“Days of Inspirers and Thinkers” in Ulaanbaatar: INRTU introduced Mongolian schoolchildren to the professions of the future
On April 17–18, the Russian House in Ulaanbaatar hosted the large-scale humanitarian and educational project "Days of Inspirers and Thinkers," organized for high school students in Mongolia. More than 500 students fr om the capital and regions of the country participated in the event.
The Federal Agency for Mineral Resources of the Russian Federation (Rosnedra) and 11 leading Russian universities presented professions of the future, conducted workshops, and played career guidance games. Throughout the day, the students engaged in two educational tracks—technical and humanitarian—moving from station to station, each representing one of Russia's top universities. INRTU (Irkutsk National Research Technical University) participated in the technical track, offering an exciting program from the Institute of Mineral Resources.
The director of the Russian House in Ulaanbaatar, Valeria Kilpyakova, emphasized the importance of career guidance events:
"We are holding the 'Days of Thinkers and Inspirers' for the second time, aiming to help school students understand which professions will be in demand in the future. This year, universities presented their educational programs and talked about the specialties they can study in Russia. Special attention was given not only to presentations but also to live interaction—through games, quizzes, contests, and team tasks."
The INRTU team organized the "Professional Detective" game, wh ere participants learned about educational opportunities at the university in an engaging format. Additionally, at a themed photo zone with the INRTU banner, the students had the chance to step into the role of a mineral resources specialist by wearing outfits from the student research club "Alidada."
Fourth-year student Danil Kirikov conducted a masterclass on working with geodetic equipment. The school students not only learned about modern geodetic technologies but also got hands-on experience using a total station—a professional device for measuring distances and angles.
"The trip to the Russian House in Ulaanbaatar was a valuable experience in career guidance work with a new audience. Previously, while participating in events organized by the Alidada Student Research Society, I had already worked on attracting school students to our university. But here, I had the opportunity to engage with international students for the first time.
During the masterclass, we worked together with surveying and geodetic equipment and even tried creating 3D models from photographs. Despite differences in language and culture, the students were very active and engaged—the language barrier was hardly noticeable. The kids were genuinely interested, and their sincere enthusiasm is, for me, the best measure of success," said Danil Kirikov.
According to Darya Zandraeva, Head of the Education Export and International Olympiads Department, INRTU's participation in such educational initiatives helps introduce talented Mongolian high school students to promising engineering degree programs:
"Special attention at the exhibition was given to energy programs implemented in partnership with En+. Such projects not only broaden students' professional horizons but also provide them with key information for making informed choices about their future careers, opening doors to in-demand education in the energy sector."
INRTU's successful partnership with Mongolia is evidenced by tangible results: in the 2024-2025 academic year, 45 Mongolian students have chosen educational programs at Irkutsk Polytechnic University. This growth reflects the demand for Russian engineering education and the development of bilateral academic cooperation.
Career guidance events at the Russian House in Ulaanbaatar create lasting educational bridges between the two countries, opening up opportunities for training highly qualified specialists.
Information and photos provided by the International Admission Office of INRTU.
