A Project by Samara University Included in the Publication "University Marketing: From Theory to Practice"

From October 16 to 18, representatives of Samara University took part in the All-Russian Forum for Education Leaders and Experts "FORUM.EDU.2025". The event became a large-scale platform for open strategic dialogue, partnership, and joint action among all key forces in the field of education. On October 17, as part of the forum, the exclusive publication "University Marketing: From Theory to Practice" was presented. The book features the best practices of Russian universities, including a case study from Samara University, presented by Sergey Goriainov, Head of the Contingent Formation and Support Office, and Elena Kirpa, Head of Mobility and Recruiting.

Sergey Goriainov spoke about the All-Russian Competition for Young Engineering Researchers with international participation "Sputnik". The project is part of the university's marketing strategy, aimed at popularizing space topics among youth and attracting talented applicants interested in the technical sector.

"The idea behind the All-Russian 'Sputnik' Competition was simple — increasing the university brand's recognition and loyalty through creating visual materials for the competition, changing the communication strategy, and building a more complex participant journey — not just a performance with an evaluation, but an opportunity to 'live a small life' with young representatives of the university who have similar experiences and a matching user profile," noted Sergey Goriainov.

The project by Samara University generated significant interest among forum participants. The presentation covered not only the project's history and idea but also the real experiences of "Sputnik" competition participants, as well as its effectiveness and key performance indicators.

On October 4, the anniversary season of the All-Russian Competition for Young Engineering Researchers with international participation "Sputnik" for students in grades 7-11 was launched. The project consists of four consecutive stages. To become a participant in the competition, a student must register on the website sputnikssau.ru by November 24, 2025, and pass an initial test. This is followed by the second stage – creating a research paper within the specified fields: rocket science and space, spacecraft, aircraft construction, robotics and mechatronics, information technology, and aerospace power systems. Based on the results of the second stage, a list of finalists is formed, who receive all the benefits of the competition: 10 extra points towards their Unified State Exam (EGE), tours of Korolev Samara University's laboratories, and a trip to the International Children's Center "Artek".

More details about the competition can be found in the official VKontakte group.