Signing of a partnership agreement. Vladislav Ruzavin, Aleksandr Filatov, Yury Belenky, Aleksandra Ivanova, Vladimir Mozgovoy, and Viktoria Vinogradova
On 8 October, the Murino Secondary General Education School No. 8 has launched an engineering and construction class. SPbGASU has once again joined the project as a partner. The initiative introduces schoolchildren to careers in construction and engineering and helps them determine their future educational path. Other project partners include the MAVIS Investment and Construction Group, Lenoblsoyuzstroy, the St Petersburg College of Architecture and Civil Engineering (SPASK), and the St Petersburg College of Metro Construction.
Helping students decide on a field of study before they finish school
Around 30 students will participate in the new engineering and construction class. Ninth-graders will have the opportunity to study specialized subjects in greater depth and gain insight into various professions within the construction industry. Eighth-grade students, who are already following the advanced "Sirius" curriculum, have also joined the project.
Viktoria Vinogradova, Vice-Rector for Continuing Education, took part in the opening ceremony on behalf of SPbGASU.
The curriculum will focus on developing technical knowledge and preparing students for further studies in construction and engineering fields, including programs in architecture, digital design, and building information modeling (BIM). In addition to in-depth study of mathematics, physics, and other specialized subjects, students will have the opportunity to interact with teachers and experts from universities and colleges, learning about various fields of study and the options available for pursuing higher or vocational education.
As Aleksandra Ivanova, principal of Murino Secondary School No. 8, noted, the opening of this class marks the beginning of a long-term collaboration with partners. According to her, this format allows teenagers to explore a chosen field—even before enrolling in vocational or professional educational institutions—and to make an informed decision regarding their future career.
"We provide them with the opportunity to figure out who they want to become and what they want to do," emphasized Aleksandra Ivanova.
The project is being implemented with the support of a grant from the Governor of the Leningrad Region. Its objective is to facilitate the training of specialists in technical fields that are in demand within the region, and to help school students gain exposure to the construction industry before they even finish school.
Heads of partner organizations have signed an agreement aimed at promoting construction-related professions and providing early career guidance for schoolchildren. The document was signed by Viktoria Vinogradova, Vice-Rector for Continuing Education at SPbGASU; Yury Belenky, Director of the St Petersburg College of Architecture and Civil Engineering; Aleksandr Filatov, Director of the College of Metro Construction; Vladimir Mozgovoy, Executive Director of LenOblSoyuzStroy; Vladislav Ruzavin, General Director of Vektor Nedvizhimosti LLC; and school principal Aleksandra Ivanova.
From exploring a profession to developing digital competencies
The opening of a specialized class at School No. 8 in Murino, Leningrad Region, is part of an initiative by the SPbGASU to engage with schools and foster interest in engineering and construction-related professions. The university currently supports over 30 such "construction classes," helping to bridge the gap between secondary education and future professional training.
One area of cooperation is being developed in partnership with the developer Glavstroy Saint Petersburg. Since 2024, School No. 142 in the Vyborgsky District has hosted an educational initiative called "Construction Classes," implemented jointly by the school and St Petersburg’s Center for Advanced Vocational Training. In the new academic year, the program has expanded to include a digital component: students have begun learning about the information modeling of residential buildings.
As part of the course, students learn to use the Renga Professional software, create digital models of architectural designs and engineering systems, and work with source data and technical regulatory documentation. Practical training is supplemented by field trips, masterclasses, and participation in SPbGASU conference. Upon completion of the program, students can receive a certificate for the profession of "Draftsman-Designer."
Another joint initiative between the university and the company is the program "Architectural Horizons: A Path to the Profession," which launched for the fourth time in 2026. SPbGASU teachers conduct lectures and practical sessions for seventh- and eighth-grade students, and organize field trips as well as a team workshop. The program introduces students to the fundamentals of architecture, helps them develop spatial reasoning, and fosters an understanding of the relationship between architectural and landscape design solutions. To date, more than 100 students from School No. 142 have participated in the project.
At the beginning of the current academic year, with the participation of SPbGASU and the support of the Construction Committee of the Leningrad Region and the Rastsvetay Group of Companies, engineering and construction classes were launched at the Yanino Education Center.
Continuous education – from school to university
Denis Nizhegorodtsev, Director of the SPbGASU Educational Center for Digital Competence, emphasized the importance of consistently preparing future professionals through the use of digital technologies. During a meeting of the Consortium for Secondary Vocational Education (SVE) in the construction sector—held as part of the XIII 100+ TechnoBuild Forum—he presented practices for the end-to-end application of Building Information Modeling (BIM) technologies in construction education.
The proposed approach entails the progressive development of competencies at every stage of education. In schools, this includes "digital construction" classes and the All-Russian School TIM Championship; in colleges, it involves a TIM elective course, conducted in collaboration with the SRO "OsnovaProekt" and supported by the founders of the industry-specific SVE Consortium. At the university level, students can participate in the All-Russian TIM Championship and engage in project-based work using real-world assignments from industry partners. The culmination of this educational pathway can be the defense of a final qualifying work in the form of a team-based TIM project.
Collaboration between SPbGASU and schools, colleges, and construction companies helps build an interconnected system for professional training. Students gain the opportunity to explore the profession early on, acquire foundational industry-specific skills, and make informed decisions about their future education, while the construction sector is able to contribute to the development of the competencies required by future professionals.