• 24.06.2025

Engineers are marching into the future

The XIII International Youth Industrial Forum "Engineers of the Future" opened in Tula on June 24.

The organizers of this annual large-scale communication platform for Russian and foreign young specialists in engineering and technical fields are the Union of Mechanical Engineers of Russia, the State Corporation "Rostec", the Defense Enterprises Assistance League, the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (Rosmolodyozh) and the Government of the Tula Region.

This year, the forum participants included representatives from 56 regions of the Russian Federation and more than 70 countries.

"Engineers of the Future" is a powerful educational block, rich business and cultural programs, interesting excursion routes and sports events.

The current forum pleases its participants with such novelties as tracks on navigation and artificial intelligence in robotics, mechanical engineering, urbanism of the future, phygital disciplines, architectural hackathon and the digital game "Code of the Future".

On June 23, almost simultaneously with the main program of the forum, an engineering shift for teenagers started for the first time in our region at the children's health camp "Zvyozdniy". Schoolchildren with technical talents make an amazing journey into the world of engineering creativity. The children learn the basics of project activities and get acquainted with modern technologies in an interactive form.

An active participant of the forum is Tula State University.

Our university acts as an exhibitor in three demonstration locations.

— In the tent "High-technology in mechanical engineering" we will present educational and competitive blocks on composite materials, dedicated to their production, processing and application, as well as additive technologies and post-processing of products, — commented Vice-Rector for Research Mikhail Sergeevich Vorotilin. — Participants will have lectures, practical classes, including immersive ones. They will be held the by employees of the V.P. Gryazev Institute of High-Precision Systems, the Polytechnic Institute, the Intercollegiate Scientific and Technical Center "Composite".

The High-Precision Complexes tent presents the latest developments of the Tula Engineering School, Intelligent Defense Complexes: a demonstrator of an optical-electronic system with elements of technical vision, a set of three training robotic platforms, a demonstrator of an optical correlation-extreme navigation system of an unmanned aerial vehicle, and a prototype of a multifunctional robotic platform. Both of these exhibits attracted the interest of Dmitriy Vladimirovich Afanasyev, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation. He was very pleased to talk with Rector Oleg Aleksandrovich Kravchenko and young researchers from Tula State University.

Oleg Aleksandrovich told Dmitriy Vladimirovich about the areas of cooperation between the university and the country's universities, leading enterprises and research centers, and shared plans for the future. In particular, they talked about the creation of a Competence Center at Tula State University.

The sports tent "Uniting those who create the future", as the director of the Institute of Pedagogy, Physical Education, Sports and Tourism Svetlana Anatolyevna Arkhipova put it, is the most active point of the forum. And it is very popular among young people. Here, under the guidance of the USSR Master of Sports in Sambo, teacher of the Department of Physical Education and Sports Nikolay Nikolayevich Lopin, demonstration performances of wrestlers from the Tula State University Sambo and Judo team, as well as from applicants from our university, are held. There are always plenty of people willing to touch the world of sports.

The infrastructure of the XIII International Youth Industrial Forum "Engineers of the Future" and its exhibits were reviewed by the First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Vladimir Vladimirovich Yakushev, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Industry and Trade, member of the “United Russia” faction Vladimir Vladimirovich Gutenev, Governor of the Tula Region Dmitriy Vyacheslavovich Milyaev and other high-ranking guests. They also visited the demonstration locations of Tula State University.

The official opening ceremony of the forum was attended by representatives of federal and regional authorities, diplomatic circles, industrial enterprises, research centers, higher education institutions and public organizations.

The Anthem of the Russian Federation resounded. A parade of flags took place.

The Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Central Federal District Igor Olegovich Shchegolev read out the welcoming address of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin.

Our country, it said, is rightfully famous for many generations of talented scientists, engineers, designers, and inventors. Their outstanding discoveries and achievements have significantly enriched the world's scientific and technical thought, and have become a fundamental contribution to strengthening the domestic industrial, energy, and defense-industrial complex. It is gratifying that these strong labor traditions are continued today with dignity. This is also the merit of the large-scale project "Engineers of the Future", which has been uniting energetic, goal-oriented, and generous with breakthrough ideas young people on its platform, opening up good opportunities for creative growth for young men and women, helping them gain new knowledge and competencies, and serving to enhance the prestige of engineering professions for more than ten years. And, of course, it is important that the forum is held with the broad support of reliable and authoritative partners - large companies, machine-building enterprises, leading technical universities, and public organizations of Russia. The President expressed confidence that this meeting would be successful, and that the promising initiatives and proposals of its participants would certainly be in demand. He wished everyone the fulfillment of their plans and all the best.

Vladimir Vladimirovich Yakushev greeted the participants on behalf of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation and its Chairperson Valentina Ivanovna Matviyenko.

Her congratulatory address said that the International Industrial Forum "Engineers of the Future" unites engineers, scientists, and students. It is symbolic that for several years in a row it is held in the hospitable Tula land - the birthplace of domestic weapons.

