Category: Санкт-Петербургский политехнический университет Петра Великого

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Dmitry Fedorov, head of educational projects at Positive Technologies (Positive Education), gave a lecture at the Polytechnic University. The topic was "Cybersecurity Specialist in Modern Conditions."

Dmitry Yuryevich spoke to students of the Higher School of Cybersecurity and the Higher School of Artificial Intelligence Technologies, who are studying in top-level educational programs, about the profession of "cybersecurity specialist," the specifics of such a specialist's thinking, and the application of artificial intelligence technologies in solving applied problems in cybersecurity.

Guest lectures expand the standard academic program, providing students with the opportunity to gain unique practical experience and insight from industry experts, helping them better understand the real prospects of their future careers. Interacting with practicing experts can inspire new ideas and encourage further exploration of the topic, emphasized Vasily Krundyshev, head of the educational program.

During the final session, first-year students had the opportunity to personally ask the speaker their questions and receive advice on getting started in their careers. Those who asked the best questions received gifts.

We fully support the Ministry of Digital Development's initiatives, which force the higher education system to step out of its "comfort zone" and begin training cybersecurity specialists not only in accordance with formal standards (regulations, sample curricula), but also those truly in demand in the labor market. Positive Technologies has extensive practical experience in information security and IT, and we are ready to openly share this with aspiring specialists," noted Dmitry Fedorov, head of educational projects at Positive Technologies (Positive Education).

Also, the heads of the educational programs V. M. Krundyshev (10.03.01_06 "Computer Systems Security (Artificial Intelligence Technologies in Cybersecurity)"), A. A. Lukashin (02.03.01_03 "Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence Technologies") and V. A. Mulyukha (02.03.03_02 "Data Mining Technologies") discussed with D. Yu. Fedorov the issues of expanding cooperation between FSAEI VO "SPbPU" and JSC "Positive Technologies", including the opening of an R&D center, providing access to training simulators, organizing internships and practical training for students at production and research sites, as well as attracting leading specialists from the company in the field as mentors, tutors and experts.

The lecture is part of a project to train top specialists in artificial intelligence, implemented at the initiative of the Russian Ministry of Digital Development, Communications, and Mass Media with the participation of the Analytical Center under the Government of the Russian Federation as part of the federal projects "Artificial Intelligence" and "Personnel for Digital Transformation" of the national project "Data Economy and Digital Transformation of the State."

Detailed information about the Polytechnic University's training of top specialists in artificial intelligence available at the link.

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A delegation from Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, led by Vladimir Shchepinin, Director of the Institute of Industrial Management, Economics, and Trade, paid a working visit to its Chinese partner universities. The delegation also included Dmitry Rodionov, Director of the Higher School of Engineering and Economics, and Ekaterina Burova and Tatyana Mokeeva, Associate Professors at the Higher School of Economics and Management. The visit combined historical remembrance with strategic discussions on the future of Russian-Chinese academic partnership.

To understand the full symbolism of the visit, one must return to the late 1930s. Following the onset of full-scale Japanese aggression in 1937, China found itself in a critical situation. Its coastal regions were captured or blockaded by enemy naval forces, cutting off its main supply routes. The only artery linking China to the outside world was the overland "Northwest Corridor." Its final destination was Lanzhou in Gansu Province. Beginning in October 1937, an unprecedented operation to ferry Soviet military equipment began along this arduous route from Alma-Ata to Lanzhou. China received I-15 and I-16 fighters, SB bombers, tanks, artillery, fuel, and medical supplies.

But equipment without people is nothing. Following the aircraft, Soviet volunteer pilots set out for China. Formed in strict secrecy, the 1st, 2nd, and 4th Air Groups engaged in fierce battles with the Japanese air force, which dominated the skies. Their primary mission was to protect Lanzhou itself—the heart of the "air bridge"—from aerial destruction.

It was a war of attrition. The Japanese launched massive air raids, attempting to cripple the logistics hub. Soviet pilots, flying worn-out aircraft in challenging mountainous conditions and without any knowledge of the language, held back the onslaught. They not only defended the skies but also trained their Chinese colleagues. More than 200 Soviet pilots died in battles over Lanzhou and on the dangerous ferry route. Many of them are buried in the memorial cemetery in the Zilin district. Their heroism defined for decades to come the Chinese people's attitude toward Russia as a brother nation that came to their aid in their darkest hour.

