AI and education: challenges and opportunities for the next generation 🤖

How are universities evolving in the age of AI? Can AI enhance education without diminishing the value of deep, fundamental knowledge? And how should educators adapt to prepare “AI natives” for the future?

These pressing questions were at the heart of a discussion at the 4th Congress of Young Scientists, hosted by Sirius University of Science and Technology. Daria Kozlova, ITMO’s Director for Strategic Development and director for education at Yandex emphasized a promising perspective:

If everyone is ready to generate questions and answers, we must reimagine educational content and embrace open-book exams. AI is just the next step in this evolution.

Want to know how universities are preparing students to navigate AI “temptations” and merge academic research with business innovation? Click here to read more 👈

#itmoinfo

Meet Reham Qassem, an international student from Tartus, Syria, who is pursuing a degree in information security while staying true to her passion for art 🇸🇾

I have a deep appreciation for art, particularly drawing. Back in Syria, I worked as a painter and I created many portraits, focusing on capturing faces, features, and especially eyes. I love portraying the small details and emotions, especially those subtle feelings that can be seen in people’s eyes, particularly those who try to hide their emotions.

Find out how Reham balances technology, creativity, and a love for discovery! Read the full interview here 👈

#itmofaces

Ho-ho-ho! It's time for Secret Santa! 🎁

Ready to spread some holiday cheer? Join our Secret Santa gift exchange! Here’s how it works:

🎅 What is it?
It’s a gift exchange where you write down what you’d like to receive and buy a present for the person assigned to you. It’s all about surprises and holiday spirit!

🎁 Gift budget
The gift must be priced between 600 and 700 RUB

📅 Important Dates
— Registration closes at 12:00 on December 14. After that, we’ll shuffle the names and let you know who your gift recipient is;
— The gift exchange event will take place on December 21 at 18:00 on the Kronverkskiy campus

🎉 Why come?
Apart from the gift exchange, there’ll be fun activities for everyone. Stay tuned for more updates — we’ll share the details soon!

❗ What if you can’t attend?
No problem! You can hand us your gift in advance, and we’ll deliver it to your recipient. The gift meant for you can be collected later — just message our organizer, Tanya, to arrange it

👉 Join now: Sign up here

Let’s make this holiday season magical! ✨

Snow, lights, and culture! ⛄️

Embrace winter’s joys with exhibitions, screenings, and music. Here’s your weekly guide:

🎬 On the big screen: Midas Man
• Dec 5 | 4 PM | 300 RUB

The freshly-released biopic tells the story of the meteoric rise – and tragic demise – of The Beatles’ star-making manager. A must-watch for Beatlemaniacs.

⛸ Flagstock Ice Rink
• Dec 6 | 9:30 AM - 11:30 PM | 100-350 RUB

Europe’s largest ice rink is now open! With stunning views, easy metro access, and weekly free skating opportunities, this is your perfect winter escape!

🎧 Music club at Community center: from Louis XIV to modern cinema
• Dec 7 | 7 PM | 200 RUB

Practice Russian while exploring music by Bach, Vivaldi, and others that shaped iconic film scores in this lecture by Asya Bargatuni.

🖼 Exhibition: On Naive Fragility​
• Dec 10 | 11 AM - 10 PM | Free

Photographer Alisa Lyu uses delicate object compositions to explore unspoken emotions and the fragile structure of reality.

Visit our article for more 👈

#events

Welcome to the first news digest of December ❄️

As the holiday spirit sets in, our advent calendar of tech innovations and educational opportunities continues! Have a quick look:

🔗 At the 4th Congress of Young Scientists, ITMO introduced ёTalk, a Telegram bot for science networking at every level. Within three days, nearly 1,500 users signed up, with 200+ meetups happening at ITMO’s booth!

🧪 Mobile cube laboratories, co-created by ITMO and Prolab, are bringing advanced experiments to Russian high schools. These labs will aid in groundbreaking discoveries for medicine and pollution control, with five new locations planned for 2025.

✨ Researchers at ITMO have developed quantum dot-based smart packaging indicators that reveal the true expiration dates of meat, fish, and chicken. This award-winning project received a 6M ruble grant to support further research.

And now for some unmissable highlights from this week:

😎 Think your Russian pronunciation is flawless? Challenge yourself with words even native speakers find tricky!

🎁 Join ITMO’s Secret Santa and add some festive cheer to your week! Registration is open until December 14, with the exchange happening on December 21.

#newsdigest