On September 25, Skoltech held the closing event of a fellowship programme for international specialists in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Participants from 13 countries presented the final projects they had been working on over the course of a month.
During the fellowship, the young specialists developed their ideas from initial concept to finished prototype, creating solutions to specific problems. As part of the Innovation Workshop, they studied approaches to developing technological solutions, worked in teams, held brainstorming sessions and tested their ideas in practice.
The final presentations gave participants an opportunity to showcase their results and receive feedback from experts. The projects presented included a device to help people with atopic dermatitis avoid scratching their skin, and a robotic cell for assessing gold. Each solution was the result of weeks of research, teamwork, testing and refinement of the original concept.
Addressing participants at the ceremony, Anna Salnikova, Head of the Youth Work Unit at the Public Diplomacy Department of Rossotrudnichestvo, said:
“We are very proud that you have become part of this programme. Over the past month, you have not only developed your projects and initiatives, but also made new friends, established strong partnerships and expanded your professional networks. We will remain in contact with you and will engage with you through Russian representative offices in your home countries in order to share new ideas and opportunities for cooperation.”
Lyana Dymova, Academic Programmes Coordinator at the Gorchakov Fund, emphasised the importance of international exchange in science and technology.
“Today, the advancement of science and technology is inconceivable without international collaboration. Programmes such as InteRussia enable young specialists not only to become acquainted with Russian research and the country’s educational environment, but also to bring their own experience, professional perspectives and ideas. It is particularly valuable to us that participants continue to communicate with one another after the programme has ended. It is precisely such professional ties that, in time, can develop into joint research, technology projects and new formats of cooperation.”
In addition to their project work, participants familiarised themselves with Russia’s science and technology sector, met lecturers and experts, and developed professional connections. The programme gave them practical experience of collaborative product development and introduced them to tools that help turn technological ideas into viable solutions.
The fellows’ work on their projects will continue beyond the programme. The experience gained, together with new professional contacts and ideas, may serve as a foundation for further cooperation and joint initiatives.
The InteRussia fellowship programme for foreign specialists in STEM is implemented by the Mezhdunarodniki Autonomous Non-Profit Organisation in cooperation with the Gorchakov Fund and the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology. The programme is implemented as part of Rossotrudnichestvo’s flagship New Generation initiative with grant support from the Presidential Grants Foundation.