It was at this memorial, erected in the 1950s and a symbol of unbreakable friendship, that the SPbPU delegation laid a wreath and fresh flowers. Representing the Chinese partners, the ceremony was attended by Li Qiong, Director of the Institute of International Programs, and Cai Leiyue, Deputy Director.

"We stand here not only as representatives of the university, but also as heirs to that great generation," said Vladimir Shchepinin, Director of the Institute of Mechanics and Technology. "They defended the future. And our mission is to create the future. The trust built by their heroism today forms the foundation for our professional dialogue with our Chinese colleagues. We must live up to this memory by infusing Russian-Chinese cooperation with breakthrough projects in education and science."

"The historical truth is that our countries have endured trials together," VIES Director Dmitry Rodionov echoed his colleague. "And today, when discussing joint educational programs or research, we continue to build that same 'bridge'—only now a bridge of knowledge, technology, and human connections. This is the best tribute to the memory of the fallen."

The delegation visited two key partner universities, which occupy leading positions in their regions:

Lanzhou University of Finance and Economics (LUFE) is a leading university in economics and finance in Northwest China; Inner Mongolia University of Finance and Economics (IMUFE) is the main financial and economic university in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

Polytechnic University's collaboration with its Chinese partners in financial education began in 2020. Since then, two successful joint programs have been implemented:

Joint international bachelor's degree program in Finance with LUFE (first cohort in 2021, 89 students enrolled); Joint international bachelor's degree program in International Finance (since 2022, joint program with LUFE and IMUFE, 63 students enrolled).

At the same time, the number of applicants is growing, despite the general trend of declining interest in some international programs.

A key event was a meeting with the new LUFE Vice President, Professor Huang Hengzhong. The parties praised the long-standing fruitful cooperation not only in education but also in research. In October 2025, Professor Huang Hengzhong participated in the opening ceremony of the SPbPU IDE 2025 international conference, organized by VIES.

The main outcome of the negotiations was the agreement to develop a detailed roadmap for cooperation for 2026-2030. The document will include both educational initiatives (expanding existing programs, launching new ones) and scientific projects.

"The partnership with Chinese universities creates a favorable environment for developing long-term research projects focused on fundamental, educational, and applied problems. Our strategic cooperation creates expanded conditions for implementing major inter-university initiatives, developing customized educational pathways, and strengthening the scientific and pedagogical school of engineering economics through joint technology programs. The format we are developing facilitates the creation of integrated digital solutions and strengthens the participants' positions in international cooperation," noted Vladimir Shchepinin.

During negotiations with IMUFE management, an agreement was reached to form joint research teams focused on research into current issues in financial economics and sustainable development principles. This collaboration includes holding regular international roundtables and a series of educational and scientific events.

Russian-Chinese university partnerships are creating a knowledge transfer architecture, where joint research laboratories and interdisciplinary programs enhance academic exchange. "The synergy between our academic schools leads to a broader range of competencies and accelerates technological innovation through the integration of approaches from two high-tech academic cultures focused on the long-term development of engineering, economics, and research," noted Dmitry Rodionov.

Following the mission, memorandums of understanding were developed with both universities. Implementation of the new agreements will begin in the first half of 2026. The SPbPU delegation not only held a series of successful meetings, but also embarked on a symbolic journey from a shared heroic past to a shared strategic future, cementing the university's role as an important link in Russian-Chinese relations.

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Mikhail Kovalchuk, President of the National Research Center "Kurchatov Institute," Chairman of the Supervisory Board of SPbPU, and Honorary Doctor of the Polytechnic University, delivered a lecture entitled "Nuclear Energy for Space" to students and scientists in the White Hall.

Mikhail Kovalchuk discussed the early days of space exploration in the USSR, the Buran orbital spacecraft, the development of space nuclear energy, priority technological trends, innovative nuclear energy technologies, rocket engines, space materials science, and much more.

At the beginning of his speech, Mikhail Valentinovich emphasized how the USSR began the space era by launching the first artificial Earth satellite, Sputnik 1, in 1957. He also noted such Soviet achievements as the first human spaceflight; the first woman in space; the first human spacewalk; the first docking of two unmanned spacecraft; the first soft landing on the surface of another planet; the first manned orbital space station, Salyut 1; the joint manned flight of the Soviet Soyuz 19 and American Apollo spacecraft; the first multi-module long-term orbital station, Mir; and the first automatic landing of the reusable Buran transport spacecraft.

"Our greatest achievement was the development of a completely unique system: 38 years ago, our spacecraft flew into space completely automatically. Unmanned, it orbited the Earth several times and then entered the runway where the commission was stationed. But suddenly, the spacecraft veered off course. It turned out that its system had detected excessively strong crosswinds, and it automatically changed its approach trajectory and landed," noted Mikhail Kovalchuk.

