Category: Russian Universities

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Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –

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The 5th Congress of Young Scientists featured a series of key events featuring the leadership and leading scientists of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University. The university's experts moderated and spoke at discussion panels on current scientific issues, including strategic partnerships, science diplomacy, global competitiveness, and the transformative role of artificial intelligence.

SPbPU First Vice-Rector and Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Vitaly Sergeev presented a successful model of collaboration at the "ObninskTech" session: "Partnership Creating Opportunities." In his speech, he outlined the university's mechanisms for effective collaboration with industrial companies and government agencies to address technological challenges.

We've moved away from abstract interaction. The mechanism we've built is project-oriented collaboration. We form consortia of scientists, graduate students, and engineers to address specific technological challenges facing industrial partners. The government's role in this model is to create regulatory and infrastructural "lifts" that allow for rapid progress from R&D to mass production. This is the formula for partnership that creates opportunities, commented Vitaly Sergeev.

Oleg Rozhdestvensky, Head of the SPbPU Office of Technological Leadership, participated in the discussion "Is Postgraduate Education Industrial or Production-Based? A New Concept for Training Highly Qualified Personnel?"

Participants discussed a large-scale overhaul of scientific training aimed at achieving technological sovereignty and ensuring Russia's scientific and technological leadership. The creation of new tracks in postgraduate studies that integrate fundamental science with industry challenges and enable the training of researchers capable of generating technologies, including those applied in practice. In this context, the speakers discussed how science and industry interact, the criteria used to differentiate postgraduate tracks, the changing dissertation defense procedures, and what makes the training attractive to future researchers.

Oleg Rozhdestvensky spoke about SPbPU launching a pilot industrial postgraduate program in 2025. As part of this project, a network agreement and a letter of intent were signed with PAO Tekhpribor. In his speech, the speaker highlighted key features of the postgraduate program, such as the presence of two supervisors: "The supervisor's job is to select a relevant topic and implement the developments, and practical experience should be valued above formal academic credentials."

In his speech, Oleg Rozhdestvensky focused on the issue of intellectual property and working with confidential information.

This is a stumbling block we still have to overcome. The key value of industrial postgraduate studies is building a foundation of mutual trust and shared achievements with the partner with whom we are launching the track, the speaker noted.

Polytechnic University's achievements in technological leadership will also be showcased in a new podcast series. "Aerobatics"Filming for the project began at the Congress of Young Scientists in Sochi. Oleg Rozhdestvensky, head of the university's Office of Technological Leadership, presented the university's experience.

International scientific and educational cooperation is also developing. Maxim Zalyvsky, Head of the SPbPU Project Office, moderated the discussion "Russia-Africa: Opportunities for Applied Research Projects," which focused on the practical aspects of implementing joint programs with African countries.

The university's achievements in this area are significant: SPbPU not only coordinates the work of the Russian-African Network University consortium but also serves as the lead implementer for developing a higher education transformation concept for its partners. The university actively works to export Russian educational standards, developing and adapting programs to the needs of African countries.

We see enormous potential in the synthesis of fundamental science and applied research. It is precisely these projects—from artificial intelligence to agricultural technology—that become a bridge for a long-term and mutually beneficial partnership between Russia and Africa," emphasized Maxim Zalyvsky.

The panel discussion "Global Competitiveness of Science: How to Ahead of the Curve?" addressed the positioning of Russian science on the global stage. Professor Irina Rudskaya, Director of the Gazprom Neft Scientific and Educational Center for IT and Business Analysis, presented her expert opinion: "The key metric in the new talent race is adaptability. Strategic investment in this skill allows economic systems to more effectively convert imbalances and crises into growth opportunities. Victory will go to those actors who focus on developing social intelligence, cognitive flexibility, and resilient institutions capable of rapid transformation."

The lively discussion, "Academic Supervisor: Boss, Coach, or Educator?" focused on the transformation of the mentor's role in today's scientific environment. Maria Vrublevskaya, SPbPU Vice-Rector for Human Resources Policy, participated.

A scientific supervisor is a triad: a scientist, a manager, and a mentor. It is this focus that enables a young scientist to successfully implement their research projects and objectives, noted Maria Vrublevskaya.

