The meeting participants discussed further development of the Sirius Educational Centre. The Foundation Head Yelena Shmelyova presented the main report.
Earlier, Vladimir Putin visited the Sirius Educational Centre.
* * *
Speech at a meeting of the Talent and Success Foundation Board of Trustees
President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues.
Today, together with the members of the Talent and Success Foundation Board of Trustees, we will discuss further measures to develop the Sirius Educational Centre.
I would like to stress once again that we did not create the centre as an isolated facility or a standalone elite school for the chosen.
Openness and accessibility for all gifted children, for all talents, are the main principles of the Sirius centre.
Over 30,000 gifted students have already graduated from Sirius since 2015. They were rightfully given the opportunity to study here; they earned it fairly, by going through a rigorous selection process.
It is important that we have managed to create fundamentally new conditions for studying, realistic and, again, equal opportunities for gifted students from all Russian regions. Such conditions will help them to display their abilities, their gifts, receive an education in multiple disciplines, enjoy arts and develop their physical fitness at the same time, work at high-tech Russian companies and participate in research and engineering projects.
I want to repeat that this approach is unparalleled in the world and is in full conformity with our national objectives, demands of the future and the pace of technological and social changes.
Therefore, it is crucially important that Sirius is generously sharing the new methodologies developed here and its best practices with other schools.
Over 4,300 teachers from all over Russia have already completed training programmes here, including those who will work at the regional centres that are to become part of a single nationwide system for discovering and developing children’s abilities.
I said this already in my Address to the Federal Assembly and I want to emphasise again that we want Sirius to become a real constellation and stars to shine in all regions of our big country.
By the way, I would like to stress that Sirius is engaged in training children who demonstrated aptitude for science, arts as well as sports, including young hockey players and coaches of regional sports schools.
The Russian Ice Hockey Federation has launched a national programme called Red Machine, which is a very good example of passing on best experience, discovering and cultivating the talents of our children. Vladislav Tretyak and other outstanding Russian hockey players have just talked about this programme.
We must certainly make it possible for every child to find and realise their potential, their abilities and talents that every child has without exception. And those who show special talents should be able to receive additional support from the state.
By the way, as soon as this year, schoolchildren who won medals at international school Olympiads in school subjects, as well their instructors – this is happening for the first time – will receive presidential awards. Gold medallists will receive one million rubles; silver medallists will receive 500,000 rubles and bronze medallists 400,000 rubles. In 2018, Sirius graduates won 33 out of 38 medals at international school Olympiads.
The decision has been made to expand the presidential scholarship system for talented university students starting in 2020. Master’s degree students will also be able to receive a monthly allowance of 20,000 rubles.
Sirius should continue to serve as a benchmark for the renovation of the entire education system in Russia, and to offer new formats and create high up-to-date standards.
I would like to ask all colleagues who are present here today, as well as all members of the board, to provide every possible assistance in the implementation of these tasks.
In addition, the Sirius University of Science and Technology will open this year to provide training in all key areas of global technological development.
This includes information technology and AI, genetics and life sciences, as well as cognitive research.
The university will become the core of an innovative science and technology centre that is now being established here in Imereti Valley. Our leading high-tech companies will become its residents, with research organisations and universities serving as the cluster’s partners.
The intellectual potential and modern research infrastructure must be concentrated here. It is also necessary to create favourable conditions for the practical implementation of research results and for the work of internationally acclaimed scientists and lecturers.
It is also very important to take advantage of all these wide-ranging opportunities in order to provide a unique education format and experience for the students of Sirius University, as well as for the students of other higher education institutions in the country who will be taking short study programmes and courses.
The Imereti Lyceum, due to open in 2020, will become another important part of the science and technology centre. I believe it is necessary to create favourable conditions at the lyceum for accommodating and training Sirius students and well-motivated and highly capable school students from Sochi and the Krasnodar Territory, as well as other Russian regions.
I would like to emphasise that we are creating a unique education model that fully corresponds to high future standards here in Imereti Valley, using our Olympic heritage.
But the issue has much broader implications. The entire Sirius project should become a laboratory of sorts and a platform for creative freedom, quest and experiments, for shaping and implementing progressive trends in such areas as design, urban and social development and creating new opportunities for people and youth. In other words, the innovative and creative approaches to building a modern environment that are in high demand across the nation.
Let us begin our work.
<…>