From October 12 to 14, MGIMO university hosts the 2023 Priority Fest, a festival of the best practices of participating universities and candidates of the Priority 2030 programme. Working at the expert sections of the festival, the SSU delegation was headed by Rector Aleksei Chumachenko and also included Vice-Rector for Research and Digital Development Aleksei Koronovskii, Head of the Educational Office Sergei Udalov, and Head of the Office of Priority Projects and Programmes Maria Yerokhina.
The event serves as a platform for the exchange of experience, tools, and expertise, and about 800 people have joined it. The fest has been held for the second time and brings together rectors and vice-rectors of Russian universities, heads of project offices, as well as strategic and institutional projects of universities participating in the Priority 2030.
This year, the Priority Fest involves four plenary sessions that will reveal the role of universities as drivers of territorial and sectoral development, as well as research leadership. Special sessions will be devoted to the financial model of the universities, the understanding of university strategies, applied issues of projects and international affairs, as well as digital competencies.
As part of twenty breakout sessions, the universities will be able to discuss specific topics of project implementation, depending on the academic programme track of the university. The forum is attended by heads of a few regions and federal agencies, representatives of the corporate sector – Sber, Gazpromneft, and Rostec.
This year, the Priority Fest is traditionally combined with the Convention of the Russian International Studies Association (RISA), which has already become known as the largest conference of international specialists. This makes it possible for representatives of Russian universities to be among analysts and practitioners of international relations, in particular, dealing with the issues of Southeast Asia, modern China, and the relations between Russia and Africa. Due to a broader view of the world and Russia, they will be able to determine additional guidelines in both education and research.
The co-organiser of the Priority Fest this year is Social Centre, the operator of the Priority 2030 programme.