Ivan Zhdanov, head of the seismic project within the KNTN-3 program "Priority 2030," and Dmitry Bogdanov, director of the Gazpromneft-Polytech Scientific and Educational Center, spoke about practical cases of AI application in the oil and gas industry and the university's educational programs.

The speakers presented interim results of the development of AI engineering in oil and gas exploration. Particular emphasis was placed on the integration of intelligent systems into scientific processes.

"The Transformer architecture and neural network models dramatically accelerate the interpretation of geological data and improve the accuracy of digital field models," said Ivan Zhdanov.

AI is a catalyst that not only opens up new research opportunities but also transforms educational pathways, preparing specialists to work with the technologies of the future, concluded Dmitry Bogdanov.

Experts emphasized that it is the synergy between the Polytechnic University's fundamental science, applied research, and education that creates the foundation for the development of domestic technologies.

Furthermore, the Polytechnic University's stand showcased an interdisciplinary panorama of scientific research, demonstrating the convergence of various fields of knowledge. Young Polytechnic University researchers and invited speakers presented to participants of the 5th Congress of Young Scientists how fundamental developments in quantum artificial intelligence and spatial data processing are integrating with humanities research, forming a holistic ecosystem of scientific solutions.

Lilia Talipova, a senior lecturer at the Institute of Geosciences and Information Systems (ISI), presented a paper titled "Spatial Data for Scientific Research." The expert explained how spatial data allows us to see science "on the map"—to understand not only what is happening, but also where and why. It opens up access to satellite images, terrain models, and sensor data, transforming complex processes into visual stories. It's a tool that makes research more accurate, deeper, and more engaging.

Nikolai Ushakov, a professor at the Higher School of Physical and Computer Engineering and a leading researcher at the Fiber Optics Laboratory, presented a paper titled "Quantum Machine Learning. When Will We Get a Quantum ChatGPT and Why?" He analyzed the fundamental advantages of quantum computers over classical ones in solving complex computational problems.

The speaker focused on the prospects for the development of quantum computing and the resources required to achieve an advantage over existing large machine learning models: Quantum machine learning opens up fundamentally new possibilities for solving computational problems inaccessible to classical systems, but its practical implementation requires overcoming fundamental technological barriers.

Maxim Novikov, a senior lecturer at the Higher School of Social Sciences, presented his study, "Government Borrowing in the Post-War USSR: Economics, Efficiency, and Emotions." Using a grant from the Russian Science Foundation, he demonstrated the economic impact of government loans from 1946 to 1957 on Soviet citizens' budgets, the specifics of public reactions to these measures, and deviant behavior during campaigns.

Studying government loans in the post-war USSR through an interdisciplinary lens allows us to identify not only economic mechanisms but also their direct impact on everyday practices and the emotional state of citizens, emphasized Maxim Novikov.

Ekaterina Alekseeva, a leading researcher at the New Technologies and Materials Scientific and Technical Complex at the Institute of Metallurgical and Metallurgical Engineering, head of educational programs, and associate professor at the Higher School of Advanced Digital Technologies at the Central Institute of Metallurgical and Metallurgical Engineering, raised the pressing question: "Why do innovations take so long to reach the market, and how can they be accelerated?"

The speaker shared insights about barriers to commercializing developments and ways to overcome them: Reducing the time between scientific development and its market entry requires creating effective institutional bridges between the research environment and the real sector of the economy.

Also at the Congress of Young Scientists, the Association of Young Scientists and Student Scientific Societies of the Northwestern Federal District presented a project aimed at fostering dialogue between science and society. The "Lecturer Database" is an open platform that will help universities, museums, and other venues find speakers, and scientists gain new opportunities to promote their research.

The initiative addresses two key issues: organizers often lack contacts with scientists willing to discuss their work in accessible language, and the researchers themselves don't always know how to reach interested audiences. The new database will serve as a search and interaction tool for them.

The platform will allow you to filter lecturers by scientific disciplines, presentation topics, and geography, saving time in selecting the right candidate.

"The demand for high-quality scientific content is growing, but the infrastructure for its distribution is still not systematized," explains Maria Ganapolskaya, Chair of the Polytechnic University's Student Research Council. "Our goal is not just to connect with others, but to create a functioning ecosystem where the organizer will find a competent speaker, and the scientist will find their audience."