After this story, our guest even showed a video of the ship's landing, and also emphasized other advantages of the Buran.

Mikhail Kovalchuk then moved on to the topic of space nuclear energy. The symbolic beginning of this era is considered to be the meeting of the "Three Ks" at the Atomic Energy Institute: Mstislav Keldysh, Sergei Korolev, and Igor Kurchatov. By the 1950s, the main advantages of nuclear power plants had already been identified.

Recently, by decision of the Military-Industrial Commission, Mikhail Kovalchuk, President of the Kurchatov Institute National Research Center, was appointed head of the priority technology area "Technologies for Direct Conversion of Thermal Energy into Electrical Energy and Electric Propulsion Based on Superconductivity." Direct conversion of thermal energy into electrical energy is the process of directly converting heat into electricity without an intermediate mechanical process. Our guest elaborated on this topic: "A nuclear power plant has nothing in common with nuclear nuclear technology. A nuclear reactor is simply a 'stove.' It produces temperature, heat. And we use that heat to generate electricity."

Nuclear power plants are the best way to generate electricity in space. That's why, as early as 1964, the Kurchatov Institute created the world's first space power plant with direct conversion of thermal energy into electrical energy—the Romashka converter reactor.

The Selena unmanned, self-regulating nuclear power station, based on direct energy conversion principles, is currently being developed. Adapting the SNPP principles to lunar conditions will allow for the creation of stationary lunar energy sources. Similar low-power nuclear power stations are also extremely important and in demand in the north and remote areas. They can operate independently, without human intervention, for up to 40 years.

Furthermore, Mikhail Kovalchuk explained that all new developments for use in space conditions at the Kurchatov Institute now undergo special testing under loads and at temperatures as close as possible to those in space.

At the end of his speech, Mikhail Kovalchuk answered all questions from the audience.

Federal and regional media also reported on Mikhail Kovalchuk's lecture at the Polytechnic University:

Channel Five"News"REN TV

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The Higher School of Biotechnology and Food Production of the Institute of Biotechnology and Biotechnology (IBBS) held a case tournament "Applied Biotechnology" for school and college students.

During the lectures, which were held remotely, students learned about modern trends in biotechnology research. They were able to visit media labs, explore both traditional and cutting-edge equipment, and learn how to operate it. This was necessary because many schools lack such labs, and adhering to safety regulations is crucial when conducting research and working with chemicals.

Eleven teams participated in the laboratory workshop of the case tournament, including not only 10th- and 11th-grade students from specialized schools in our city, but also students from the SPbPU Natural Sciences Lyceum, and students from the Talent Academy and the Center for Environmental Education.

Participants completed tasks on one of two topics: “Activity of metabolites of probiotic microorganisms Lactobacillus and Streptococcus” and “Bioconversion of agricultural waste to obtain sorbents”.

The assignments and lectures were developed by HSE School of Business and Public Policy associate professors Elena Belokurova and Ilona Pankina, senior lecturer Anna Sevastyanova, and Master of Science in Plant Biotechnology Alexandra Klyubina.

Students are always involved in the preparation of career guidance events at the Higher School of Business and Public Administration, and this time they served as mentors for schoolchildren.

While working on the case study "Studying the Activity of Metabolites of Probiotic Microorganisms Lactobacillus and Streptococcus," the students learned about the morphology of probiotic microorganisms in a fixed, stained preparation. While studying probiotic activity, they mastered microscopy and biochemical analysis techniques. They examined bacterial morphology, assessed metabolite accumulation in milk, and determined enzymatic activity using an indirect method based on the accumulation of organic acids, as well as the presence of flavoring substances. As a result of their studies, the participants were able to determine which probiotic microorganisms are more active acidifiers and determine whether homofermentative and heterofermentative fermentation processes occur.

Working on the case study "Bioconversion of Agricultural Waste to Produce Sorbents," schoolchildren explored the potential of converting organic agricultural waste into biosorbents capable of effectively purifying water and soil contaminants. They mastered methods for analyzing the effectiveness of the resulting biosorbents and deepened their knowledge of biotechnology, ecology, and chemistry.

Anna Sevastyanova, senior lecturer and developer of the case study, commented: "The production of biosorbents from lignocellulosic raw materials is a relevant area of environmental biotechnology, as it offers a cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution for purifying aquatic environments from hazardous pollutants, while using renewable and affordable raw materials—agricultural waste." These technologies are consistent with the principles of a circular economy, transforming waste into a valuable product, helping to reduce environmental impacts, and responding to the global trend toward the implementation of "green" and zero-waste technologies.

