VolSU Team at ‘Archipelago 2121’

The team of Volgograd State University took part in a crash course ‘Archipelago 2121’. This is one of the key events of the Year of Science and Technology, which was organized by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, the Agency for Strategic Initiatives, University 20.35, the National Technological Initiative Platform, the administration of the Novgorod region.

 The event was held from August 4 to 11 in Veliky Novgorod. Thousands of participants from all over Russia presented their own projects and initiatives for the development of the country, forming an image of the future of Russia for the next 100 years – in 2121. The team of VolSU participated in the ‘Universities as institutions for the development of cities and regions’ track.

    "Participation in ‘Archipelago’ changes the way of thinking. This is a really crash course for a university team. Such meetings are interesting because we can tell about our own projects and hear about the experience of our colleagues. The application to ‘Priority 2030’ has been submitted, and ‘Archipelago’ helped us choose our strategy. Volgograd State University is a classical university. Interdisciplinary projects are our advantage. The instruments of interaction between our scientific schools aroused interest among our fellow rectors. The Volgograd Region is a multi-ethnic region, and we have cross-cultural interaction platforms at VolSU. For example, within the framework of the third mission, VolSU Center for Public Diplomacy and International Office support projects of silver volunteers on introducing foreigners to Russian culture. We also have launched the project ‘Territory of Minds’ for Volgograd residents. A new program of workshops and interesting lectures from experts of our university is already being developed for this academic year. Another vector of development that ‘Archipelago’ has given is the modernization of further education at Volgograd State University. In the near future, we will consider the possibility of introducing a new system of FE," said Prof. Dr. Alla Kalinina, Rector of VolSU, following the results of the event. 

Prof. Dr. Alla Kalinina also took part in the discussion ‘Universities — repackaging the mission’, during which the role of a modern university as a multifunctional platform was outlined. Rectors shared strategies and cases for the future in the context of the transformation of goals and missions of universities.

 "The main thing is that all members of a team understand and share the tasks of a university. The university is forming an IT cluster, a driver of the development of the digital industry in the region. The task is to develop domestic products. We have international experts on the development of standards, " Prof. Dr. Alla Kalinina said during the meeting.

The event was also attended by Rector of Astrakhan State University Konstantin Markelov, Rector of Saratov State Vavilov Agrarian University Dmitry Solovyov, Rector of Ryazan State University named for S. Yesenin Andrey Minaev, Acting Rector of Tomsk Polytechnic University Dmitry Sednev, Acting Rector of Moscow Engineering Physics Institute Vladimir Shevchenko. The moderators were a leading expert of the HSE Institute of Education Evgeny Szhenov, Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation on Digital and Technological Development Dmitry Peskov and Deputy Director General of ASI Dmitry Glushko.