Among other things, the results of the Advanced Research Foundation's open competition were announced at the Congress. Anton Smirnov, a graduate student at St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, won with his project "Digital Avatars for the Northern Sea Route." He received preferential treatment for inclusion in the Advanced Research Foundation's talent pool, as well as the opportunity to implement his projects in accordance with the foundation's regulations as a commissioner of relevant research, forming the necessary cooperation and subsequently implementing the results.

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.

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Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –

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A ceremony was held at the Polytechnic University to hand over vehicles to military personnel in the special military operation zone.

The ceremony was attended by SPbPU Rector Andrey Rudskoy, head of the regional branch of the People's Front in St. Petersburg Ekaterina Kondratieva, deputy head of the Kalininsky District Administration of St. Petersburg Vladimir Garazha, head of the Akademicheskoe Municipal Formation Igor Pyzhik, and students and university staff.

The event was opened by SPbPU Rector Andrey Rudskoy: "Today is a significant day in the history of our university—we are making our modest contribution to a victory that is not so far away. Of course, the SVO was a necessary measure, but it was a step that will predetermine the normal, progressive development of our country in a safe, peaceful environment. We are devoting all our efforts here to training highly qualified personnel, the best engineers for our country. But to sit idly by and not support the SVO would be criminal. Therefore, from the very first days, students and faculty have been participating in the nationwide support for our soldiers to ensure victory comes as quickly as possible. We do this with an open heart, understanding that each of our contributions, however small, collectively creates a unified, monolithic system of invincibility and leadership for our state."

Andrei Ivanovich thanked everyone who participated in preparing the vehicles for delivery to the front lines, especially the employees of the SPbPU Department of Transport and Mechanization, who took on the repair and preparation of the vehicles for operation.

Ekaterina Kondratieva, head of the St. Petersburg regional branch of the People's Front, noted Polytechnic's responsible approach to the vehicle donation: "Today's event is part of the "Everything for Victory" project, which has been running nationwide for several years now. The People's Front, together with universities and businesses, is donating vehicles to the front lines, where they are truly needed. We've donated nearly 100 vehicles to our military. I'd like to thank Polytechnic for its responsible approach to vehicle preparation, as we often encounter situations where people simply want to write off or give away unnecessary vehicles, and we're forced to refuse or seek sponsors who can help bring the vehicles into proper working order. So, a huge thank you to Polytechnic for donating so many needed and technically sound vehicles. This once again proves that our strength lies in unity."

Vladislav Garazha, Deputy Head of the Kalininsky District, said: "From the very beginning of the special military operation, residents and employees of businesses, organizations, and institutions in St. Petersburg, and in particular the Kalininsky District, have been providing humanitarian aid to our soldiers, handing them everything they need on the front lines. The Polytechnic University has made a significant contribution to this work. On behalf of the Kalininsky District Administration, I express my sincere gratitude to the staff, students, and Rector of the Polytechnic University, Andrei Ivanovich Rudskoy, for this important and necessary work. When the home front and the army are united, we are invincible."

"Thank you so much for your long-standing support of our troops stationed in the special military operation zone," added Igor Pyzhik, head of the Akademicheskoe municipal district. "Our residents, deputies, and municipal officials are fully involved in these activities and also assist the soldiers, but today is a special day: we are jointly donating vehicles and other essential items at the front. And only together can we achieve victory."

Following the official ceremony, Andrei Rudskoy presented the representatives of military units and formations responsible for receiving and transporting vehicles with documents and keys for the vehicles, as well as letters from students of the 148th Kalininsky District Gymnasium.

The military personnel received: a UAZ Patriot, a GAZ Sobol, two Toyota Camrys, a Volvo S80, a dump truck and a ZIL municipal vehicle, a GAZ Valdai, and a 22-seat MAZ bus.

The rite of consecration of the transport was performed by the confessor of the Kalinin and Social Deanery, Archpriest Anatoly Sysoev.

On the same day, a batch of humanitarian aid was sent to Mariupol: 117 camouflage nets, 11 IP telephones, and clothing for needy city residents.

