Topical issues of modern education spotlighted at the Presidential Library

On March 29, 2019 a plenary meeting of the St. Petersburg International Educational Forum "Modern Education: The Code of the Era" was held at the Presidential Library. The event was attended by representatives of federal and regional authorities, teachers, scientists, cultural workers of Russia and many countries of the world.

Opening the plenary session, the Chairperson of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Valentina Matvienko, said: “The Jubilee X St. Petersburg International Educational Forum has become the largest in its history. Obviously, the forum is in demand, its role and authority are growing. This is natural, because modern education and its quality is one of the key factors of competitiveness, dynamism, social and economic development of each state, and the well-being of its citizens”.

“Over the years, the St. Petersburg International Educational Forum has become a traditional and very important platform for discussing and developing strategic decisions in the system of national education”, - said the Minister of Education of the Russian Federation Olga Vasilyeva. - It is not by chance that we gather at the sites of St. Petersburg - today it is a recognized leader in the education system. The city is traditionally not only a participant in all projects of the Ministry of Education, but also launches and implements new educational projects, including such as the Academy of Digital Technologies for Children, which opened in 2018”.

Alexander Gutsan, plenipotentiary representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the North-West Federal District, said in his welcoming speech: “The St. Petersburg International Educational Forum brings together prominent representatives of the professional community: scientists, educators, scientific and public figures from different regions of Russia, those responsible for the education and upbringing of young people for 10 years. Colleagues from abroad are also participating in the event, thanks to which the forum has acquired the status of an authoritative international discussion platform”.

“These days, Petersburg, without a doubt, has become the capital of Russian education”, - the Acting Governor of St. Petersburg Alexander Beglov addressed the meeting participants. - It is nice to discuss the most important and topical issues in the field of modern education, the professional community gathered in our city. Petersburg education has something to be proud of: in 2018, St. Petersburg schoolchildren became winners of five international competitions, the city took second place in terms of participation in the final stage of the All-Russian School Olympiad, and this is not all of our achievements”.

“It is no by chance that the forum is taking place in St. Petersburg”, - said the chairman of the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg Vyacheslav Makarov. “After all, Petersburg is a city sсientists and researchers, an innovative city, a university city, where almost 300 years ago the foundations of higher education in Russia were laid”.

Director General of the Presidential Library Ilya Bykovnikov noted that the St. Petersburg International Educational Forum took place in the jubilee year for the Presidential Library, which in 2019 marks the 10th anniversary of its foundation. He also recalled that the Presidential Library is an active participant in the educational filed. So, on the basis of the institution an interactive Olympiad for schoolchildren "Russia in the Electronic World" is held annually, which involves pupils not only from the Russian regions, but also from abroad.

In 2019, the St. Petersburg International Educational Forum gathered a record number of participants - about 30 thousand people. These are representatives not only of all 85 regions of Russia, but also 33 countries of the world, including Austria, Armenia, Bulgaria, Vietnam, Germany, Israel, China, Croatia, Switzerland, Estonia, Japan and others.

A wide range of issues were discussed at conferences, strategic sessions and master classes of the forum: the role of education as a source of change in society; the possibilities of new educational forms; new management formats and management decision-making contexts in education and many other important topics.