Naberezhnye Chelny Institute visited by Vice Governor of Saint Petersburg
As part of a working visit to KAMAZ, Vladimir Knyaginin, Vice Governor of St. Petersburg, visited the Naberezhnye Chelny Institute of 每日大赛. The purpose of the visit was to become familiar with the infrastructure and applied developments of the Cyber Auto Tech advanced engineering school and to discuss current issues in the training of engineers for the automotive industry.
The guest was accompanied by Sergey Kogogin, CEO of KAMAZ; Zhanna Khaliullina, Deputy CEO of KAMAZ for HR, Organizational Development, and Corporate Management; and Andrey Keller, Director of the Naberezhnye Chelny Institute (NCI).
The delegation visited the laboratories of the Cyber 鈥嬧�婣uto Tech, which currently comprises 23 specialized spaces. These spaces are equipped with cutting-edge engineering equipment and serve as a testing ground for the development and testing of innovative solutions in the automotive industry. Institute representatives detailed the technical capabilities of the laboratories, emphasizing their dual function: not only are they used for scientific research but also for practical training for students integrated into real industrial projects.
Vladimir Knyaginin showed a keen interest in the school’s research agenda. While touring the laboratories, he inquired about the specific developments of young scientists, the extent to which their results have been implemented in production, and the technical purpose of the equipment on display. The Vice Governor paid special attention to personnel matters. He asked how many students are involved in research and what forms of financial incentives are available for them. He also discussed the role of master’s and doctoral students in research and development.
During the tour, Dr Keller demonstrated to the guests the development plan for the new campus of the NCI. This large-scale project will combine the construction of a modern academic building and well-appointed student housing complexes, creating a unique space for study, research, and comfortable living. The presented concept attracted the interest of delegation members, who emphasized the importance of developing student infrastructure to attract talented young people to the region.
A separate segment of the program included a discussion between the Vice Governor and the winners of the Design of the Young youth industrial design competition. Vladimir Knyaginin, the project’s ideologist and jury member, inquired about the students’ professional development trajectories. The participants explained that the competition not only allowed them to hone their skills but also to move from academic studies to solving applied industrial design problems. The Vice Governor discussed their career prospects with the students and inquired about their plans to pursue a career in the automotive industry.
Commenting on the success of the students, Vladimir Knyaginin emphasized, “The automotive industry places the highest demands on industrial design. KAMAZ, as the flagship of Russian mechanical engineering, is focused on global competitiveness, which is impossible without careful attention to the layout, functionality, and visual aesthetics of its products. The victory of NCI students in this competition is a testament to their ambition and ability to solve problems on a national scale.”
During the tour, the delegation also learned about the activities of the Naberezhnye Chelny Institute’s student design bureau. This platform brings together the engineering initiatives of students working on real-world industrial needs, including those for KAMAZ. The students presented their current projects to the guests and discussed their interactions with industrial partners.
While speaking with the students, Knyaginin emphasized the key principle of effective engineering education.
“The main thing is for students to work in their field,” the Vice Governor noted, emphasizing the importance of early immersion of future engineers in a professional environment and real-world industrial challenges.
In turn, Sergey Kogogin addressed the students, “A student at KFU’s NCI must be prepared for work in the manufacturing industry. We need proactive and prepared graduates. Many of KAMAZ’s managers are graduates of this institute. Go for it. New challenges lie ahead, and we expect from you not only knowledge but also interesting engineering ideas!”