Since March 2022, Polytechnic helps military personnel and civilians in combat zonesDuring this time, more than 50 tons of various cargo were delivered there, including nine all-terrain vehicles, spare parts, tools, specialized equipment, communications equipment, clothing, food, and hygiene products. The deliveries took place in several towns in the Zaporizhzhia region, with the participation and guidance of university staff and volunteers. the water supply system has been restoredThe university has manufactured and delivered over 2,000 camouflage nets, covering a total area of over 40,000 m², to units of the Russian Armed Forces and other agencies.

The university regularly hosts meetings with SVO participants, student volunteers organize concerts and creative meetings in medical institutions of the city, write letters to soldiers on the front linesUniversity staff also participate in educational and outreach projects in the DPR, holding conferences and roundtables. transmit scientific and educational literature, are restoring museum exhibits. For example, with the participation of university staff, the A.A. Zhdanov Memorial Museum, a branch of the State Memorial Museum of the Defense and Siege of Leningrad, was opened in Mariupol in the winter of 2025. The museum hosted a handover ceremony to the Priazovsky State Technical University. practical manual "Let's Talk About Russia" developed by teachers of the Higher School of Social Sciences of the Humanities Institute of SPbPU.

The Polytechnic University oversees several higher education institutions in Donbass: Priazovsky State Technical University (PSTU, Mariupol), Donbas National Academy of Civil Engineering and Architecture (DonNASA, Makeyevka), Donetsk National Technical University (DonNTU, Donetsk).

In particular, agreements have been signed with Perm State Technical University for networked educational programs in the core academic program (bachelor's degree) and the additional professional retraining program "New Materials in Welding for the Shipbuilding Industry." Ten students from Mariupol are currently enrolled in this program. joint network engineering center (in the field of additive technologies), where more than 20 people from PSTU have already completed advanced training courses.

One of the tasks that the Polytechnic University is currently solving is training of SVO participantsThis training is also being conducted remotely, so that combat veterans can already have a profession upon returning from the front. Currently, more than 150 people are gaining additional qualifications in this way.

Polytechnic also helps children of SVO participants, providing them with benefits upon admission to university and support during their studies. Currently, almost 500 such students are studying at the university.

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.

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Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –

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The first-year student team from Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University won a convincing victory in the chess competition at the "First-Year Student-2025" Spartakiad among St. Petersburg universities. The tournament, dedicated to International Students' Day, was held at the chess club of the city chess federation.

The "Freshman-2025" Spartakiad is a launching pad for university sports. Here, students test their skills in official competitions, become familiar with the league system, and immediately immerse themselves in a competitive atmosphere.

The chess tournament was held in a team blitz format with a time control of 3 minutes and 2 seconds per move. Each team consisted of four main players and two substitutes, which required the universities to have not only strong leaders but also depth in their teams.

The Polytechnic University team performed strongly and consistently in the tournament, earning 30.5 team points—the best result among all participants and a clear first place. The team finished the competition undefeated and secured a comfortable lead over their closest competitors.

First-year students from various university institutes spoke for Polytechnic University:

Yaroslav Tarasenko, master of sports, IKNK; Dmitry Mochalov, candidate master of sports, Institute of Electrical Engineering and Technology; Sergey Mineev, candidate master of sports, FizMech; Yaroslav Galov, first adult category, IMMiT.

The combination of a Master of Sports, two Candidate Masters, and a ranked player who had firmly established himself in the team allowed the Polytechnic team to dominate the entire tournament and successfully solve problems on every board.

Ruslan Barseghyan, manager of the SPbPU chess team, noted: "The Polytechnic University traditionally boasts strong chess teams, and it's crucial for us to maintain this quality from generation to generation. The first-year students have confirmed the continuity of these traditions and demonstrated play commensurate with the university's level. This is a solid foundation for future work."

Victory in the "Freshman-2025" tournament was a logical continuation of the SPbPU team's performance this academic semester. At the end of the season, the team had:

Now, these results have been complemented by Spartakiad gold. The Polytechnic University team confidently confirms its status as one of the leaders in student chess in the country. This victory is a fitting conclusion to a successful semester.

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.

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Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –

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The developments of scientists at St. Petersburg Polytechnic University and events from the university's life regularly become the subject of publications on the resources of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science.

