Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
The Institute of Industrial Management, Economics, and Trade at SPbPU hosted a team competition in public administration—an intellectual quest called "In the Service of the City," developed using a unique, proprietary methodology. Ten teams and 96 schoolchildren participated in the event.
The quest was held as part of the career guidance project "Smolny School," which is being implemented by the Committee for Civil Service and Personnel Policy of the Administration of the Governor of St. Petersburg.
Polytechnic University is one of the project's key partner universities. The university provides schoolchildren with the opportunity to explore the modern educational environment, its infrastructure, and prospects for professional development in public administration. The project aims to foster informed career choices and promote civil service among young people.
The competition was based on a game legend. Participants were tasked with designing a new district of St. Petersburg, which was just beginning to develop. Teams created a comfortable and modern urban environment, taking into account the interests of residents, infrastructure development, and economic and management aspects.
The work was organized as an intellectual quest. Participants completed five thematic stations, each simulating the activities of relevant government bodies: the Digitalization Committee, the Budget Committee, the Regulatory Committee, the Lean Management Committee, and the Territorial Branding Committee. The students solved practical problems related to urban development and, for successfully completing them, received the game currency—PolyCoin.
After completing the stations, the teams moved on to the design phase, where they used the funds they had earned to purchase infrastructure facilities and create a map of the future district. Participants considered functional zones, transportation links, and the placement of social and commercial facilities, forming a holistic concept for the area's development.
"This team competition, formatted as an intellectual quest, allows participants not only to test their knowledge but also to try their hand at being managers making decisions for the city's development. All tasks take place here and now, so it's important for the students to work as a team, quickly analyze information, and find effective solutions. It's especially gratifying that the competition was developed jointly with the Polytechnic University team. This is the result of extensive collaboration. I'm confident that events like these help the students better understand public administration and, perhaps, take the first step toward a future career in public service," noted Sergei Svechnikov, Head of the Assessment and Personnel Reserves Department of the Civil Service and Personnel Policy Committee of the St. Petersburg Governor's Administration and the project's organizer.
At the competition finals, the teams presented their solutions to a panel of experts.
The final meeting of the Smolny School was truly professional and energetic—we managed to immerse the participants in the real atmosphere of project work. The most valuable thing was the students' sparkling eyes and the bold ideas they presented in the final. Each team took home not only souvenirs but also valuable experience in teamwork and self-confidence. I am confident that the ambassador's main goal—to convey their love for the university—was fulfilled. We look forward to seeing them as our students," noted project ambassador Anton Zubarev, a first-year student majoring in Public and Municipal Administration.
The team from State Budgetary Educational Institution Secondary School No. 47, named after D.S. Likhachev and offering in-depth study of individual subjects in the Petrogradsky District of St. Petersburg, won the competition. The teams from State Budgetary Educational Institution Secondary School No. 598 in the Primorsky District and State Budgetary Educational Institution Gymnasium No. 622 in the Vyborgsky District of St. Petersburg also took first place.
The final round was the highlight of the event: by defending their projects, participants not only demonstrated their acquired knowledge and skills but also experienced the role of real urban engineers, architects, and even conductors of a complex territorial management system. The competition proved its value as an effective career guidance tool, allowing schoolchildren to gain practical insight into public administration principles, develop strategic thinking, teamwork, and design skills.
"It's important for us to create career guidance formats where students don't just receive information but are immersed in real-life management practices. This intellectual quest allows participants to feel part of a decision-making team, explore the interconnectedness of various areas of city governance, and test their skills in solving complex problems. I'm confident that this experience helps students make informed decisions about their future profession and educational path," noted Maxim Ivanov, IPMEIT Deputy Director for Advanced Projects and Youth Policy and the university's project organizer.
The expert jury included representatives of the Committee on Civil Service and Personnel Policy of the St. Petersburg Governor's Administration—Sergey Svechnikov, Head of the Assessment and Personnel Reserves Department, and Dmitry Zemskov, specialist—as well as representatives of the Institute of Mechanics and Technology (IPMET): Maxim Ivanov, Deputy Director for Promising Projects and Youth Policy, and Olga Chemeris, Marina Ivanova, and Tamara Selentyeva, professors at the institute.
For the Institute of Industrial Management, Economics, and Trade, it is especially important to create formats for schoolchildren that immediately reinforce theory with practice. The intellectual quest allows participants not only to learn the fundamentals of public administration but also to see how management decisions are made in real-life settings. We are pleased to be part of the Smolny School project and contribute to the training of future specialists for the public administration system," noted Vladimir Shchepinin, Director of the Institute of Industrial Management, Economics, and Trade.
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