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 visited Lovely Professional University in India. The visit had many objectives and included organizing a large-scale international competition, participating in key scientific forums, and launching new joint educational initiatives. Olga Ergunova, Associate Professor of the Higher School of Industrial Management at the Institute of Industrial Management and Technology, represented the Polytechnic University.
The main event of the visit was the organization of the final and awards ceremony of the II international competition of projects of students and young scientists "SMART CITY 2030: Sustainable Development Management of BRICS Cities", which took place on the campus of Lovely Professional University.
The competition is organized by a consortium of leading universities: SPbPU (Russia), LPU (India), Tsinghua University (China), and the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). Its mission is to support youth initiatives in sustainable urban development, the implementation of smart city technologies, the creation of a comfortable urban environment, and the modernization of urban infrastructure.
This year, the competition was held in India for the first time, bringing together talented young researchers from BRICS countries. The event, held in a hybrid format, featured participants presenting projects in four key areas:
Developing the intellectual and creative potential of cities; creating a safe and environmentally friendly urban environment; implementing digital services and technologies; and developing the energy and transport infrastructure of the future.
The expert council noted the high level of analytical development, innovative solutions, and focus on sustainable development.
Competition coordinator Olga Ergunova noted the role of academic partnerships: "We see how young researchers from different countries are shaping a new picture of urban development. The BRICS countries are creating a unique platform where breakthrough ideas for a sustainable urban future are born."
The Grand Prix of the competition was won by five teams whose projects were recognized as the most promising.
The SPbPU team, consisting of Daria Gunbina, Nikita Gavrilchik, Stanislav Konovalov, and Santoso Muhammad Kohhar Dwi, was awarded for their project of an intelligent waste monitoring and management system based on smart containers, which uses sensor technologies and data analytics to optimize the collection of recyclable materials. The Tsinghua University team was awarded for their SpecAI AI platform, based on LLM, for accelerating and verifying construction specifications, ensuring the transparency and efficiency of urban infrastructure projects. The Lovely Professional University team was awarded for their project of comprehensive urban infrastructure modernization in Delhi, integrating energy, water, and transport management for the sustainable development of the metropolis by 2030. The Federal University of Paraíba team was awarded for their "Energy Urbanism" concept, which uses environmental and tax mechanisms to incentivize energy efficiency and sustainable urban policy in Natal. The Universitas Indonesia team was awarded for their project "Dukuh Atas TOD Towards Seamless Mobility," which is developing a model for seamless mobility and integrated urban transport in Jakarta.
Commenting on his victory, Stanislav Konovalov, a master's student at the Higher School of Industrial Management at SPbPU, noted: "This competition isn't just a platform for ideas; it's a place where the future of cities is shaped. It's a great honor for us to receive this international recognition. We strive to make cities smarter, more convenient, and more environmentally friendly."
The top ten projects took first place, including:
Green Shield (Serendipity MBA School, Shenzhen University, China) – an AI-based digital ecosystem for reducing the heat island effect; Autonomous Intelligent Waste Containers (Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil)
This competition is a model for the future of BRICS: youth, technology, international cooperation, and responsibility for the development of our cities. The solutions presented here have the potential to change the reality of modern cities," emphasized Aman Mittai, co-organizer of the competition and Vice President of LPU.
Olga Ergunova, Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Management (GSPM), spoke at the plenary session of the AICGS 2025 Global Summit on International Scientific Cooperation, Academic Mobility, and Sustainable Development. She also participated in expert sessions at the IV Annual International Conference "Rethinking Internationalization: Co-Shaping the Future of Higher Education," and delivered an open lecture for students. She also presented the results of a study supported by the Russian Science Foundation, Project No. 25-28-01469, "Neural Network Solutions for Managing Social and Labor Relations in the Digital Economy of Megacities," in her paper, "Digital Transformation of Labor Markets in Megacities: Optimizing the Workforce with AI and Blockchain."
During their visit, the guests toured the campus of Chaudhary Charan Singh University (Meerut), one of the largest public universities in Uttar Pradesh. Olga Ergunova participated in a presentation session, where she introduced the university's key faculties and research areas, including engineering, humanities, and management programs. CCSU's leadership and faculty expressed strong interest in developing international projects, academic exchanges, and joint research initiatives with SPbPU. Discussions also focused on expanding cooperation and launching student mobility programs, including short-term schools, internships, and joint research projects for graduate students and young scientists. Particular attention was paid to opportunities for Indian students to participate in international competitions and projects at the Polytechnic University, including initiatives in the field of smart urban development.
A significant outcome of the meetings was the signing of an agreement between Chaudhary Charan Singh University and Lovely Professional University and the BRICS Association of Women Scientists, whose Executive Director is Olga Ergunova. The association currently unites women researchers from seven countries and develops international scientific networks, mentoring projects, leadership programs, and academic mobility for young scientists. The agreement will open new opportunities for promoting female scientific leadership, expanding the participation of women researchers in international projects, and joint initiatives in sustainable development, digital technologies, healthcare, and education.
The final round of the SMART CITY 2030 competition in India clearly demonstrated how academic partnerships between leading universities translate into concrete results: from the brilliant projects of student teams from BRICS countries that won the Grand Prix to joint programs that will open up new opportunities for student exchanges and joint research. "We're not just exchanging knowledge—we're working together to shape the architecture of a sustainable future for millions of residents of megacities," noted Vice-Rector for International Affairs Dmitry Arsenyev.
The competition finals and the working visit of the SPbPU delegation clearly demonstrated that the university is a key driver of international scientific and educational cooperation within the BRICS framework, creating an environment where innovations for the cities of the future are born and supported.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
