SPbPU Representatives Attend Conference of Rectors from Russia and Uzbekistan

Polytechnic University took part in the conference of rectors of engineering universities of Uzbekistan and Russia. Over one hundred representatives from thirty universities of the two countries gathered in Tashkent.

The main topic of the conference of rectors was «Prospects of higher technical education in the conditions of scientific and technological development». The main issues discussed by the participants were successful models and concepts of Advanced Engineering Schools, experience of establishing scientific centers and research laboratories in cooperation with industry, development of new approaches to engineering education.

The participants of the conference were welcomed by the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation of Uzbekistan Kongratbay Sharipov: This conference is an opportunity to share the experience of implementing the new evolution of engineering education. That is why there is such a great interest in today’s event from both Russian and Uzbek universities. Consistent integration of the educational space of Uzbekistan and Russia, development of intellectual and creative potential of students is necessary for both countries.

The SPbPU School of Advanced Engineering Studies «Digital Engineering» is undoubtedly one of the first among Russian universities — leaders in their fields. Polytechnic University is ready to provide comprehensive expert and methodological support to the project of advanced engineering schools in Uzbekistan. These opportunities of SPbPU were discussed during the talks between Rector of SPbPU Andrei Rudskoi and the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation of Uzbekistan Kongratbay Sharipov, which took place on April 18, 2024. SPbPU’s goal is to help its partners in the Republic of Uzbekistan in developing innovative educational programs, organizing scientific research and attracting the best specialists in the field of engineering.

Dmitry Afanasiev, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, emphasized: Uzbekistan’s education system is successfully and effectively developing. It has a clear strategy, a clear vector of development defined by the president of the republic, and we see that our partners are successfully implementing the projects that have been set. This forum is not something new, but a continuation of a long and effective work to strengthen cooperation between the higher education systems of the two countries. We are taking the next step towards the integration of this cooperation, discussing effective forms. At the center of this forum is the creation of Advanced Engineering Schools. In Russia, the federal AES project has been developing for two years already and has shown its high results. And now we are discussing the international format of creating advanced engineering schools on the basis of universities in Uzbekistan.

The Republic of Uzbekistan is facing the ambitious task of developing engineering education and establishing advanced engineering schools. This project represents an important step in improving the educational system of the country and training qualified specialists in the field of engineering. The main goal of the project is to create conditions for innovative education, development of scientific research and technological progress.

After welcoming speeches by the Ministries of Russia and Uzbekistan, the plenary session began, co-moderated by Vitaly Sergeev, First Vice-Rector of SPbPU. The first report was presented by Mr. Sadriddin Turabdjanov, Rector of Tashkent State Technical University named after Islam Karimov (TSTU), Academician of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan: We are very glad that we are adopting the experience of Russian universities on the thorny path of AES creation. In our opinion, the AES should be aimed at training not just engineers, but research engineers and innovators. When developing the TSTU AES project ‘Energy Saving and Digitalization of Industry’, we relied on the experience of our Russian partners, in particular, SPbPU.

On the sidelines of the conference, ceremonies of signing bilateral agreements took place. On behalf of SPbPU, First Vice-Rector Vitaly Sergeev signed the Roadmap of Cooperation for the development of TSTU AES activities for 2024-26. In addition, a number of agreements were signed with Andijan Machine-building Institute, Fergana Polytechnic Institute and Termiz Institute of Engineering and Technology in the field of expert support of AES and development of engineering education. Polytechnic signed a comprehensive agreement on scientific and educational partnership with Jizzakh Polytechnic Institute.

We are building productive communication, which leads to the implementation of a number of projects. This is the exchange of students, joint work of graduate students, interaction between researchers. The base of our universities is close both in the structure of the universities themselves and in the research topics we conduct. The agreements that have been signed today will benefit the higher education system of both Uzbekistan and Russia, — Vitaly Sergeev commented in an interview with Uzbekistan 24 TV chan.

Within the framework of the session «Actual problems of engineering education development» Oleg Rozhdestvensky presented competencies and achievements of SPbPU Technological Development Ecosystem subdivisions, which includes 5 federal structures formed as a result of winning competitions, and briefly described the functions of each of the subdivisions. The synergy of fundamental knowledge, long-term experience of working with global industry leaders, as well as unique competencies of the divisions’ specialists provides the balance that forms the ‘gold standard’ of Polytechnic University’s technological development ecosystem, which allows to effectively interact with the university’s industrial partners, as well as to produce highly qualified engineering personnel, — concluded Oleg Rozhdestvensky.