So, on October 3rdsports events digest The official VKontakte page of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science announced that the SPbPU hockey club had won the first-ever Student Hockey League Super Cup.

On October 8, the official page of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia on VKontakte was published the ninth edition of the joint informational and educational video project "PRO-Rector" with SPbPU, Olesya Fedorova, Vice Rector of the St. Petersburg State University of Industrial Technologies and Design, spoke about how online learning has become a trend that is driving the transformation of the entire educational environment.

On October 26, the news that SPbPU specialists had created smart piles for sustainable buildings in the Arctic was included in the selection of the main events of the Priority 2030 program in the official Telegram channel of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation.

On October 27, the significance of this development was also noted indigest of interesting events at universities on the official VKontakte page of the Ministry of Education and Science.

On October 27, the Ministry of Education and Science's digest of interesting university events featured news aboutthe creation of "AI glasses" by polytechnicians— a system based on a neural network that increases image resolution.

And on October 29, the Ministry of Education and Science published a statement on its VKontakte tenth issue The "PRO-Rector" project focused on the implementation of the "Priority 2030" program at universities. Dmitry Shabalkin, Vice-Rector of Ulyanovsk State University, was the guest of the episode.

Also in October, the Polytechnic, which regularly sends humanitarian aid to Donbass, was mentioned inthe Ministry of Education and Science's collection "Universities for the Front" in VK.

On October 30, the website of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation published an article stating that Polytechnic University scientists have developed a fiber-optic sensor for monitoring the condition of extended engineering structures.

On November 10, the Ministry of Education and Science published the following on the Priority program page: Announcement of a press conference of Polytechnic University scientists at the press center of the Russia Today media group. Material onresults of the conference was published on the RIA Novosti website on November 12.

On November 13, a mural featuring Igor Kurchatov opened a collection of graffiti on university walls in the Ministry of Education and Science's VK community. The mural was created by Polytechnic University graduate Vasily Tsvetkov.

Open communication with the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation allows Polytechnic University to demonstrate its status as a leading university in the country. The systematic publication of university news on the Ministry of Education and Science's platforms convincingly demonstrates its significant contribution to national science and education.

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.

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On November 30, 1835, the day Halley's Comet reappeared over Missouri for the first time in 75 years, Samuel Langhorne Clemens was born in a Florida village. He became a writer whose name, Mark Twain, has gone down in history as a symbol of freedom, honesty, and a keen wit capable of subtly and good-naturedly ridiculing hypocrisy, bigotry, and xenophobia.

What's in a name?

The writer chose a real shipping term for his pen name: "Mark Twain! Mark two!" the riverboat crews would shout as they sounded the channel of the fickle and treacherous Mississippi. This meant that there was a minimum depth of two meters ahead, meaning that vessels following the pilot would not run aground. For Clemens, who grew up on the banks of North America's main river, this command became more than just a nickname. It was a stance on life: move forward, avoid shallows, and lead the way.

Samuel was the sixth child of a small merchant. His father died early, leaving the family in debt. The boy went to work—first as a typesetter's apprentice at his brother's newspaper, then traveling to New York, Philadelphia, and Cincinnati for work. In the evenings, the future classic of children's literature went to the library to compensate for his lack of education. In 1857, he became an apprentice pilot on the Mississippi, and by 1859, he had earned his license—and thus the mighty Mississippi became his school, university, and first muse.

When the Civil War broke out in America, Clemens fought for two weeks on the Southern side, but, realizing the futility of the conflict, he left for Nevada to join his brother, a government official. Samuel first tried his hand at gold mining, then found a job at The Territorial Enterprise, where he first signed his name as "Mark Twain." The budding writer's first success came in 1865 with the short story "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County." It was the story of a wondrous amphibian that somehow learned to leap farther than anyone else. The story spread across the United States and became incredibly popular because its sparkling humor concealed serious themes. After all, Twain wrote about ordinary people, their ingenuity, dreams, and naivety, using their language and without embellishment.

In 1867, Mr. Mark traveled to Europe and the Middle East as a correspondent. His travel notes and letters formed the basis of his book, The Innocents Abroad (1869). To ensure its success, he himself wrote an anonymous, enthusiastic review and published it in the press. This wasn't a deception, but rather an understanding of the reader's soul and a belief in his own word.

Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn

In 1870, Twain married Olivia Langdon, a woman from a wealthy family who became his moral compass. They moved to Hartford, Connecticut, where they built a house that is now a National Historic Landmark. It was here that he wrote his most important works.

In 1876, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer was published—a book conceived as a third-person autobiography. But Twain felt Tom was too perfect, too heroic. He wanted to create a truly living character. And in 1884, Huckleberry Finn was born—a novel that Ernest Hemingway called the origin of all American literature. Huck is a boy who speaks "bad" English, steals food, disbelieves in school, but has a clearer conscience than many eminent adults. When Huckleberry decides he'd rather go to hell than betray his black friend, the escaped slave Jim, it's not rebellion. It's a choice for humanity in a world where laws permit people to be enslaved.

Of course, there was a huge scandal, because racial prejudice hadn't yet disappeared. In 1885, the book was removed from the Concord library for being "coarse and obscene." Newspapers wrote that it was "more suited to the slums than to polite citizens." But that was precisely its strength: Twain wrote not for salons, but for life. He wasn't afraid to be uncomfortable, criticizing racism, imperialism, cruelty, and the hypocrisy of the press. Incidentally, the writer was a member of the American Anti-Imperial League, opposed the annexation of the Philippines, and wrote scathing pamphlets ridiculing the theory of the "chosen people" and the "civilizing mission" of the United States.

Eternal pilot of dignity

Mark Twain wasn't particularly fortunate in business. In the 1890s, his publishing company went bankrupt. He invested in an automatic printing press, but it never worked. To pay off his creditors, Twain abandoned bankruptcy and embarked on a worldwide lecture tour, intending to personally repay every debt—an act of moral dignity.

During these years, he wrote "Personal Memories of Joan of Arc," his most serious and moving prose. He also wrote "Puddock Wilson," which, in his playful vein, once again raised the issue of racial inequality. After the death of his wife in 1904, Mr. Mark fell into a deep depression. Two daughters died: Susie from meningitis, and Jean from epilepsy. The writer even ruefully joked that life was a walk through a cemetery.

In his final years, Mark Twain dictated his autobiography—not for his contemporaries, but for the future. Therefore, he forbade its publication until 100 years after his death. The archives were opened in 2010: the world once again heard his voice—clear, ironic, prophetic.

Samuel Langhorne Clemens died on April 21, 1910, the year of Halley's Comet's return. His ashes lie in Elmira, New York, next to his wife and children, and a crater on Mercury bears his name. Quotes from Twain adorn school and university walls, courtrooms, collections of aphorisms, and websites. His books are read in Russia and everywhere else where boldness of thought and honesty of speech are valued.

He once said: truth is always stronger than fiction—because fiction must be believable, but truth must not. It's been 115 years since Mark Twain passed away, but he still leads us all, preventing us from running aground on the shallows of despair and stupidity.

Subscribe to the "Our GUU" Telegram channel. Publication date: November 30, 2025.

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.

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Source: Official website of the State –

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On the last Sunday of November, all of Russia celebrates Mother's Day, established by decree of President Boris Yeltsin in 1998. This date has an important purpose: first and foremost, to strengthen the institution of the family and elevate the status of motherhood in the public consciousness by creating a national non-profit tradition focused on the social mission of women.

History and modern times

The roots of the veneration of motherhood go back to ancient times. Over two thousand years ago, in ancient Greece, springtime celebrated the feasts of Gaia—the mother of the gods and the embodiment of fertility. In the Christian tradition, this image is embodied in the Virgin Mary. The prototype for the modern date was the English Mothering Sunday, which appeared around 1600. The tradition of celebrating motherhood took shape in the United States in 1907, when American Anna Jarvis, who had lost her mother, launched a campaign to establish a national day to honor motherhood. Her efforts were successful: just three years later, the state of Virginia established the observance on the second Sunday in May, and in 1914, the holiday was granted federal status. Today, Mother's Day is celebrated in more than 20 countries, and the traditions are unique everywhere: in the United States and Australia, they wear colored carnations—white in memory of the departed, red and pink in honor of the living; in England and Ireland, they bake a cake with marzipan balls and give it to mothers in exchange for a blessing; and in Japan, they sing a special holiday song for them.