After completing the practical part, all teams had one day to analyze their results and prepare a presentation to defend their assignments.

On the final day of the tournament, each team performed in front of all participants and a panel of experts, which included teachers and student mentors.

The winners commented on their participation: "The Applied Biotechnology Case Tournament left us with nothing but positive emotions. Working in a team with peers from other schools united by a common goal was one of the most memorable experiences. In the practical part of the project, we determined the differences between the proposed probiotic microorganisms in terms of their accumulation of metabolic products and identified which probiotics were the most active acid formers. It was the perfect balance of a complex intellectual challenge, a friendly atmosphere, and professional growth."

Ilona Pankina, Head of Career Guidance at the Higher School of Business and Applied Sciences, shared: This year marked the seventh "Applied Biotechnology" case tournament. Students from numerous St. Petersburg educational institutions participated, necessitating a competitive selection process. This allowed us to bring together the strongest, most prepared, and most motivated students, and collaboration with them is invariably particularly engaging, contributing to the development of new approaches and methods of education that take into account modern trends. It's particularly important that the winners and runners-up of the case tournament received a unique opportunity to earn an additional five points toward their Unified State Exam scores for admission to SPbPU. It's especially gratifying to realize that over the course of the event, we've already secured a number of educational institutions as our regular partners. And, of course, it's important to note that our efforts are not in vain: statistics show that many case tournament participants successfully enroll at the Polytechnic University.

Elena Belokurova, the developer of one of the case assignments, also shared her impressions: "Schoolchildren don't study Microbiology, so I was worried that the case participants would encounter certain difficulties. But I was pleased to see that many of the team members are active students and participate in numerous events held by supplementary education centers, so they resolutely tackled the practical portion and completed it successfully. Many participants studied not only domestic literature but also articles by international authors and presented very well at their defenses. My student mentors and I were very pleased with this, and we would like to see our case participants among the applicants and students of the Higher School of Business and Applied Mathematics.

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Yuting Wang, a graduate of the St. Petersburg Polytechnic University's Institute of Civil Engineering and Design, majoring in Industrial Design, won the IX National Alexander Yezhevsky Prize competition in the Industrial Design category.

The jury highly praised the original concept, technical sophistication, and practical significance of the thesis, "Design Project for a Beach Cleaning Robot," completed under the supervision of Semyon Shchur, Associate Professor at the ISI Higher School of Design and Architecture.

The project is a concept for an intelligent device designed to autonomously clean coastal areas of household and natural waste. The robot is equipped with sensors, navigation, and waste recognition systems, enabling it to autonomously plan a route, avoid obstacles, and sort and collect waste. The design includes waste collection and compression modules, a highly maneuverable tracked/wheeled chassis, and an autonomous power supply based on solar panels, enabling it to operate on challenging terrain. Its modular architecture allows the device to be adapted for both daily beach maintenance and emergency response.

The A. A. Ezhevsky Prize was established by the Russian Association of Manufacturers of Specialized Machinery and Equipment (Rosspetsmash Association) to support talented young people, strengthen cooperation between universities and enterprises, and develop scientific and engineering potential in the domestic agricultural machinery industry. The Industrial Design category is awarded to full-time undergraduate, specialist, and master's students for outstanding academic achievement and research related to industrial design.

The awards ceremony for the competition winners will be held in December at the ALMAZ plant (Altai Machine-Building Plants) in Barnaul.

Another graduate of the Institute of Civil Engineering contributed to the Polar Explorer Day project's victory in the finals of the 14th International Russian Event Awards 2025 in the category "Best Popular Science Event." Maria Dracheva, a graduate of the Higher School of Design and Architecture of the Institute of Civil Engineering at St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, developed the festival's design concept. The project's scientific supervisor is Tatyana Diodorova, Associate Professor at the Institute of Civil Engineering and Design.

Polar Explorer Day was held on May 24, 2025, in the Kalininsky District of St. Petersburg, on the banks of the Murinsky Stream. The event was organized by the Kalininsky District Administration, the Severny Municipal District, the St. Petersburg Project Office "Cultural Capital," and the St. Petersburg Committee for Youth Policy and Interaction with Public Organizations. The event was attended by Mikhail Astashkevich, Head of the Kalininsky District Administration, and the heads of municipal entities.

