Olympiad for high school students from VyatSU and AVVA RUS

Vyatka State University, as the region's flagship university, has long become the largest research platform focused on priority areas of socio-economic development of the Kirov Region, one of which is pharmaceutical biotechnology. Several major pharmaceutical companies are located in the region, with whom specialists from the Center of Excellence "Pharmaceutical Biotechnology" of VyatSU successfully collaborate on a wide range of issues.

One such business partner is JSC "AVVA RUS". The strategic partnership agreement signed with them almost a year ago immediately resulted in fruitful and multifaceted work, with active participation from company employees, scientists, and students of the Flagship University. For the latter, internships and practical training are organized at the enterprise, and the educational programs offered by the Institute of Biology and Biotechnology of VyatSU are "tailored" to the requirements of real production – all this is done purposefully: the company is interested in training highly qualified, practice-oriented specialists who able to get involved in the work literally after university.

In the process of successful cooperation, another question naturally arose: why not start identifying talented youth at the stage of their schooling? General education institutions, as we know, do not have a subject called "Biotechnology" – but they do have basic disciplines for a specialist in modern pharmaceutical production; for example, "Chemistry". It was decided to start the joint "school" project of VyatSU and JSC "AVVA RUS" by testing knowledge in this very subject. The Ministry of Education of the Kirov Region joined the project – and the regional Chemistry Olympiad for high school students was launched! Over three hundred 10th and 11th-grade students participated in the correspondence stage of the Olympiad, of whom 10 became semi-finalists – it was they who competed within the walls of VyatSU last Saturday.

Addressing the Olympiad participants with a welcoming speech, VyatSU Rector Valentin Pugach emphasized:

It is very pleasant that there are companies in the region that understand that for their successful development, it is necessary to grow an entire generation of highly qualified specialists who meet the most modern requirements. Our university is capable of meeting the demand of a dynamically developing high-tech production for personnel of the required level. Thus, real opportunities are opening up for young people to obtain a sought-after specialty and, subsequently, interesting and promising work.

Those gathered were also warmly welcomed by the Minister of Education of the Kirov Region, Olga Ryseva, and a real surprise for everyone was the appearance of the Governor of the Kirov Region, Igor Vasilyev, the Head of the city of Kirov, Elena Kovalova, and the Head of the Administration of the city of Kirov, Ilya Shulgin: they also found an opportunity to congratulate the event participants and wish them success in overcoming the Olympiad challenges!

The Olympiad participants were offered tasks of both a theoretical and practical nature. Some of them were related to issues of quality control of medicinal substances, an important area of practical activity for specialists of the pharmaceutical company "AVVA RUS". The Olympiad competitions took place in the excellently equipped laboratory of pharmaceutical biotechnology of the Flagship University, and the competent jury included the Head of the Quality Control Department of JSC "AVVA RUS", VyatSU graduate Alexey Stoilov, engineer-chemist-chromatographer of JSC "AVVA RUS" Roman Selezenev, and associate professors of the Department of Biotechnology of VyatSU: Candidate of Chemical Sciences Farsil Akhmarov and leading engineer of the REC "Nanotechnologies" Alexander Alalykin.

There is no doubt that the Olympiad will be remembered by all participants. And not only for the exciting tasks but also for the interesting communication in an informal setting: after the work was completed, while the jury was summing up the results, the high school students had the opportunity to talk with the Director of the Institute of Biology and Biotechnology of VyatSU, Ekaterina Martinson, and the HR Director of JSC "AVVA RUS", Irina Andrianova. They spoke about the specific opportunities opening up for those who decide to connect their professional activities with pharmaceutical production.

And now - the moment of summing up the results. As the jury members noted, the Olympiad participants showed a generally high level of knowledge, but clear leaders also emerged among them: Irina Kolupaeva (Linguistic Gymnasium, Kirov), Elizaveta Noskova (Lyceum of Natural Sciences, Kirov), and Mikhail Mokrushin (Lyceum of Natural Sciences, Kirov) – it is they who advanced to the final of the Olympiad, which will take place in March. At this stage, the competition among chemistry experts becomes particularly intense: after all, the finalists are awaiting cash prizes, and most importantly – equipment for the chemistry laboratory of the school that prepared the winner.

Not all participants managed to reach the final, but new opportunities and main victories lie ahead. This was emphasized by the Vice-Rector for Science and Innovation of VyatSU, Sergey Litvinets, while presenting the high school students with diplomas and memorable gifts. An important outcome of the Olympiad for its participants was their acquaintance with a place that has every opportunity to become an excellent professional start for them – the Institute of Biology and Biotechnology of Vyatka State University!