Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
This year, the Polytechnic University's Natural Sciences Lyceum celebrates its anniversary. Thirty years ago, SPbPU Rector Yuri Vasiliev and representatives of the St. Petersburg Education Committee signed the Charter of the state educational institution of secondary (complete) general education "Natural Sciences Lyceum."
The creation of the lyceum was a response to a disturbing trend in the 1990s—a precipitous decline in interest in engineering majors. To reverse this, career guidance needed to begin well before 11th grade: this was precisely the goal the new lyceum set for itself.
Its mission is not simply to provide schoolchildren with a quality education, but to specifically motivate them to choose an engineering career. From the very beginning of the student selection process, the lyceum prioritized early career guidance: instead of passively waiting for graduates ready to apply to university, it began actively recruiting high school students from other schools, fostering their enduring interest in engineering disciplines.
Thus, the lyceum became a tool for systematic propaganda: through in-depth study of mathematics, physics, and other natural science subjects, it showed schoolchildren the prospects of an engineering career, demonstrated the connection between the school curriculum and real-world production, and opened doors to the world of high-tech professions.
In the 1990s, the Physics and Technology School, under the patronage of the Physics and Technology Institute and Zhores Alferov personally, became affiliated with the Polytechnic University. Its success prompted SPbPU Rector Yuri Vasiliev to create a similar structure, but one focused on engineering specialties. The Alferov School taught classical, fundamental physics, while the Polytechnic University wanted to create something more closely aligned with industry, encouraging students to pursue engineering majors. Students then decided for themselves that they would later enroll at the Polytechnic University. Today, the Natural Sciences Lyceum and the Physics and Technology School are on par in terms of training and educational quality.
On September 1, 1996, the first Lyceum students began classes. They were held on the premises of the Polytechnic University. Five classrooms were located in the Hydrotechnical Building, chemistry in the Chemical Building, and descriptive geometry in the drawing rooms of the Main Building, as well as in the first and second buildings. The most qualified faculty members taught the Lyceum students from the very beginning. The special atmosphere, businesslike approach, and a touch of democracy introduced by the first director, Elena Kharitonova, are still preserved at the Lyceum.
"The main goal is to deliver an educational program that helps children develop a healthy worldview. We teach children to speak and express their thoughts in their own words, so if we have the opportunity to ask something verbally, we always do so," noted Roman Baibikov, director of the Natural Sciences Lyceum.
Students were recruited from other schools for the senior classes. Things started off tough. Students and their parents didn't want to attend the lyceum, and there was no competition. Furthermore, there was a shortage of funding and teachers. Initially, it was decided that university professors, rather than professional teachers, would teach the lyceum students. Thus, a small group of associate professors and professors formed who enthusiastically began working with the students. This trend was later maintained.
In 2009, the Education Committee withdrew from the Lyceum's founding members, and the Polytechnic University opened a new division, the Natural Sciences Lyceum. Since 2012, all educational activities have taken place in the building on Svetlanovskaya Square.
In 2021, the Natural Sciences Lyceum opened a chemistry and biology class. This is a promising area, and the country needs such specialists.
Currently, the lyceum employs one doctor of science and 16 candidates of science. The entire teaching staff consists of 34 people, most of whom are university faculty. The remainder are college instructors specializing in humanities subjects: English, Russian language and literature. All mathematics and physics instructors work in higher education.
"I've been at the Lyceum for 25 years now. I can say it's pleasant and interesting to work here, and everyone in the team is respectful," says history teacher Sergei Lagushkin. "Almost everything has changed over the years: the classrooms and their equipment, the library collection, and the teaching staff has become younger. We have the most modern history textbooks, and the Lyceum's teachers are now graduates of the Polytechnic University, who previously graduated from the Natural Sciences Lyceum."
The lyceum is currently among the top 30 schools in the country and among the top 5 in St. Petersburg for quality of education. In 2025, it ranked 28th in the ranking of the best Russian schools for graduate competitiveness in technical, natural sciences, and the exact sciences.
The students are interested in mastering the subject, understanding the processes involved, and developing a systematic knowledge base. And, ultimately, the results of this collaborative work are visible: graduates of the Natural Sciences Lyceum excel on the Unified State Exam in physics, win physics-related Olympiads, and are admitted to the most prestigious universities in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Naturally, when such collaboration yields tangible results, one feels a sense of accomplishment, said physics teacher Vyacheslav Bondarenko.
The Lyceum implements the idea of continuous professional training, which allows for the most optimal solution to many of the challenges facing the modern education system.
The Lyceum supports all children's endeavors. Each student has an individual project in their curriculum, and Polytechnic University undergraduate and graduate students are involved in its implementation. All necessary equipment is readily available at the Lyceum.
The Polytechnic University frequently hosts lectures for Lyceum students given by prominent scientists. Schoolchildren also participate in all the master classes held at SPbPU during the winter school holidays.
Representatives from various Polytechnic institutes visit eleventh-graders twice a month to conduct organizational events and classes so that the students can better understand all areas of study.
Over 80% of graduates go on to university, 55% to SPbPU. Vladimir Glukhov, an advisor to the rector's office who was at the forefront of the lyceum's founding, emphasizes: "Here, children receive a higher-quality mathematics and physics education. Lyceum students are aiming for university entrance into engineering majors. They already know where they're headed."
We treat every student as an individual. We always address them formally. We've created an atmosphere at our Lyceum where teachers are happy to come to work, are on time, and don't reschedule or miss classes without a valid reason or notice. They set an example. Children see this conscientious attitude and begin to behave in the same way," said Roman Baibikov, Principal of the Natural Sciences Lyceum.
The lyceum offers three additional educational programs for students: Elements of Higher Mathematics, Information Technology, and Olympiad Physics. These programs are available in 11th grade. Upon passing the final assessment, graduates receive a certificate awarding five additional points toward their Unified State Exam (USE) scores.
In the next few years, we plan to launch several more relevant supplementary education programs for students in grades 8 and 9. Additionally, we will develop a chemistry and biology program.
"Over the three decades of its existence, the Natural Sciences Lyceum of the Polytechnic University has become a true breeding ground for talented applicants entering the country's leading universities. It is also important that it is the alma mater for a whole host of future engineers, researchers, and scientists who shape the development of scientific and technological progress in Russia," emphasizes SPbPU Rector Andrey Rudskoy. "The Lyceum's consistent leadership in the rankings of St. Petersburg educational institutions confirms its commitment to high educational standards, in-depth scientific training, and genuine dedication to the development of engineering professionals."
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