Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: Peoples'Friendship University of Russia –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Analysis of target markets, conclusion of a contract with a sanction clause, development of logistics for deliveries to Latin American countries. These are just some of the points from the business plans prepared for Russian companies by students of the Faculty of Economics and the Law Institute of RUDN. But first things first.
Through the sieve of selection
At RUDN, students have the opportunity to study in a project-based master's program. This model of education assumes that students unite in teams and jointly develop a project (their final qualification work) for real customers – they can be both domestic and foreign companies. The projects that will be discussed were prepared by students of the Faculty of Economics and the Law Institute of RUDN. The Moscow Export Center helps the university find customer companies for them.
"After the selection, we introduce the students to each other and simultaneously send a request to colleagues at the Moscow Export Center asking them to involve Russian and foreign companies in the implementation of the projects. The MEC provides us with a list of interested enterprises with their brief description and the desired request: what product or service the company produces, where it wants to export them. We pass all this on to the students, after which teams are formed taking into account the students' wishes. The master's students begin working, and once a month we gather them to check what stage the projects are at. To help the students complete the assigned tasks, we conduct master classes from teachers and invited experts," says Maria Maslova, a RUDN University graduate and head of the educational programs department of the educational and acceleration programs department of the ANO "MEC".
A fresh look at business
In the spring, teams have a pre-defense of their projects in front of company representatives, where they receive feedback and learn about problematic areas that need to be corrected. The final defense of the diploma work is held according to the schedule of the state final certification.
"Business is interested in a fresh look at promising markets for their products. Companies essentially order a "consulting study" from us. They want to enter certain markets where they are not yet represented. RUDN economics students analyze these markets, calculate the financial component, develop marketing strategies for entry and promotion, and draw a conclusion about the profitability of the project. And students of the Law Institute analyze the entire legal component of entering foreign markets, prepare a draft foreign trade contract, and analyze the specifics of the legal system of the selected country," says Maria Maslova, a RUDN graduate and head of the educational programs department of the educational and acceleration programs department of the ANO "MEC".
Focus on Latin America
One of the projects that RUDN University master's students worked on last academic year concerned the entry of the Leber company into the Latin American market. It produces children's playgrounds.
"Our research revealed special features of the target markets, in particular, a high proportion of young people: children under 14 years old make up about 25-30% of the population. This indicates a huge potential for the company to enter the markets of these countries. In addition, an absolute plus for business development in the chosen direction is the established sea routes from the port of St. Petersburg to the ports of Latin American countries. However, there were obstacles here, because due to sanctions, there is a ban on the movement of Russian ships through the waters of unfriendly countries. To solve the problem, we suggested that Leber use the services of experienced forwarding companies based in the target markets," Mekhriddin Nuraliyev, a graduate of the Faculty of Economics of RUDN University.
According to Mehriddin, the most difficult part to develop was the financial part of the business plan. After all, without launching sales in the markets of Mexico, Brazil and Argentina, it is very difficult to forecast the profitability of the activity and calculate the income and expense estimate for 3-5 years ahead.
"But we coped with this task and received high praise for our business plan from Leber representatives. The company praised the team's professionalism and the depth of the research conducted," says Mekhriddin Nuraliyev, a graduate of the RUDN University Faculty of Economics.
Sanctions and the Middle East
The second project was developed by RUDN students for the Mesoformula company, a Russian manufacturer of innovative products for aesthetic medicine and professional cosmetology. The company wants to enter the Saudi Arabian market.
"We proposed the "corridor-2030" strategy – a consistent entry into the Saudi Arabian market through halal certification, registration with the SFDA and cooperation with a distributor in Jeddah. Together with my colleagues, we also thought out a financial model and built a legal and logistical "framework" for the project so that every figure and every condition worked in the same rhythm. At the same time, I managed to apply my skills as a lawyer, political scientist and GR specialist. I developed a protective sanction clause, assessed geopolitical risks and, having organized a consultative meeting with Saudi experts through the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Industry, received prompt feedback. Thus, we significantly accelerated the negotiations and opened the necessary doors to the Middle East," – Rodion Lobanovsky, a graduate of the RUDN Law Institute.
Mesoformula has approved the students’ project, and its pilot launch is confirmed for 2026.
"I am very glad that it was possible to implement cooperation between Russian companies and my home university. We worked together for almost a year, and are very pleased with the result. The resulting projects really contain many points that the companies paid attention to, including in terms of the specifics of interaction between Russian business and the selected markets. We hope for further cooperation," – Maria Maslova, Head of the Educational Programs Department of the Educational and Acceleration Programs Department of ANO "MEC".
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