The joint project of the Graduate School of Management of St. Petersburg State University and the MegaFon company “Olympiad for the First” took first place in the ranking of the “Leaders of Corporate Philanthropy” study among programs promoting the development of education in Russia.

The partners of the study were: the Ministry of Economy, the Accounts Chamber, the Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives, the Council for the Development of Social Innovation of the Subjects of the Russian Federation under the Federation Council, the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, the Presidential Grants Fund, the UN in Russia and the International Forum “Ecology”.

 “Olympiad for the First” is a two-stage championship for students and graduates of Russian universities who understand IT, Big Data, engineering and management. The project was implemented in 2023 by GSOM SPbU together with MegaFon. Applications for participation were submitted by 1,000 students from different universities across the country, from Kaliningrad to Khabarovsk. In teams, Olympic students developed local strategies for the development of a telecommunications company.

 Elizaveta Troyanova, Director of the Career Center at GSOM SPbU: “The project allows you to work in interdisciplinary distributed teams not only on the tasks of the largest telecommunications business, but also introduces students to the agenda of urban development, tourism in the regions, and improving the quality of life of the country’s population. By launching such projects, we contribute to the education of responsible leaders who are effective in solving business problems and are not indifferent to the world around them.”

 In 2024, GSOM SPbU and MegaFon will continue the “Olympiad for the First” project. The theme of the 2024 Olympics will be urban development.

 Students of 3–4 years of bachelor’s degree, 1–2 years of master’s degree, 5th year of specialist’s degree and graduates of 2023 can take part. The winners will receive cash prizes, the opportunity to undergo accelerated selection for an internship and be included in MegaFon’s personnel reserve.

Detailed information, conditions of participation and registration for the “Olympiad for the First”: https://olympmegafon.gsom.spbu.ru/