Category: Университетская жизнь /

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Peoples'Friendship University of Russia

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

RUDN University hosted the Tourism category of the All-Russian Student Olympiad "I Am a Professional." The competition was held at seven locations: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Vladivostok, Krasnodar, Sochi, Kazan, and Tambov.

With an eye on practice

A total of 1,038 people participated in the semi-finals, including 777 undergraduates and 261 master's students. Among them were 38 RUDN University students who decided to test their skills in solving real-world problems in the tourism industry.

Participants were given a case study that best matched industry needs. They were tasked with developing an eco-tour in the Altai Mountains.

Future professionals had to:

Calculate the project budget and profitability; prepare a media promotion plan; develop a route map.

The students worked on the case without electronic assistance—only pen and paper. This format allowed them to assess not only their knowledge but also their ability to quickly organize information and make decisions.

Testing your capabilities

Among those who decided to try themselves in a new direction is a first-year master's student at St. Petersburg State University, who is studying in the Biology specialty.

"Even though my main focus is biology, I decided to take part in the tourism Olympiad because it's a related field and some of the assignments are related to my major. I found the case interesting and quite challenging," says Anastasia Gonchankova.

Among the participants from RUDN University was Arevik Sargsyan, a fourth-year student majoring in International Tourism at the Graduate School of Management. For her, the Olympiad was her first experience participating in a professional competition.

"I decided to try my hand this year because, upon completing my studies, I wanted to test how well I'd mastered the knowledge and professional skills I'd acquired over the past four years," says Arevik Sargsyan.

According to the student, she studied all the materials and sources recommended by the organizers, and this was enough to complete all the assignment points within the allotted time and present a comprehensive tourism product.

"I developed an ecological route in the format of an interactive quest, covering key locations in the Altai Republic. This format not only ensures a high level of participant engagement, as required by the project, but also makes the route practical," says Arevik Sargsyan.

The student chose scientific volunteers conducting field research as the target audience for her project.

"While completing the route, they complete tasks, take measurements, and fill out research tables. Thus, the quest tour combines elements of environmental education, scientific volunteering, and expeditionary activities, while simultaneously revealing the region's natural beauty. It was crucial for me to emphasize not only the route's interactivity but also its scientific component, ensuring participants' tangible contribution to the research," says Arevik Sargsyan.

It's too early to talk about the semi-final results, but Arevik is eagerly awaiting the results and sincerely hopes to advance to the finals. Another RUDN University student, Yulia Knyazeva, has mapped out her route through Altai, passing by Geyser Lake, the petroglyphs of the Kalbak-Tash tract, the Uch-Enmek ethno-natural park, and the confluence of the Katun and Chuya rivers. She also came up with a bold slogan: "Courchevel, goodbye – Yakshylar (hello), Altai!"—as the region is also popular for its ski resorts.

"My route is aimed at a fairly broad audience, but with a focus on young people. During the tour, the guide will share interesting facts about the history of the region and the sites being visited, while participants will solve riddles related to them and even listen to local folk music," says Yulia Knyazeva, a fourth-year student at the RUDN University Graduate School of Management, majoring in Hotel Management.

The final stage

The Tourism Olympiad finals will take place on April 12 at RUDN University. The best participants from across the country, those who achieved the highest results in the semi-final rounds, will come to Moscow. They will compete for the title of winner and runner-up.

RUDN University sincerely thanks its partner universities for the warm welcome of the participants, the high level of organization of the venues, and their invaluable contribution to the Olympiad.

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: Peoples'Friendship University of Russia

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

At the end of January, Novosibirsk State University hosted its second January School of Synthetic Biology and Industrial Pharmacy. This intensive educational program brought together students from across the country eager to make the most of their holidays: mastering modern bioinformatics methods, working in labs, and networking with pharmaceutical industry leaders.

Among them was Maria Gordeeva, a fourth-year student majoring in Pharmacy at the RUDN Medical Institute.

At the intersection of biology and digital

The school's program included an intensive course in bioinformatics. Participants learned to visualize protein structures using AlphaFold 3, PyMOL, and Chai Discovery, construct phylogenetic trees (NCBI Datasets, MEGA12), and analyze transcriptomics data in RStudio (DESeq2 package).

"The most important thing was deepening the knowledge I'd already acquired, applying it in practice, and mastering new techniques. Conducting molecular docking using a real-life example was very helpful, given the importance of digitalization in the modern world. The most challenging part was systematizing the vast amount of information, as the program covered both medical and natural science disciplines. But it was easy to get answers from the mentors and participants, who were always willing to help," says Maria Gordeeva.

The students were particularly interested in understanding the mechanism of action of Nirmatrelvir, an inhibitor of the main SARS-CoV-2 protease. They were able to visualize how the molecule interacts with the viral target.

In parallel with theoretical work, work continued in the molecular biology lab. The students were tasked with transforming Komagataella phaffii yeast cells, obtaining a plasmid with the target gene and preparing competent cells. The results were verified using real-time PCR (Q-PCR).

Pharmaceutical case

During industrial pharmacy classes, students were fully immersed in their future profession. They were given a task: using a brief description of its therapeutic action and associations, identify a given medicinal plant, justify their choice, perform calculations, and prepare an infusion. The plant they were looking for turned out to be oregano.

In addition, lectures and meetings with representatives of leading companies were held daily at the school: Helicon, Diam, KhimMed, Pharma, R-Pharm, Vector-Best, and VkusVill. Jan Zubavichus, Deputy Director for Research at the SKIF Center for Collective Use, gave a lecture to students on the potential of synchrotron radiation for biology and pharmaceuticals.

"Each lecturer shared unique experiences and offered advice on implementing their expertise in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology fields. Such interactions are invaluable for future professionals," said Maria Gordeeva.

Cultural accent

The school organizers also took care of the children's leisure time: they visited the Novosibirsk State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater, Russia's largest musical theater. The students saw the ballet "The Hunchback of Notre Dame de Paris."

"The magnificent architecture, the stunning sets and the performers—it was a real gift after the intensive studies," says Maria Gordeeva.

But the main result of the week's work at the school for the student was a firm commitment to continue studying bioinformatics.

"I discovered a huge desire to fully master bioinformatics and apply the skills I've acquired in my research," says Maria Gordeeva.

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.