Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University (SPbPU) celebrated the grand opening of a renovated educational space for the "Power Machines — Polytech" student design bureau (SDB), a key component of the SDB "Systems Engineering" ecosystem. The project is being implemented as part of a strategic partnership between the Polytechnic University and Power Machines, providing practice-oriented training for engineers in the high-tech industry. The "Power Machines — Polytech" student design bureau was established in 2020. The space will become a focal point for students involved in real-world engineering and research projects in power engineering.
The Special Design Bureau "Power Machines – Polytechnic" accepts students from the Institute of Energy, the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Materials, and Transport, the Physical-Mechanical Institute, the Institute of Computer Science and Cybersecurity, and the SPbPU "Digital Engineering" vocational school. To work at the Special Design Bureau, students undergo a selection process aimed at building a promising talent pool for Power Machines. Students can begin their careers with the company while still undergraduates.
During their collaboration, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University and Power Machines have implemented other new formats for training future engineers. They organized the educational project "Power Machines Trajectory," which won the 2024 All-Russian Competition for Best Practices in Youth Employment in the "Partnership in Developing Professional Competencies" category. They also host Power Machines Youth Days and the "Energy of Youth" scientific and practical conference. In 2025, work was completed to revive the "Engineering and Management of Electric Power Facilities" program. Students in the master's program gain knowledge and skills in electrical machines and potentially become engineers, designers, and testers at the Electrosila plant (part of Power Machines). This dual-degree program, in addition to core disciplines, teaches the fundamentals of project management and production economics, broadening the professional horizons of future specialists.
Representatives from Power Machines and SPbPU participated in the opening ceremony of the educational space. Guests were introduced to the capabilities of the Scientific and Engineering Center for Advanced Electrical Insulation Systems, where students and young researchers conduct computational and experimental work, participate in R&D, and master modern methods for testing and modeling power machine components.
Particular attention was paid to the demonstration of laboratory equipment and experimental setups, where students test insulating materials, study electrical and thermal aging processes, and investigate vibratory arc discharges and the mechanical properties of samples. This is the only laboratory among Russian universities dedicated to the study of electrical insulating materials and structures. Work in the laboratories is carried out according to technical specifications from Power Machines engineering.
In addition to extensive research and development, we collaborate with the Polytechnic University to create conditions for students to seamlessly transition from their studies to professional careers. This year, we launched a new student design bureau for electrical insulation and a targeted master's program in electrical machines. These programs allow students to participate in the full equipment development cycle—from concept and calculations to implementation in high-tech production. This fosters the modern engineering thinking of future specialists, which ultimately contributes to the development of our country's engineering potential, emphasized Alexander Ivanovsky, General Designer of Power Machines.
The renovated SKB space features student workstations, where they use the same software suites as engineers and designers at Power Machines. The students explained the training format at SKB Power Machines – Polytech and the tasks they are working on.
"The development of student design bureaus is one of the Polytechnic's priorities," noted Maxim Pasholikov, SPbPU Vice-Rector for Information, Youth Policy, and Security. "Joint projects with industrial partners, such as Power Machines, allow us to build a practice-oriented, seamless training program for engineers and create an environment in which education is directly linked to the real-world challenges of the country's economic and technological development."
Summing up the visit, university and company representatives emphasized that SKB Power Machines – Polytech exemplifies the effective integration of education, science, and industry. This collaboration helps train sought-after engineers, build the industry's talent pool, and engage students in solving pressing technological challenges already during their studies.
The Specialized Design Bureau "Power Machines – Polytechnic" is an important element of the University Development Program, integrating education, project work, and research into a single trajectory. Furthermore, the Specialized Design Bureau format allows the university to flexibly respond to the needs of high-tech industries and train specialists to meet current challenges. "It's important to note that we are building a unified chain, permeating all levels of education, from school design bureaus to student design bureaus, including secondary vocational education, and this chain culminates in design bureaus at high-tech industrial enterprises," commented Oleg Rozhdestvensky, Head of the SPbPU Office of Technological Leadership.
The educational space of the SKB "Power Machines – Polytech" will become a platform for expanding joint scientific research and developing new areas of training for industry specialists capable of addressing technological leadership challenges.
In April 2025, the student design bureau "System Engineering" won the Student Design Bureau Competition of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation in the "Student Design Leadership" category, receiving a subsidy from the federal budget.
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