On October 27, the Moscow City Duma has hosted the conference “New approaches to formation of competences of administrative and pedagogical personnel in conditions of open education”. The rector of MEPhI Mikhail Strikhanov made a report on “Formation of engineering and research competencies in the system of pre-University training “School-University” at the plenary session of the conference. Outlined in the report proposals for improving pre-University training based on the experience of MEPhI aroused great interest of the teaching community.

On October 28, the conference continued its work. MEPhI has held a session “Comprehensive pre-professional education to prepare schoolchildren for learning, life and work”. Its work was attended by 72 people from Moscow and regions of Russia – Directors of schools, heads of educational institutions and educational departments.

During the meeting participants discussed a new project “Comprehensive integration of basic, vocational and higher education on the basis of convergence for a student to achieve new results”, which will unite 30 “Stations of Young Technicians”, 18 Centres for the technological support of education in the universities, engineering classes in 148 schools of Moscow, medical classrooms in 81 schools. And there is a mechanism for recording extra-curricular achievements of schoolchildren at admission to the universities – it’s introduction of an integrated pre-professional exam that will give additional points to a school graduate in the portfolio. The project starts next year for those schools that can provide the basis for a full-fledged research work.

Vice-rector of MEPhI Elena Vesna told about the experience of organizing research and project work of schoolchildren on the basis of Pre-university laboratories and major academic units of the University, scientific laboratories and centers.

Attendees exchanged experiences of schools on formation of effective system of pre-University training. Each of the speakers emphasized the importance of integrating school and University education and offered their ways, methods, and new approaches to solving the problem.

In addition, participants were invited to support the initiative to restore the lost experience of holding a combined examination - final exam at school and entrance exam to a University.