Clouds Over Polytech: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University and VK Tech Partner Up
The two sides formalized their cooperation in a memorandum. They plan to conduct research and develop digital solutions for science and education.
Russia is seeking to bring traditional education together with new technologies, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the 12th St. Petersburg International Cultural Forum. A new joint project between Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University (SPbPU) and VK Tech is aimed at doing just that. The university, which traces its history to 1899, and the enterprise software developer plan to work together on projects involving artificial intelligence, data management, cloud solutions, high-performance computing and information security. The partnership has already produced its first result: the university is using VK WorkSpace cloud services in the day-to-day work of students and staff.
Platforms and Standards
Academic research is moving closer to the development of commercial digital products. That creates new opportunities for both sides of the partnership. Petr Shcheglov, head of productivity services at VK Tech, explains what those opportunities look like in the latest example from St. Petersburg:
“We and SPbPU plan to exchange experience in the digitalization of science and higher education and jointly take part in developing digital platforms and standards for research and education. Another area is educational programs, internships and research-and-practice events: students will gain hands-on experience working on real-world challenges, while we will get feedback from the people who will go on to build Russia’s IT systems.”
Bold Ideas for Millions of People
There are increasingly more striking examples of artificial intelligence making its way into universities and research. For example, in 2021, Lomonosov Moscow State University launched the Artificial Intelligence academic program. It combined a strong theoretical foundation with hands-on work using machine-learning algorithms.
In 2022, HSE University and VK opened the Engineering and Mathematics School. Students gained opportunities to participate in company projects and interact with experts. “I am confident that HSE students’ broad perspective will allow them to bring the boldest ideas to life – exactly the kind of ideas needed to create and develop VK’s advanced services and technologies used by millions of people,” Anna Stepanova, VK’s director of educational projects, told students at the time. The first results followed in 2023, when students presented projects involving AI tools and the creation of digital objects.
In 2024, VK Education expanded its range of programs in artificial intelligence, machine learning and data analysis. The company delivered 120 educational programs at 37 universities. In 2025, the collaboration grew further. VK and HSE University in St. Petersburg opened the School of Computer Science, Physics and Technology, while VK Education launched a joint internship program for students from 11 Russian universities, including SPbPU, Lomonosov Moscow State University, St. Petersburg State University, ITMO University and HSE University (Moscow). Participants were given access to what matters most for practical training – real business cases and the company’s technologies.
Notes and Code
Notably, partnerships between universities and technology companies could offer a range of opportunities for export, across several areas. The first is AI-powered educational platforms. Solutions developed and tested as part of IT projects at Russian universities can serve as a foundation for adapting products to other countries. Corporate cloud services are another area. Experience with VK WorkSpace at universities shows that Russian cloud tools can meet the needs of large organizations as well. The third area is training AI specialists. Joint programs run by universities and IT companies help expand the talent pool needed to build digital products for international markets.
The partnership between SPbPU and VK Tech shows that the way universities and companies work together is gradually changing. Instead of isolated educational initiatives, the two sides are building a closer, more deliberate connection. More paired projects of this kind are likely to emerge in the coming years. Universities are beginning not only to use technology but also to become places where new digital solutions are created.
