"We Teach Those Who Teach": Mashuk Knowledge Centre Sums Up Three Years of Work and Outlines Future Plans at the National Centre RUSSIA
The results of work of the year-round Mashuk Knowledge Centre and tasks for its further development were discussed on 25 November at the National Centre RUSSIA. A meeting of its Supervisory Board was held here, attended by state and public figures, industry leaders, and heads of educational organisations.
"On behalf of the President of Russia, an impressive system for developing professional competencies has been created in our country. First of all, this is the Senezh Centre in Moscow region, which trains state-level managerial staff. Crimea’s Tavrida.ART is a centre for training creative young people, mentors, and cultural figures. In the Caucasus, the year-round Mashuk Knowledge Centre has been established. It has adopted the principle “We Teach Those Who Teach” as its motto. The first students at this centre included, among others, educators and lecturers from the historical regions. A major programme for veterans of the Special Military Operation is also running. These people are heroes who have returned to civilian service and chosen the education and upbringing of the younger generation as their vocation," noted Sergei Kiriyenko, First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office of the Russian Federation and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Mashuk Knowledge Centre.
The head of the Russian Ministry of Education, Sergei Kravtsov, said that the ministry and the Centre have been implementing the Development Programme for the Managerial Personnel Reserve of the Russian Education System for the second year.
"For the Russian Ministry of Education, the Mashuk Centre is an important strategic partner. Here, we held a meeting of the All-Russian Parents' Committee, and within the 'Childhood Navigators' project, training was organised for mentors and advisors to directors. I would also like to thank colleagues for the training programme launched for the personnel reserve in the education system. Out of 70 trainees of the first cohort, who successfully completed the training, 10 have already been appointed to both federal and regional ministries, and to leadership positions in educational organisations. This year, a second cohort of students has been enrolled. We received 440 applications. It is a great honour for us that people from the Special Military Operation have joined the programme," Sergei Kravtsov noted.
The Russian Minister of Education also stated that the Mashuk Сentre implements international cooperation programmes. A series of seminar-meetings titled 'PROdialogue' have been held with the relevant authorities of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Belarus to exchange experience in developing education systems and establishing direct dialogue. In the future, it is planned to employ this format with other friendly states. This possibility of having similar events is being explored with colleagues from Kazakhstan and Tajikistan.
The Mashuk Knowledge Centre have been actively working with its graduates. A special department operates here, monitoring the development of participants, the projects they launch, and changes in their career trajectories, especially within the framework of personnel programmes. This was stated during the Supervisory Board meeting by Anton Serikov, Director General of the Mashuk Knowledge Centre and Deputy Director General of the Russian society Znanie.
"We track our graduates' appointments to new positions after they complete the programmes. It is important for us that the training enables our colleagues to apply the knowledge and skills acquired for their professional growth. Regarding the creation of a federal methodological centre that accumulates best practices, I would like to highlight several areas. For example, the development of our own proprietary materials: during this time, 37 major educational and methodological products have been created with a circulation of over 10,000 copies. According to our data, about two thousand educators regularly use them in their work. These include board games, card-based methodologies, and serious textbooks," said Anton Serikov.
He also noted the challenges and development plans for the Centre. The first challenge, according to him, is the stereotype that only 'insiders' get into Mashuk Centre. Anton Serikov explained that the competition for the Centre's programmes exceeds nine people per place. This is precisely why the possibility of open enrolment for educational programmes was introduced.
"The second challenge is the expansion of educational and support infrastructure. We are actively working in this direction. You can see where we started and how we have transformed the educational spaces. Their area has increased from 1,800 to 4,800 square metres – by refurbishing recreational areas and free zones. We are developing online programmes and off-site programmes to conduct training outside the Centre's territory," added Anton Serikov.
The Mashuk Knowledge Centre's Supervisory Board includes: Sergei Kravtsov, Minister of Education of the Russian Federation; Valery Falkov, Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation; Maxim Dreval, Director General of the Russian society Znanie; Vladimir Vladimirov, Governor of the Stavropol region; Alexander Kurennoi, Deputy Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the North Caucasian Federal District; Alexei Komissarov, Rector of the Presidential Academy (RANEPA); Olga Kazakova, Chairwoman of the State Duma Committee on Culture; Artem Metelev, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Youth Policy; Anton Serikov, Director General of the Mashuk Knowledge Centre.
The Mashuk Knowledge Centre is an All-Russian centre for training enlightening and managerial personnel in the fields of education, youth policy, and pedagogic work. It is located in the city of Pyatigorsk, at the foot of Mount Mashuk. The Centre was opened in 2022 and became one of the first three year-round youth educational centres, alongside the Senezh Management Workshop of the Russia – Land of Opportunity platform (the Moscow region) and the Meganom Academy of Creative Industries – a project of Tavrida.ART (Crimea).
The Supervisory Board is the supreme collegial governing body of the Mashuk Knowledge Centre. It determines the Centre's development strategy and activity priorities. Among other things, the Supervisory Board approves new projects and initiatives that are of significant importance for the development of the Russian education system. Its members include state and public figures, industry leaders, heads of educational organisations, and media representatives.
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