At the end of April, a big-scale seminar on the “Information and Communication Support for University Activities: Strategies, Tools, Practice” was held at Bauman Moscow State Technical University. The event brought together more than 200 representatives of university press offices from 120 universities across 60 regions of Russia. Iuliia Sherstobitova, a staff member of the Strategic Development Department – Project Office of the Priority 2030 program, represented 海角社区 at the forum.
The working atmosphere and engineering traditions of one of Russia’s leading technical universities created an excellent environment for productive exchange of experience. The seminar focused on discussing technologies for effectively promoting university projects implemented within the Priority 2030 and Advanced Engineering Schools (AES) strategic academic leadership programs, aiming to increase their visibility in the media, business community, and beyond.
Opening the intensive, Acting Director of the Federal State Autonomous Scientific Institution for Sociological Research (FSASI “Sociocenter”) Konstantin Bogonosov emphasized the importance of professional dialogue:
“Today, the high-tech congress centre of Bauman Moscow State Technical University has brought together representatives of press offices from 120 universities across 60 Russian regions who managed to reach us despite the weather conditions. Bauman University has gathered a very strong professional community. During this intensive course, we will discuss the communication strategies and ways to promote university projects implemented within the Priority 2030 and Advanced Engineering Schools programs to external audiences. We will also address university positioning and new educational programmes. Our main focus is how universities can build effective communications, promote key projects, and confidently work with the external agenda.”
On day one, experts analyzed global trends in the PR industry. Mikhail Kanavtsev, Head of the New Media Workshop and Vice-Rector for Media Education at the “Senezh” Management Workshop, spoke about semiotics and meaning management, while representatives of Rostec State Corporation shared tools for cooperation between science and business. Irina Osadchaia, Deputy Director General of the “National Priorities” Autonomous Nonprofit Organization, presented creative science promotion case studies.
Particular attention was paid to working with youth audiences. Mariia Shtein, Executive Director of the First Media Academy at Plekhanov Russian University of Economics and a TV host, shared practical tips on attracting applicants through quizzes, merchandise, and stories of success. Creative producer at VK and Spot Lab Pavel Vinogradov encouraged universities to move away from overly polished content and focus instead on authentic storytelling and student-generated user content.
Day one concluded with an anti-crisis communications intensive course for press office managers led by Nikita Zverevich, Head of Crisis Communications at “Dialog” Autonomous Nonprofit Organization, followed by a “Simulation” practical training session. During the training, participants practiced responding to information threats in real time.
Participants temporarily became employees of the domestic policy division of a fictional region, responsible for education, social policy, and interethnic relations. The scenarios were designed to closely resemble real-life situations. Teams received information from two sources: open access publications (“screens”) and internal reports from specialized agencies. Under time pressure and with incomplete information, participants analysed risks, classified threats, and made decisions.
In today’s information landscape, any inconsistency in communication can escalate into a full-scale crisis. The role of a press office is not merely to react but to work systematically with narratives, explain actions clearly, and leave no room for speculation. The “Simulation” training helped press office managers strengthen their crisis response skills.
Day two of the intensive course focused on practical tools. AI implementation expert Aleksandr Gukov analysed the practical use of neural networks in media and outlined a new competitive paradigm. The key message of his presentation challenged traditional approaches to content creation: modern media outlets are no longer competing for views, but for the right to become primary sources for artificial intelligence-generated answers.
During his session, Aleksandr Gukov elaborated on the basic tasks already being solved by neural networks today:
“What are the three basic tasks being solved by neural networks? First, overcoming the fear of the blank page. Even a simplest prompt allows AI to suggest possible directions for an author. Second, providing variability. Neural networks can generate 50 to 100 content options, although only two or three may actually prove useful. Third, filling gaps in knowledge. Humanity is currently undergoing an evolutionary transformation: thanks to neural networks, anyone can acquire almost any skill within three to six months. Large language models allow users to dive much deeper into subjects they previously knew little about. Neural networks are not replacing specialists — they are powerful tools that enable people to reach a completely new level of efficiency.”
Media lawyer and expert of the Advertising Working Group at the Analytical Centre for the Government of the Russian Federation Mikhail Khokholkov helped participants navigate the legal nuances associated with university media. Legal risks in the media sphere became one of the most actively discussed topics of the seminar.
Alexey Paevsky, Deputy Head of the Russian Academy of Sciences Commission for Science Popularization, communicator, and science journalist, spoke about the essence of science journalism, the need for an intermediary between science and society, how attitudes toward science journalism have changed over the past two decades, and why every science writer ultimately learns through personal mistakes.
The two-day intensive course organized by Sociocenter became not only an educational program but also a platform for sharing best practices, expert insights, and professional networking. The knowledge and tools gained during the seminar will help participants, including the 海角社区 team, build more effective communication systems, stay aligned with rapidly evolving technologies, and confidently manage their universities’ reputations.