«Digital technologies today are a mainstream, defining trend that shapes the current state of humanity and its future development. These technologies emerge rapidly and, at times, vanish just as quickly. Unfortunately, no conventional education system in the world is prepared to adapt so fast, especially when the window for adaptation is literally a few months, at most half a year,» the minister said. «Therefore, one of the primary goals of the newly established academy is to ensure the rapid adoption of all new technologies, test them within the educational environment, and subsequently transfer them to traditional, comprehensive universities.»

Training specialists in digital technologies will be among the academy’s key activities. Unlike other universities in the country that also offer programs in this field, this institution will focus on producing professionals skilled in creating and architecting complex digital systems. «To fully grasp the digitalization of a field, one must simultaneously be an expert in both digital tech and the practical domain of a given economic sector. Only then is it possible to understand which exact digital element or AI model should be applied to a production process to boost efficiency and productivity, rather than throwing money down the drain just to follow a trend,» Kirill Zalessky explained.

In addition, the academy’s students will have the opportunity to launch small startups as their graduation projects. This will allow them to put bold, innovative ideas into practice.

A vital aspect of the educational process will be the opportunity for mutual learning between students and the faculty. «It happens that high school graduates understand certain technological innovations better than current instructors. This is neither good nor bad, it is simply a reality. Today’s youth absorb everything new and digital much faster. By creating a synergy between students and teachers at the academy, we are not only gathering the finest teaching expertise for the students but also enriching the academic environment in terms of digital technology applications,» the minister said.