Russia Launches Its First “Digital Master’s” Program
A partnership between RUDN University and Alfa-Bank is rethinking business education for the AI era.
Russia’s Peoples’ Friendship University (RUDN) has introduced the country’s first fully “digital” master’s program, created in collaboration with Alfa-Bank, one of Russia’s largest private financial institutions. The new program, Digital Technologies in Management, aims to train future leaders fluent in artificial intelligence, data analytics, and agile management — skills now seen as essential for the modern economy.
Each year, 40 students will be admitted, with half receiving grants from Alfa-Bank. The curriculum blends theory and hands-on learning across disciplines like AI applications, business-model design, data-driven decision-making, and design thinking. Students also work in teams and build communication networks through mentorship and collaborative projects designed jointly by university faculty and banking experts.
AI as a “Hard Skill”
The program is offered fully online, allowing students to study from anywhere in the world. Participants can also intern at Alfa-Bank or apply for grants to fund their own digital projects.
The initiative reflects a broader shift in Russian higher education, where universities — often in partnership with major tech and financial firms — are launching digital departments and applied innovation labs to cultivate the next generation of tech-savvy professionals.