Federal status

In Russia, the first attempt to celebrate Mother's Day was made in 1915: Scout instructor Ragnar Fernberg organized a celebration in Petrograd on December 1. However, during the Soviet period, the initiative was not developed further—the celebration of motherhood was subsumed into the celebration of International Women's Day on March 8.

The holiday's revival began with the initiative of Russian language and literature teacher Elmira Guseynova. In October 1988, she and her students organized a gala concert at Baku School No. 228—the first "day dedicated to mothers" in the USSR. The tradition became annual, and later, after Elmira Dzhavadovna moved to Stavropol, it took root there as well. In 1993, the holiday was officially established in Yakutia, designated for the third Sunday in November, and then the tradition gained a foothold in Bashkortostan and the Chelyabinsk region. Mother's Day received federal status in 1998, with the initiative supported by the State Duma Committee on Women, Family, and Youth.

Gratitude from the state

In Russia, Mother's Day has become an important family holiday. Children in kindergartens and schools make cards and learn poems, educational institutions host concerts, and city venues organize charity events and exhibitions.

State awards hold a special place. The highest distinction is the title of "Mother Heroine," awarded to women who have given birth to or adopted ten or more children and receives a one-time payment of 1 million rubles. The Order of Parental Glory is awarded to families with seven or more children and comes with a payment of 500,000 rubles.

Regions are developing their own incentive systems: for example, in St. Petersburg, parents with many children are awarded the title "For Merit in Raising Families" at three levels, with payments ranging from 25,000 to 100,000 rubles. In the Vologda Region, three levels of the Motherhood Medal are awarded. There is also a medal "For Love and Fidelity" for spouses who have been married for at least 25 years.

The all-Russian "Family of the Year" competition has become a traditional event, taking place for the tenth time in 2025. The symbol of Russian Mother's Day is the forget-me-not flower—the embodiment of selfless love, tenderness, and kindness.

Social aspect

Today, Mother's Day serves an important social function. It brings to the forefront the discussion of issues related to motherhood support: maternity benefits, access to childcare, and finding a balance between work and family. The holiday emphasizes that raising children is not only emotional and physical labor, but also an activity that requires high skills, patience, and dedication. "Caring for the children and families of students is an important aspect of shaping the future economy of our country. Supporting young parents and creating favorable conditions for raising children contributes to the development of human capital," says Vladimir Stroyev, Rector of the State University of Management.

Incidentally, in accordance with an initiative by the Russian Ministry of Education and Science, our university has already opened four mother-and-child rooms. This step is part of a federal program that aims to create approximately 1,000 such important spaces at Russian universities by 2030. These cozy spaces offer everything necessary for a comfortable stay for mothers with small children, from comfortable furniture to a dedicated area for educational activities.

Such initiatives help students and staff at SUM successfully balance raising children with their studies and professional activities. The creation of a network of mother-and-child rooms not only improves living conditions but also contributes significantly to the development of a supportive educational environment that values family and understands the needs of modern parents.

Let's note: respect for motherhood isn't just about flowers and gifts. It's about being willing to listen and expressing gratitude for the daily, unnoticed, yet irreplaceable work of parenting. So, there's no need for a lavish celebration. Let's simply say to the most important person in our lives: "Thank you for being here!"

Subscribe to the "Our GUU" Telegram channel. Publication date: November 30, 2025.

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November 29th marks Letter "ё" Day—a date commemorating one of the most unusual letters in the Russian alphabet. Its history is more than just a linguistic curiosity, but an epic struggle for precision, honor, and even human destiny.

French roots

In 1783, at a meeting of the Imperial Russian Academy, its director and the first woman in the world to hold such a position, Princess Ekaterina Dashkova, proposed replacing the cumbersome spelling of "іо" with a single letter. After demonstrating the spelling of the word "іолка" to the academics, she asked: why waste two characters on one sound? Thus, "ё" was born—with two dots and a clearly defined purpose.