The rich business and educational program of the forum allows its participants to discuss a wide range of serious issues and adopt experience, but the main thing is that it gives young people the opportunity to declare themselves and gain an impetus for professional and creative growth.

On behalf of Valentina Ivanovna Matviyenko, Vladimir Vladimirovich Yakushev expressed confidence that the forum would serve to establish mutually beneficial ties and strengthen the human resources potential of the real sector of the economy. The guest wished the participants interesting meetings and productive discussions.

General Director of the State Corporation Rostec, Chairman of the Union of Mechanical Engineers of Russia Sergey Viktorovich Chemezov congratulated everyone on the opening of the forum and thanked its organizers, noting that without their heartfelt participation nothing would have happened.

Every year, the speaker emphasized, the forum "Engineers of the Future" is becoming more and more interesting. Ideas are born here and professional ties strengthen.

The forum, the speaker added, is more than an educational platform. It is a space of strength and growth. Today's engineers face new challenges. "Engineers of the Future" forum gives young people the opportunity to discover new horizons and form a true picture of Russia. It is here that a new generation of specialists is forming.

Sergey Viktorovich wished the participants new knowledge, new ideas and new friends.

Tula Region, the head of the region Dmitriy Vyacheslavovich Milyaev took the floor, is hosting the "Engineers of the Future" forum not for the first time. The governor thanked the Rostec State Corporation, the Union of Machine Builders of Russia, the Defense Enterprises Assistance League and the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs for their participation in organizing the event.

— We have prepared an interesting business, educational, cultural and sports program, — said Dmitriy Vyacheslavovich. — We are convinced that the forum will be interesting and useful for the participants. It is oriented not only to obtaining new knowledge, competencies, skills, but also at popularizing the engineering profession. Today, the Governor continued, the country faces serious tasks in terms of import substitution, in terms of achieving technological sovereignty and leadership. This is a lot of work. Much has already been done to date, but, of course, much remains to be done. With such personnel, he assured, our country will certainly succeed.

— Move forward, do not stop there, stay true to your profession! — Dmitriy Vyacheslavovich urged the participants. — Representatives of 75 states and 56 regions of our country are present here. This means that engineering thought is capable of uniting. Today, the mechanical engineering industry needs not just engineers, but engineers with design and management competencies, with project work skills. The future of our country, the strength of our country, the power of our country and its defense capability are in your hands!

A patriotic concert program was a wonderful frame for the opening ceremony. It was concluded by a performance by Honored Artist of Russia Denis Maidanov. It was on the forum stage that the anthem of the engineers of the future was first performed by him.

Actually, the singer admitted, the idea of this musical piece was born here, on the forum. And he only gave the raw material a proper look. Today, on the opening day, the premiere of the anthem took place. Well, and everyone who wants to listen to it again will be able to find it on music resources. The song was released and went, as they say in such cases, to the people.

After the first part of the opening ceremony, an extended meeting of the Bureau of the Union of Machine Builders of Russia and the Defense Enterprises Assistance League was held, dedicated to the development of the education system in the interests of training engineering personnel.

Its participants discussed issues related to strengthening and popularizing engineering education, career guidance work with schoolchildren and students, and industrial postgraduate studies.

Governor of the Tula Region Dmitriy Vyacheslavovich Milyaev thanked his colleagues for organizing and holding the forum "Engineers of the Future".

The speaker noted the huge role of the Tula regional branch of the Union of Mechanical Engineers of Russia in the joint work and emphasized that our branch has been recognized as the best in the country more than once.

All enterprises of the Soyuzmash TRB, he said, actively interact with educational organizations of secondary vocational education and Tula State University.

In 2024, within the framework of the federal program "Professionalism", the Tula Region educational and production cluster "Mechanical Engineering" at the S.I. Mosin Technical College of Tula State University was organized, focused on solving problems for enterprises of the defense industry complex.

This year, applications from the region for two more mechanical engineering and one chemical cluster were approved.

In 2024, the Tula Engineering School "Intelligent Defense Complexes" was established at Tula State University. The educational process there is carried out using a project method, which allows students to adapt as much as possible to work at one of the leading enterprises of the defense industry in the future. The regional government, the Governor said, is providing assistance to the Advanced Engineering School of Tula State University in creating and equipping research laboratories. In addition, Dmitriy Vyacheslavovich added, the issue of the Tula Intercollegiate Defense Campus is being considered.

The head of the region paid special attention in his speech to the popularization of engineering knowledge. He spoke about the Multidisciplinary Engineering Olympiad "Zvezda" and the All-Russian campaign "Week without Turnstiles".

During the extended meeting of the Bureau of the Union of Mechanical Engineers of Russia and the Defense Enterprises Assistance League, Sergey Viktorovich Chemezov and the rector of Tula State University Oleg Aleksandrovich Kravchenko signed a strategic cooperation agreement.

Its goal is to integrate the scientific and educational potential of the university and industrial enterprises from the State Corporation. The parties plan to conduct joint research and development work.

The participants of the XIII International Youth Industrial Forum "Engineers of the Future" will have an interesting and rich program.

Tatyana Krikunkova

Photo by Mikhail Gindin and Darya Yanchuk