Rustam Minnikhanov and Russian Minister of Energy Sergey Tsivilev speak at the session "From Shukhov to the Present: The Greatness of the Russian Engineering School" at the Energoprom

On 3 April the Rais (Head) of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov, the Russian Minister of Energy Sergey Tsivilev, the Chairman of the Board of the JSC "System Operator of the Unified Energy System", the Executive Director of the SIBUR Company Ruslan Gizzatullin and other officials took part in one of sessions held during the Youth Day of the International Electric Power Forum Energoprom-2026 held at the Kazan Expo Exhibition Center.

In his lecture “From Shukhov to the Present: the Greatness of the Russian engineering school” Sergey Tsivilev told students from senior classes of comprehensive schools, students of technical schools, colleges and universities and young specialists from power companies of Ethiopia, the SAR, Zambia, Nigeria, Morocco and Egypt, who are having internship at the Kazan State Power Engineering University, about history of the development of engineering school in Russia and in particular reminded how the Unified Energy System of the country was built. He also mentioned interesting facts from the history of Russian engineering which influenced the world development.

In his turn Rustam Minnikhanov told young people how needed and important the engineering profession is today and reminded that he himself received an engineering degree, which allowed him to learn a lot in the future and make a career.

The Rais of the republic reminded about projects “The Physics and Mathematics Breakthrough” and “The Physics and Chemistry Breakthrough” which were launched in the republic   and said: “Not everyone has to go to a higher school. The main thing is to get a good vocation and good skills. Using the example of the Alabuga Polytech (the vocational college), we see how well they teach automation, electrical engineering, robotics, and other specialties—no other university offers this. Engineering specialties are the future our country and our competitive advantage.”

The Head of the Alabuga Polytech Elvira Fomina told about the importance of hands-on experience and said: “It is important that companies engage students in work not after they receive their diplomas, but while they are still students.”