The idea was supported by writers Gavriil Derzhavin and Denis Fonvizin, who began using the new letter in personal and business correspondence. As early as 1795, Ivan Dmitriev first printed the "ё" in his song collection "And My Little Things"—in the word "vsyo" (everything). But widespread recognition came later, thanks to historian and writer Nikolai Karamzin. In 1797, he replaced "слиозы" with "слиозы" (tears) in the first Russian poetry almanac, "Аонды" (Aonides), and the letter entered everyday writing. The publication was distributed throughout the country, and for a long time, Karamzin was considered the father of the "ё," although the initiative belonged to Dashkova. Rumor has it that the idea came to Her Highness the Director, a great lover of champagne, from an unexpected source: the letter "ё" in the name of the then-very fashionable French wine house Moët.

Common sound

Despite its elite origins, the "ё" sound was long unpopular in aristocratic circles. In the 19th century, conservatives considered it unnecessary: the authoritative philologist Alexander Vostokov argued that we don't spell "fire" with an "a," even though we hear it as [a]. Meanwhile, in high society, the "ёканье" sound was perceived as a sign of common speech.

And yet, the letter gained strength. Leo Tolstoy included it in his "Azbuka" (also known as "ABC"), pronouncing and writing his name as "Lev" (Lion) in keeping with the old Muscovite tradition. In the archives of the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum, all student records contain the "yo" (or "ё"). The Governor-General of Moscow, Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich, also used periods in official documents. But there was no uniform orthography—everyone decided for themselves whether to use the "yo" (or "ё") in writing.

The revolutionary reform of 1918, contrary to expectations, did not enshrine the "ё" in the alphabet. Although the 1904 draft proposed its more active use, it was not mentioned in the final decree. The reason was not ideology, but economy: in the midst of the Civil War, there was no surplus metal for the production of new typographic fonts. Even unneeded old letters—yat, izhitsa—were melted down.

Return of two points

In 1942, at the height of the Great Patriotic War, the "ё" letter was revived. According to one theory, it was caused by confusion over the names of generals: Stalin was allegedly furious when he saw "Degtev" instead of "Dyogtev" in documents. Another theory is that Soviet intelligence discovered that the Germans were writing "ё" as "jo" on captured maps to avoid confusing, for example, Berezovka with Beryozovka. In any case, spelling accuracy proved more important than typographical savings: starting December 7, 1942, the newspaper Pravda began dotting the "ё," and an order from Vladimir Potemkin, the People's Commissar of Education, on December 24 finally enshrined the change. Although the "ё" letter was once again made optional after the war, this document remains formally in place today.

Practical difficulties later contributed to the "ё"'s ousting. Typewriters rarely had a dedicated key for it—to insert periods, the typist had to return the carriage and type quotation marks over the "е," while writing by hand required three movements. In early computer encodings, the letter was often missing. And in editorial offices, the belief persists that the "ё" visually "spoils" the layout.

On guard of meaning

But the main thing isn't convenience, but meaning. In 2009, thousands of Russians faced legal disputes due to the absence of the "ё" letter in their passports. There's a story about a certain Professor Yozhikov, who couldn't register an inheritance because his birth certificate listed his surname with periods, but his passport didn't. Court cases and piles of documents ensued—all because of two periods. Then, a decision by the Russian Ministry of Education and Science brought order to this chaos: the "ё" letter is mandatory in proper names, as it's a matter of legal status.

It's also important that the "ё" always indicates a stressed sound and eliminates spelling risks: for example, without it, the correct "свыокла" (svekla) would become the illiterate "ветклá," and the name of the "Планерная" station is now often pronounced as "Планерная" (Planernaya) because the "ё" is missing from the Moscow metro map. Furthermore, the absence of two dots above the "е" can completely distort the meaning: what did the writer mean when he wrote "передохинем" (we'll rest or die)?

Literary monument

In Ulyanovsk, Karamzin's birthplace, stands the world's only monument to a letter—a granite stele over two meters tall. It bears an exact replica of the "ё" imprint from the 1797 almanac "Aonides." It is a symbol of respect for a language in which every detail matters.

The letter "ё" has survived oblivion, neglect, and technical abandonment. But it has survived because it defends not only literary norms but also human rights, not just the rhythm of poetry. So, reviving the culture of "ё" isn't pedantry, but respect for the Russian word, for oneself, and for others. After all, these two little dots can have a profound impact on an entire human life.

Subscribe to the "Our GUU" Telegram channel. Publication date: November 29, 2025.

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.