The Polytechnic University graduate's project was presented by the New Media Workshop and the State Design Workshop and was recognized as one of the best municipal branding cases in a metropolitan city in 2025.

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An intensive internship under the additional professional development program “Practical Innovations and Strategic Development of Industrial R” was successfully completed at Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University.

The participants were winners of the "Engineer of the Year" competition held by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Republic of Tatarstan. This first offline program, offering full immersion in the SPbPU research environment, brought together 34 promising specialists from 12 Tatarstan industrial sectors.

The audience was divided into three industry groups. The first group included specialists from mechanical engineering, aircraft manufacturing, instrument making, radio electronics, and communications. The second group included representatives from the oil, gas, chemical, and energy industries. The third group included experts from construction, transportation, consumer goods manufacturing, wood processing, pulp and paper, and food industries.

On the first day, Dmitry Tikhonov, Vice-Rector for Continuing and Pre-University Education at SPbPU, welcomed the participants. Sergey Salkutsan, Director of the Center for Continuing Professional Education at the Digital Engineering School, gave a lecture on cutting-edge scientific and engineering developments and personnel training. Mars Khasanov, Director of Science at Gazprom Neft, also gave a lecture on reverse engineering in mechanical engineering production.

The next stage of the program was the practical part. Each industry group visited several leading SPbPU engineering centers and partner companies. The routes were designed taking into account the participants' professional interests.

The first group learned about developments in additive manufacturing, digitalization, and new materials. Participants visited the Russian-Chinese Scientific and Educational Center for Additive Technologies, the Industrial Data Stream Processing Systems laboratory at the PIS CI, the Scientific and Educational Center for Structural and Functional Materials, and the Scientific and Technical Center and Digital Transformation Center "Tsifergauz" of Gazprom Neft. They also visited the Radar MMS Research and Production Enterprise.

The second group delved into digital modeling and data analysis. They were given tours of SPbPU's specialized laboratories: "Digital Modeling of Industrial Systems" at the Industrial School and "Digital Modeling of Underground Oil and Gas Reservoirs and Well-Test Analysis" at the Gazpromneft-Polytech Scientific and Educational Center. The participants also visited the Gazprom Neft Scientific and Technical Center and Zifergauz, as well as the UEC-Klimov plant.

The third group explored the application of modern technologies in their field. Their program included visits to the St. Petersburg State Public Institution "Directorate of Transport Construction," SIMETRA GROUP, Baltika Breweries, and S. M. Kirov Petroleum Company. In addition, the group members, like their colleagues, visited Gazprom Neft's Scientific and Technical Center and the Zifergauz Center, as well as the Industrial Stream Data Processing Systems laboratory at the PIS.

On the final day, Alexey Borovkov, Chief Designer for the Scientific and Technological Department at SPbPU, delivered a lecture entitled "Digital Engineering: The Foundation of Technological Leadership." A roundtable discussion on the development of the innovation ecosystem was also held with Shamil Shayakhmetov, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Tatarstan to St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region.

The program concluded with a summing up of the results and a ceremonial presentation of certificates of advanced training.

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A delegation from the Polytechnic University visited the Kirov Central Park of Culture and Leisure. In November, SPbPU and Kirov Central Park of Culture and Leisure signed an agreement cooperation agreement, which consolidates cooperation in the field of educational, scientific and cultural projects aimed at developing the urban environment, training highly qualified personnel, implementing technical expertise of park facilities, as well as work on the preservation and development of the Polytechnic Park.

The delegation from Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University included Stanislav Vladimirov, Vice-Rector for Organizational and Economic Affairs; Marina Petrochenko, Director of the SPbPU Institute of Civil Engineering; and Sergey Chichenev, Director of the Fundraising and Alumni Relations Center. Representing the Central Park of Culture and Leisure, the event was attended by Alexey Yezhov, First Deputy Director; Alisa Nagorskaya, Deputy Director for External Relations and Development; Yulia Pavlova, Head of the Excursion and Methodology Department; Irina Petrova, Head of the Art Glass Department; and Maria Zhuk, Methodologist of the Yelaginoostrovsky Palace Museum.

During the meeting, the parties discussed key areas for implementing the cooperation roadmap, including staff training and professional development, organizing internships for ISI students, joint projects in digital modeling and landscaping, conducting career-guidance tours and visiting lectures, and collaboration in the design field in the context of the restoration of the historic garden at the Kholomki Estate Museum.

The Polytechnic students also visited the Elaginoostrovsky Palace Museum, the Museum of Art Glass, and a glassblowing workshop.

