Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
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.
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