Vladimir Vladimirovich, will you now study in China according to the programs of Moscow Polytechnic University?
Vladimir Miklushevsky: We did not open a branch, but a representative office. So that? The first objective is to know the universities and companies in China that deal with automobiles, particularly electric ones. China is by far the number one country in this area. The second direction is the purchase of equipment. Today, for obvious reasons, buying equipment in Europe is a big problem and we want to reorient ourselves towards China. Industrial equipment is no worse than European, American or Korean, and in some places even better. And the third point is the recruitment of students at the university. Today we have more than fifteen hundred foreign students from 69 countries. The geography is large, but most of it is the CIS countries.
And what do they choose?
Vladimir Miklushevsky: I will name the 10 main areas: information systems and technologies, mechanical engineering, management, energy engineering and electrical engineering, operation of technological systems of transport machines, economics, information sciences and computer technology, advertising and public relations , construction and quality. management.
During this admission campaign, Moscow Polytechnic became one of the three leaders in Moscow in terms of the number of applications submitted? How to attract candidates?
Vladimir Miklushevsky: This year we have more than 100 thousand applications. In comparison, before there were 75,000. One of our advantages is the project activities in the four undergraduate courses. This is a required subject where students create projects in their field of study. Most of them are requests from our business partners. In addition, we have many practical teachers, which gives students the opportunity to find their employer during the learning process. Many third or fourth year students are already working in their specialty and almost 100% of graduates find employment immediately after graduation.
Your applicants who enroll in technical areas also take physics. What do you think of the proposal to introduce three mandatory unified state exams for “technicians”, including physics, and study Russian at the test level?
Vladimir Miklushevsky: It is known that fewer people take the Unified State Exam in Physics today than a couple of years ago. Not because they don’t want to be engineers, but simply because perhaps this subject is taught poorly in school. Of course, it is necessary to improve the quality of physics teaching in schools. Universities should not be external observers here. And by the way, it’s not just about physics. In Moscow, for example, the career guidance system works well: there are additional engineering and media classes. Moscow Polytechnic works with 250 schools. We help children prepare for the Unified State Exam, we are co-founders of Olympiads that award additional points for admission, and we introduce schoolchildren to their future profession. In addition to career guidance, which is important in itself, a person must understand in advance his future profession and specialty. Otherwise, the proportion of errors is large, there is a danger of losing motivation in the process of studying at a university, and this is a waste of time and money that the State allocates to the preparation of students.
What training areas are at the top today?
Vladimir Miklushevsky: We are not only an engineering university, we also have a highly developed artistic component. Therefore, not only engineering and computing were in the first places, but also journalism, graphic and multimedia design, graphics, publishing, advertising and public relations, and business process management. Traditionally, areas such as systems and software engineering, sports vehicles, industrial transportation design and others are also in demand.
The university pays a lot of attention to the topic of electronic sports. You even have your own professional team. Because it is important?
Vladimir Miklushevsky: First of all, because it interests students. We base all our internal policies and processes on this approach. Last year, 10 sports tournaments were held within the university, in which 1,500 students participated. In 2023, 40 students completed an advanced training course within the framework of the “E-Sports in Educational Institutions” program. There are about 75 people on the varsity team. The student community is structured in such a way that we do not have to impose anything, we have to offer and support, which is what we do.
Can elements of eSports be used in classes?
Vladimir Miklushevsky: I’ll give you an example. We are developing a new racing car at our Advanced School of Electric Vehicle Engineering. It will have a hybrid engine (internal combustion engine plus electric motor). And to start, this car was designed completely digitally. The digital model of the hybrid is tested in a simulator. There is a special pilot engineer who does this. From the outside, these tests may look like a virtual reality game, but our digital car drives on real tracks, it is an immersive simulator. In addition to the image of the track, there is a monitor that shows all the driving parameters, which allows us to predict the behavior of the car and analyze the grip of the wheels on the track. Cybersport, but absolutely applied.
Starting this year, Moscow Polytechnic University has a student co-government: young people independently solve some of their educational and everyday problems. Do you really have no control over the students in this?
Vladimir Miklushevsky: The truth is that we do not only train engineers, designers or IT specialists. We prepare people who will ultimately become leaders of their teams. These leadership and management skills must be learned somewhere. It seems to me that there is no better place than university. After you get your diploma, by the time you join a team, it’s too late to learn this. By the way, employers often call this a drawback of the educational environment of a university: people emerge as specialists, but without the so-called soft skills, which include the ability to work in a team and manage a team. And what we are doing now is true co-management, I would call it that. You know that in the terminology of public administration there is the concept of “delegated powers” and “subject of joint jurisdiction.” We have the same logic.
Esports can become an element of practical training, for example, in a digital simulator.
What do students co-manage?
Vladimir Miklushevsky: For example, we have a commission on internal conflicts. The simplest problems related to living in a dormitory and maintaining cleanliness are completely handled by the student activist. Another direction is participation in the scholarship committee. This is an example of a “subject of joint jurisdiction.” Without the consent of the students included in this commission, no decisions are made about bonuses or scholarship increases. The university itself creates a scholarship fund based on the per-student standard. The amount is limited and is allocated from the federal budget, but we can distribute it at our own discretion.
By the way, for 3 or 4 years we have had a commission on the quality of education under the vice-rector for academic affairs, and students actively participate in it, providing their comments. Everything related to maintaining the normal state of the housing stock, public places, self-training rooms, gyms, coworking spaces is an area of special attention for me. In 2018 there was an interesting story: after 10:00 p.m., the hostel administrator closed the room where he could work without disturbing his roommates. And our students wanted to study at night. I decided: why not, if there is such a thirst for knowledge? But take responsibility for the condition of the premises.
Another important thing: participation in the application for various scholarships and annual monitoring of student satisfaction with the services they receive at the university.
Is this a volunteer story or do the guys receive a salary in addition to the stipend?
Vladimir Miklushevsky: No, this is a completely public work. The university has a youth policy department, in which students also work, even for a salary. But now we are talking about a tripartite agreement signed by the university administration, the president of the joint student council and the president of the trade union organization.
Currently, six universities are participating in a pilot project for the transition to new educational levels. Are you looking at your colleagues?
Vladimir Miklushevsky: There is still a long way to go. We are not passive observers: we participate in the debate and give our recommendations. The system that is being implemented now is not fundamentally different from the existing one, but it provides more opportunities and makes the university education system more flexible.
Will anything change for students?
Vladimir Miklushevsky: Those who came and will come to the new programs have nothing to fear. The stories we are used to will simply have different names. But with foreigners there can be difficulties. There are bachelor’s and master’s degrees all over the world. For example, a foreigner came to us and instead of a bachelor’s degree he received a basic higher education. Further questions may arise about the recognition and conformity of titles. This point must be taken into account.