The partnership with the Central Park of Culture and Leisure is strategically important for the university and allows students to engage in solving real-world design problems within a cultural heritage site. I am confident that this experience will contribute to the professional development of a new generation of engineers and architects, noted ISI Director Marina Petrochenko.

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The Moscow Startup Summit was held at SberCity, where the "SPbPU Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Development Model" was presented in the "Best University Practice" category as part of the Startup Summit Awards competition. It was ranked among the top three best practices for developing technological entrepreneurship. Over 100 Russian universities participated in the competition.

The project was prepared and presented by staff from the Higher School of Technological Entrepreneurship of the Advanced Engineering School of SPbPU "Digital Engineering" – Alexey Efimov, Executive Director of the Polytech Innovation Support and Development Fund and Associate Professor of the Higher School of Technological Entrepreneurship, and Artur Kireev, Acting Director of the Higher School of Technological Entrepreneurship and Associate Professor of the Higher School of Technological Entrepreneurship.

The awards to the SPbPU PISh representatives were presented by Olga Petrova, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation.

The Higher School of Technological Entrepreneurship is a scientific, methodological, and coordinating center for the development of technological entrepreneurship at SPbPU. It actively participates in the development of the university and national ecosystem of technological entrepreneurship.

This practice aims to create an ecosystem of technological innovation that supports the emergence and development of new ideas, projects, and technology startups, and is focused on the development of both small and large innovative enterprises in national and international markets.

The ecosystem brings together structures and activities that help students become familiar with entrepreneurship, develop the necessary skills, and implement both their own projects and build a portfolio.

The model includes 4 levels of involvement of students and university staff in entrepreneurship.

Promoting Technological Entrepreneurship Development Scaling/Professional Training in Technological Entrepreneurship Internationalization

The goal of university-wide educational events is to develop students' basic soft skills necessary for entrepreneurship, as well as project management skills.

The second level is attended by students interested in defending their final theses in the "Startup as a Diploma" format, as well as participants in various competitive programs and accelerators.

An expert council supports students during the preparation of their final qualifying work as a startup. Defenses in the "Final Qualification as a Startup" format have been held at the Polytechnic University since 2021. A total of 59 students have defended their theses in this format.

The next stage is training specialists in a specialized master's program in technological entrepreneurship at the Higher School of Technological Entrepreneurship and the University of Entrepreneurs.

During their studies, students are given the opportunity to create and develop their own project, which could later become the basis for their own business. Their final project is either a technology startup or a research project. Upon completion of their studies, master's students present a portfolio of completed projects or a startup ready for launch.

The fourth level is working with projects with the aim of bringing them to the international level.

The goal of the international polytechnic accelerator is to select and develop projects for subsequent submission to the largest accelerators in China, India, Brazil, and the Middle East.

The overall goal of the model is to create a sustainable, end-to-end innovation environment that unites education, science, technology, and business, facilitates the generation and implementation of technology startups, and trains specialists capable of entrepreneurship in knowledge-intensive industries and digital transformation.

The model builds a continuous, practice-oriented trajectory from idea to scaling through direct interaction with industry and venture capital funds. This transforms Polytechnic University into a unified ecosystem where students at various stages of their studies can create projects with market potential.

Winning the competition once again confirmed the validity of SPbPU's strategy for developing technological entrepreneurship. The Russian Government views university technological entrepreneurship as one of the drivers for creating the conditions for achieving technological leadership. In this regard, one of the key objectives is to better familiarize the university's research teams with the opportunities for commercializing applied research results through startups, shared Artur Kireev.

Alexey Efimov added: "The Moscow Startup Summit Awards demonstrated that the most in-demand models for developing university technology entrepreneurship are systemic models of end-to-end engagement and support for startup initiatives, aimed at developing the university ecosystem in collaboration with educational and industrial partners."

This material was prepared with the support of a grant from the Russian Ministry of Education and Science as part of the Decade of Science and Technology.

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The Winter University in Engineering Sciences, "Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technologies," concluded at Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University. The event was supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, the Federal State Autonomous Institution "Sociocenter," and hosted by the SPbPU Advanced Engineering School "Digital Engineering," in collaboration with SPbPU International Services and the SPbPU Applicant Services Center.

The main goal of the Winter University is to strengthen ties and expand collaboration between young engineers, as well as to develop engineering competencies and improve the qualifications of students in areas such as digital technologies, systems digital engineering, and artificial intelligence.

