Winners and finalists of the Olympiad and essay competition
The SPbGASU Department of Intercultural Communication summarized the results of a series of intra-university and national events dedicated to the study of foreign languages. In the spring of 2026, our university's students demonstrated a high level of English proficiency, a creative approach to solving pressing professional challenges, and distinguished themselves as representatives of the university.
Intra-university Olympiad "New Language Horizons"
On 28 May, the Department of Intercultural Communication held an awards ceremony for the winners and runners-up of the III Intra-University English Language Olympiad "New Language Horizons." The Olympiad consisted of three stages: qualifying and semi-final rounds in the format of individual testing, as well as a final creative competition.
Based on the results of the first two stages, 14 students advanced to the finals. For their final assignment, participants were asked to prepare a video presentation in English on the topic "Artificial Intelligence: Shaping the Future," dedicated to the impact of artificial intelligence on society, the economy, and professional life.
The winners of the Olympiad were Aleksandr Katsyuba (third-year student of the Faculty of Environmental Engineering and Municipal Services (FEEMS)), Anna Taran (first-year student of the Faculty of Architecture) and Viktor Bondarev (second-year student of FEEMS).
Second place went to Anna Karymova (third-year student of the Faculty of Architecture), Yaroslav Zvarich (second-year student of the Faculty of Civil Engineering), and Artem Abdyukhanov (second-year, FEEMS). The jury also recognized the participants' performances in special categories: Anna Karymova for best pronunciation, Yaroslav Zvarich for literacy, and Artem Abdyukhanov for professionalism and depth of presentation.
Third place was shared by Mikhail Galoyan (first-year student in the Faculty of Economics and Management), Maksim Murdasov (second-year student in the Faculty of Civil Engineering), Kamil Akhmetov (first-year student in the Faculty of Civil Engineering), and Elizaveta Fedorova (first-year student, FEEMS). Their works were recognized for thorough research, logical structure, linguistic literacy, and original approach to the topic.
The finalists of the Olympiad were Taisiya Andreeva, Maksim Klochko, Svetlana Yasinskaya and Aleksandra Shevtsova (all first-year students of the Faculty of Architecture), who demonstrated a high level of language proficiency.
The winners, runners-up, and finalists were awarded diplomas, certificates of honor, and commemorative gifts. Elena Selezneva, Head of the Department of Intercultural Communication, congratulated the participants on their successful performance, noting their deep knowledge, innovative thinking, and commitment to professional development.
Elena Selezneva greeting the participants
Foreign Language Essay Competition
On 29 May, the results of the intra-university essay competition in English were announced for second-year students completing their elective course "Foreign Language for Professional Communication." Contestants were asked to write an essay on the topic "My Future Profession: Artificial Intelligence vs. Humans."
The participants' works were distinguished by the originality of their ideas, high-quality argumentation, and a variety of approaches to understanding the role of humans and artificial intelligence in the professional activities of the future.
First place was taken by Daria Karaulova (second-year student, Faculty of Architecture) and Anna Lozbineva (second-year student, FEEMS). Second place was awarded to Anton Semenov (second-year student, FEEMS) and Anastasia Vastistova (second-year student, Faculty of Architecture). Third place was shared by Elizaveta Lovlinskaya (second-year student, Faculty of Architecture), Levon Gasparyan (second-year student, Faculty of Civil Engineering), and Artem Abdyukhanov.
Viktor Bondarev and Sofia Gorbatenko (second-year students in the Faculty of Forensics and Law in Construction and Transport) were recognized in special categories for their attention to detail in their professional work, Ulyana Bogatenkova (second-year student in the Faculty of Architecture) for her scientific approach to presenting the topic, and Maria Mikova (also a second-year student in the Faculty of Architecture) for her original interpretation of the topic. All competition participants demonstrated a high level of English proficiency and mature professional thinking.
All-Russian Conference
SPbGASU students also achieved significant success at the national level. In April, university representatives won prizes at the XI All-Russian Scientific and Practical Conference "My Profession in the XXI Century," organized by the Department of Foreign Languages at the Nizhny Novgorod State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering.
The conference brought together students from the country's leading specialized universities and provided a platform for discussing the prospects of the construction, architecture, and engineering industries in the context of digital transformation. Participants presented papers in English, French, and German, covering modern technologies, future professional competencies, and innovative solutions in construction and architecture.
Fourth-year student in the Faculty of Architecture Katrina Tomaka won first place with her presentation on the principles of modern urban lighting for creating a comfortable and harmonious urban environment. Her presentation also received a special mention from the jury in the "Language Literacy" category.
Second place went to Milana Guseynova (first-year student in the Faculty of Architecture) with her paper "Architect of the Future." The student's work received a special nomination "For Relevance of the Topic." In her work, Milana presented a perspective on the development of the architectural profession under the influence of artificial intelligence, virtual reality technologies, and sustainable design principles.
Another conference winner was Artem Abdyukhanov, who received second place and an award in the "Language Literacy" category for his presentation on modern land cadastre technologies.
The success of SPbGASU students in Olympiads, competitions, and scientific conferences confirms the high level of their language proficiency and the effectiveness of the Department of Intercultural Communication. A modern construction specialist must not only possess in-depth professional knowledge but also be confident in navigating the international professional landscape, proficient in foreign languages, and proficient in modern digital technologies. It is this combination of competencies that enables the development of a new generation of competitive specialists.
