In addition to participating in panel discussions, the rector of SPbPU met with business partners at the St. Petersburg stand to conclude cooperation agreements. As the head of the university coordinating the activities of the consortium “Russian-African Network University” (RAFU), Andrey Rudskoy signed an agreement on the accession of the Institute of Africa of the Russian Academy of Sciences to RAFU. The agreement was also signed by the director of the Institute of Africa Irina Abramova.
Currently, the consortium includes more than 90 Russian educational, scientific organizations and companies, and on the African side – 45 universities and organizations from 15 countries. The Institute of Africa’s accession to the consortium is very important, because it is focused specifically on working with African countries, studying their history, culture, and everyday life. I am confident that our new partner will make a significant contribution to a deeper understanding of this continent and the peoples inhabiting it, – commented Andrey Rudskoy.
“It is a great honor for me to become a member of this network university, because Africa is, first and foremost, people. In 2100, 40 percent of the world’s population will live in Africa, which means that a lot will change, and we need to prepare for this now,” added Irina Abramova. “The most important thing is, what will the people who make up 40 percent of the population be like? First of all, they must be educated, they must be self-sufficient, but at the same time, they must preserve their culture and traditions. And it is precisely the preparation of such friendly elites who protect national interests and look to the future that the network university is engaged in.”
At the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Andrey Rudskoy represents not only the Polytechnic University, but also the St. Petersburg Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, which he has headed since 2023. As Chairman of the St. Petersburg Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, he signed several cooperation agreements.
The subject of the agreement with the Archival Committee of St. Petersburg was the establishment of partnership relations and the development of long-term and effective cooperation, which includes educational activities and the holding of popular science events.
Andrey Rudskoy and the Chairman of the Archive Committee of St. Petersburg Pyotr Tishchenko agreed that the goal of cooperation would be to unite the efforts of the scientific and educational community to improve the scientific, educational and cultural level of the population of the Russian Federation; dissemination of knowledge about the history of Russia and its achievements, milestones in the development of the Russian Academy of Sciences; objective coverage of historical facts and events; development of scientific, educational and educational projects; holding joint cultural and educational events; popularization of domestic science; assistance in increasing the prestige of scientific activity, etc.
After the signing ceremony, Andrey Rudskoy shared a secret: We are currently deciding on the creation of a museum of the history of the Russian Academy of Sciences on 5 University Embankment. And without the Central Archive, it will be difficult for us, because it contains a huge mass of documents that reflect the history of the Russian Academy of Sciences: personal files, letters of outstanding people, academics, travelers. I hope that we will creatively bring this project to life together.
Pyotr Tishchenko said that on June 9, thanks to the help of scientists from the Institute of History, a decree from the founder of St. Petersburg, Peter the Great, on how to build in the Northern capital was discovered in the Central Archive.
“Without a scientific basis, we will not be able to extract more benefit from the treasure that archives store,” the head of the Archives Committee believes. “But the most difficult thing is to capture our history in a world where digital has become a part of life as reliably as our predecessors preserved the memory of the past. Science should help build archives of the future and teach how to work in them using modern tools, so we are joining forces.”
A cooperation agreement was also concluded between the St. Petersburg Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The signing was attended by the Chairman of the St. Petersburg Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences Andrey Rudskoy and the President of the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vladimir Katenev.
The agreement provides for the development of a strategic partnership for the joint implementation of scientific, applied and innovative projects; assistance in bringing high-tech solutions developed on the basis of the Russian Academy of Sciences to the market; the formation of a sustainable ecosystem of interaction between science, industry, business support institutions and education; support for the export potential of science-intensive products and competencies; the development of mechanisms for certification, independent assessment and promotion of scientific results; joint training and retraining of specialists taking into account modern industrial requirements and technological trends.
The partners hope that the cooperation will contribute to strengthening the interaction between science and business, developing innovative and technological cooperation, popularizing the results of scientific activity and supporting entrepreneurship.
“The Chamber of Commerce and Industry unites all the leading enterprises of St. Petersburg, it is at the forefront of all projects that are being implemented in the industry and economy of our city,” Andrey Rudskoy noted after the signing. “And, of course, this is of utmost importance to us, because I am sure that our science in symbiosis with enterprises, in addition to the fundamental, has great practical significance. Most importantly, we are faced with a colossal task – to achieve technological leadership, and here we must jointly make every effort.”
“Maybe I’ll say it pragmatically, but our task is to monetize the achievements that exist in our big science, so that it doesn’t turn out like in the story of Lefty, who shoed a flea, and that’s where the business ended,” Vladimir Katenyov supported. “We must bring the achievements of science to the people, to our industry, we really value this cooperation and will work with great pleasure.”
The work at the stand ended with the signing of a trilateral cooperation agreement between the St. Petersburg branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, OOO Expert Analytics Center and Vedomosti Newspaper in the Northwestern Federal District.
The documents were signed by the Chairman of the St. Petersburg Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences Andrey Rudskoy, the General Director of the Expert Analytics Center Kristina Muravyova and the Director of the Vedomosti Newspaper in the Northwestern Federal District Alexander Shchelkanov.
The ceremony participants confirmed their desire to improve the quality and depth of scientific and analytical research, expand areas and directions of cooperation, create intra-Russian scientific collaborations, and support joint projects, competitions, and awards.
“For us, the analysis of the activities of academic institutes is very important, this will allow them to find partners from among enterprises, on the basis of which they could realize their interests,” commented Andrey Rudskoy. “The second point is that we are interested in international activities. Here we must be careful, but, on the other hand, expand contacts between organizations. And the third, of course, is the popularization of science.”
“The TechUspekh award is already successfully operating at the federal level, and we would like to hold it in the regions as well,” Aleksandr Shchelkanov supported. “Our format is to popularize technologies, investments, what is interesting to the business audience, but we need to strengthen expertise. That is why we have had the Opinion Leader award for two years now, and I think that an entire nomination will be dedicated to science, and it will be possible to compete in a fair and competitive struggle, because both readers and the expert community vote.”
“In addition to information support, we will be directly involved in scientific and analytical work,” Kristina Muravyova revealed the details of the cooperation. “Working with RAS academicians gives us the opportunity to apply real research in big science in practice and show businesses that innovations can be quickly applied and it is not necessary to wedge in only at the stage when you can make a profit from it, but sometimes it is profitable to stand at the origins of fundamental research in order to be ahead of the rest of the world. And given that technological progress is now moving at a rapid pace, we hope that the combination of academicians’ expertise in fundamental science and experts with deep industry knowledge will allow the academy to participate, among other things, in monitoring the formation of routing maps for project implementation at all stages, including investment and commissioning. In order to understand whether it is worth launching a project or not, such an expert association, in our opinion, will be as comfortable as possible for both business and the state. And here the academy takes on the main role in order to be a guarantor of security.”
Read about other events of SPIEF-2025 in our next publications.
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