Over 200 third- and fourth-year undergraduate students in engineering and technical fields participated in the two-week intensive course. This year, the list of participating countries was significantly expanded. Students from Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Tajikistan, South Africa, China, Iran, and India were joined by students from Serbia, Cuba, and Indonesia. In total, students from 44 universities participated in the Winter University.

We provided participants of the Winter University in Engineering Sciences, held at SPbPU's Advanced Engineering School "Digital Engineering," with a unique opportunity to quickly advance their knowledge in digital engineering, enterprise digital transformation, and the use of artificial intelligence technologies. "I am confident that the Winter University's scientific and educational program in Engineering Sciences will further strengthen collaboration among universities from different countries and combine competencies to achieve technological leadership and build a sustainable and dynamic economy," commented Alexey Borovkov, Chief Designer for SPbPU's key scientific and technological development area, "Systemic Digital Engineering," and Director of SPbPU's Advanced Engineering School "Digital Engineering."

To improve the quality of the events, specialists from SPbPU's Advanced Engineering School "Digital Engineering" spent two weeks collecting feedback from Winter University students on all aspects of the educational project, from the quality of the curriculum to the food service. Participants highly praised the overall organization of the event and expressed a positive impression of the entire project. On a scale of 1 to 10, students rated all indicators above 9.

Among the educational modules and activities, young engineers found the Topology Optimization Design Lab (9.9 points), the Digital Transformation and Lean Manufacturing Lab (9.8 points), and the Polymer Composite Materials Lab (9.7 points) particularly interesting. They also enjoyed the composition and format of the engineering competitions and project quiz. The Winter University program at the SPbPU PSI School consisted of technical modules, lectures, workshops, business games, an introductory Russian language course for English-speaking students, and a cultural and entertainment program.

As part of the "Engineer" track, the "Modern Engineering in High-Tech Industries" module was taught by specialists from the Winter University's industrial partner, the Kronstadt Engineering Education Center. The module was supervised by Igor Perevozchikov, Head of the Change Lab at the Kronstadt Engineering Center. Students not only immersed themselves in the theory of modern engineering and learned about real-life processes in the partner's production facilities and laboratory complexes, but also completed a number of practical assignments: they built 3D models based on their own measurements, conducted a materials analysis, and reverse-engineered a component.

At the Digital Transformation and Lean Manufacturing Lab, young engineers were introduced to the concept of lean manufacturing, studied its approaches and tools for reducing waste, tried their hand at managing a modern enterprise in the Lean Manufacturing computer simulator, and carried out a digital transformation of an enterprise using the Digital Transformation of an Enterprise digital simulator.

The "Supply Chain Management" educational module introduced Winter University participants to the "New Industrial Challenge" computer simulator. In a competitive game format, students were tasked with effectively managing production and the supply chain, while following market trends, to achieve the best economic results. The simulators were developed by experts from SPbPU's Advanced Engineering School "Digital Engineering" and are based on the CML-Bench®.EDU Digital Platform, a separate area of the Digital Platform for the development and application of CML-Bench® digital twins for training and competency assessment.

As part of the "Aircraft Wing Aerodynamics" module, students participated in the "Energy Strategy: Power System Management" case study game, designed to introduce the fundamentals of the energy industry through a game-like approach. The game mechanics are based on business simulation. Participants were tasked with building an optimal national power system, taking into account both economic efficiency and environmental requirements.

The Winter University also hosted an Engineering Championship to determine the best designers. Teams built catapults from scrap materials and competed in throwing their "projectiles" the farthest. First place went to a team from Armenia (Russian-Armenian University), second place to a team from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan (Kostanay Social and Technical University named after Academician Zulkharnay Aldamjar, Tashkent State Technical University named after Islam Karimov), and third place to a team from India and Indonesia (Savitribai Phule University in Pune, University of Indonesia).

An important part of the Winter University was the cultural program, during which students visited the Yusupov Palace, the Hermitage, the Fabergé Museum, and the suburbs of St. Petersburg – the towns of Pushkin and Kronstadt.

The Winter University "Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technologies" was a celebration of knowledge, challenging tasks, and new connections, and evoked a wealth of positive emotions among its participants.

Miloš Panjevas, University of Belgrade: I think the program is an amazing experience, both culturally and educationally. The connections we make with different cultures, the way we explore Russian history and landmarks alongside Iranians, Cubans, Indians, Chinese, South Africans, and Uzbeks… It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Plus, St. Petersburg is beautiful, and I definitely have to see it this summer—it's one of the most beautiful cities I've ever been to. The lectures really broadened my thinking and inspired me to try my hand at innovation and startups, for example.

