Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
The All-Russian scientific and practical conference with international participation, "State Transformation in a Digital Society: New Management Solutions and Security Challenges," was held at Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University. It was timed to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the Institute of Industrial Management, Economics, and Trade. The conference was organized by the Higher School of Public Administration. Key events included plenary and breakout sessions, a roundtable discussion, a discussion platform, and a business simulation.
The event opened with a plenary session, bringing together government experts, young professionals, and students interested in developing public and municipal services in the context of digital transformation. Leading public administration experts spoke at the plenary session.
Igor Murashev, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Civil Service and Personnel Policy of the St. Petersburg Governor's Administration, presented a report entitled "Trends in the Development of the State Civil Service in St. Petersburg." He highlighted key changes, current challenges, and prospects for the development of the regional civil service.
Today, we are faced with the task of discussing key trends in the development of the civil service in the context of digitalization. Modern professionals are confronted with two opposing trends: on the one hand, the blurring of specializations, and on the other, the growing need for broad expertise and peripheral knowledge. To be in demand, you need to become unique to employers, develop your own competencies, and be able to see the big picture. It's important to be focused, see your projects through to completion, differentiate yourself from others, and understand the industry average to stay just above it. I wish everyone productive work and interesting discussions! noted Igor Murashev.
Andrey Zhabrev, head of the Polyustrovo municipality and First Deputy Chairman of the Council of Municipalities of St. Petersburg, spoke about the dynamics of local government in the city. In his speech, he noted that a new system of unified public authority is being formed, which improves governance and accountability, facilitates the integration of the municipal level into the citywide system, and ensures an equally high quality of life for all residents. According to him, this is an important step forward, allowing government bodies to work more effectively with the public and respond more quickly to their requests.
The future depends on each of you—on your attitude to work, your desire to make a difference, and your love for your homeland and region. It's important that your work is always rooted in your heart, soul, and understanding of what you do and why. Today, a new system of unified public authority is being formed, enhancing governance and accountability, integrating municipalities into the citywide system, and ensuring a uniform quality of life for all residents. This will improve the effectiveness of government bodies and their interactions with the public. You are studying at one of the oldest and best universities in the country—take advantage of this opportunity, learn from strong professors whose experience and service to society are a true foundation for future success. It's important to choose a direction that resonates with you and pursue it to the end. Be proactive, take initiative, and believe in yourself," shared Andrey Zhabrev.
Participants also found particular interest in the discussion panel "Public Service Without a Tie," held in the Posnikov Conference Hall. The panel was moderated by Igor Murashev and Maxim Ivanov, Deputy Director of the Institute of Industrial Management, Economics, and Trade.
Polytechnic University graduates, members of the Youth Personnel Reserve, and young civil servants took part in the open dialogue:
Ekaterina Makareikina, Chief Specialist of the Civil Service and Personnel Department of the Construction Committee; Yulia Katrashova, Lead Specialist of the Small and Medium Entrepreneurship Support Department of the Entrepreneurship Development Department of the Committee for Industrial Policy, Innovation, and Trade of St. Petersburg; and Ekaterina Evlampieva, Chief Specialist of the Vocational Education Department of the Education Committee.
The discussion focused on the most pressing issues for young professionals: how to enter the civil service through the Youth Personnel Reserve, what career opportunities are available in executive bodies, what the workday of a civil servant looks like, what challenges young professionals face, what skills are most in demand, how management decisions are made, and how responsibility is distributed at different levels.
Participants emphasized that it is important for modern civil servants to possess not only professional knowledge, but also flexible thinking, responsibility, and a willingness to continuously develop.
Yulia Katrashova, a 2025 graduate of the HSE Master's program, offered advice to future professionals: "You're just at the beginning of your journey. Find your field, develop, and don't be afraid of anything!"
The event was broadcast online, significantly expanding the audience for the discussion and making the discussion of public administration issues accessible to all interested parties.
The conference also included a roundtable discussion, "Serving the City: New Quality of Training for Government Personnel," moderated by HSSU associate professors Marina Ivanova and Tamara Selentyeva.
The roundtable brought together representatives of government agencies from St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region, federal authorities, representatives of the country's regions, heads of state and municipal institutions and enterprises, and university experts. Issues related to university-government cooperation, ensuring the quality of training for public sector personnel, and experience in implementing successful joint projects were discussed.
Marina Ivanova emphasized: "The importance of such events is difficult to overestimate; it is obvious both to government agencies and, of course, to the university. Direct, open dialogue, aligned positions, and visions on providing graduates with in-demand competencies are what allow education to remain relevant, effective, and meaningful. The dialogue generated numerous new ideas and challenges for jointly ensuring the quality of training for future civil servants."
The roundtable brought together true professionals in training personnel for the civil service and municipal government. During the discussions, potential employers of our graduates raised questions about the necessary skills and abilities required of young professionals. We, on the academic side, listened to their opinions and developed a collaboration strategy to implement these plans. "I hope that next year we will be able to present the first results of the updated student training format in a similar format," shared Grigory Kulkaev, a participant in the roundtable and Deputy Director for Practical Training at HSE University.
A business game, "Elections: Candidate," was organized for conference participants. It was led by Varvara Bucherova, Deputy Chair of the St. Petersburg Youth Parliament and a 2025 graduate of the Graduate School of Public Administration (HSSU), and Nikita Golubov, representative for youth affairs of the Kalininsky District Administration of St. Petersburg. The game helped improve political literacy and understanding of the election process.
The conference consisted of three sections.
Current Trends in Public and Municipal Administration. Moderator: Victoria Degtereva, Professor, Graduate School of Public Administration. Public and Municipal Management of Socioeconomic and Environmental Development. Moderator: Natalia Putintseva, Associate Professor, Graduate School of Public Administration. Regional Economic Security: Current Challenges, Threats, and Opportunities for Improving the Effectiveness of Interagency Cooperation in the Digital Environment. Moderator: Tatyana Feofilova, Associate Professor, Graduate School of Public Administration.
During the sections, participants shared important research findings and discussed topics in the areas of public and municipal governance and economic security.
"We have gathered here to discuss how public authority is changing under the onslaught of digital technologies, what new competencies are required of civil servants, and how to ensure security in this rapid process, as economic security is becoming the foundation upon which state resilience, its technological sovereignty, and the well-being of citizens are built. Modern threats are complex: from cyberattacks on critical infrastructure to new challenges in global markets. And it is the quality of our management decisions and the effectiveness of interdepartmental cooperation in the digital environment that determines whether we can not only counter these threats but also transform them into new opportunities for development," said Olga Nadezhda, Acting Director of the Graduate School of Management.
The event became an important platform for scientific and professional dialogue, exchange of experience, and the development of new ideas in the field of public administration.
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