Khoiakbar Ostankulov, Andijan State Technical Institute: Thank you very much for everything. I really enjoyed this program and expanded my knowledge. I will definitely recommend it to other students.

Elina Denezhkina, SPbPU: The energy system creation game was very interesting; the time flew by, thanks so much to the organizers! Even I, a thermal power engineering student, would have thought it would have been boring, considering I've been studying this for four years, but it wasn't. I really enjoyed this format.

Feruza Abdulla kizi Mirzakhakimova, Fergana State Technical University: During the wing aerodynamics class, we participated in a very interesting and engaging game; everyone in the group was engaged. Thank you very much for your innovative approach to teaching. The engineering championship was also very interesting.

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.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

The St. Petersburg Polytechnic University hosted the 3rd International Scientific and Practical Conference of the Russian-African Network University (RAFU) consortium, "The Contribution of Russian and African Universities to Sustainable Regional Development." The event, held in a hybrid format, provided a platform for dialogue between representatives of over 100 RAFU member universities from 15 countries, ministries, embassies, Russian and African universities, and research centers.

Before the conference, the Polytechnic University, as the coordinator of the RAFU consortium, held a general meeting of RAFU member universities to review their work for 2025 and outline future plans. Stepan Sokolov, Deputy Director of the International Cooperation Department at the Russian Ministry of Education and Science, addressed the participants with a welcoming address.

He noted the dynamic development of educational cooperation: "The consortium has expanded significantly over the past three years. It currently includes over 100 Russian and 68 African organizations from 16 countries. This year, 17 organizations from Mali joined—this is the result of your recent working trip."

Sokolov also emphasized the increase in state quotas for African students and the importance of creating permanent Russian language study centers on the continent.

In his speech, Dmitry Arsenyev, Vice-Rector for International Affairs at SPbPU and Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, emphasized the role of RAFU as an effective platform for cooperation: RAFU has become recognized internationally as a platform for developing Russian-African educational, scientific, and cultural interaction. Our goal for the future is to enrich the consortium's activities with real projects, joint educational programs, and scientific research.

Presentations were given by representatives of universities and research institutes from Russia, Algeria, Morocco, Mali, Cameroon, South Africa, Guinea, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Uganda, Nigeria, and other countries. Topics discussed ranged from the development of artificial intelligence, agriculture, and medicine to the social responsibility of universities, Russian language studies, and the preservation of cultural heritage.

Ousmane Mariko, Technical Advisor for Administrative and Institutional Affairs at the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of the Republic of Mali, delivered a welcoming speech. He emphasized that Mali ranks first among African countries in the number of universities participating in the RAFU (27 universities), and that the ministry itself employs many graduates of Russian universities. Mr. Mariko proposed sending over 30 Malian students to study in Russia next year, demonstrating the dynamic development of the partnership within the consortium.

One of the key events of the conference was a speech by Pindi Hazara Chana, Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism of the United Republic of Tanzania, who noted her country's long-standing and strong ties with Russia in the field of education. She cited her own experience, having received an education in the USSR, and reported that today, more than 3,000 Tanzanians are graduates of Russian universities, and more than 100 students are currently studying in Russia.

Alla Mazina, Secretary of the RAFU Presidium and Deputy Head of the International Cooperation Department at SPbPU, spoke about the practical work within the consortium.

In her report, she highlighted two major projects of the year: In addition to the Summer Multidisciplinary University, which in 2025 brought together 315 students from 37 countries, a key event was supporting the reform of higher education in the Republic of Mali. An expert group of nine Russian universities from the Russian Federal University of Russia (RAFU) developed 29 core educational programs in priority areas for Mali.

The 3rd RAFU conference clearly demonstrated that the Russian-African Network University, coordinated by St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, has become a tangible tool for launching educational and scientific projects that promote sustainable development and strengthen partnerships between Russia and African countries.

The speakers shared best practices for promoting the Russian language and Russian education in Africa, developing joint educational programs, preparing African applicants for admission to Russian universities, and implementing professional development programs for African university faculty. Many of the presentations were practical in nature and presented the results of joint research projects. These joint research projects cover areas of importance to African countries, such as geology, construction, meteorology, agriculture, alternative energy, medicine, ecology, and natural resource management.

The conference has already become a traditional annual event As part of the activities of the Russian Federal University of Agriculture, it confirmed its importance as a discussion platform for joint projects, scientific research, and the exchange of experience between universities in Russia and Africa.

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.