Published on: 2026-07-02
Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –
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At the Engineering and Construction Institute of SPbPU, the defenses of comprehensive final qualification works by bachelor’s and specialist students were held, completed in the “Project as Final Qualification Work” format commissioned by leading industrial partners. The projects became a vivid example of practice-oriented and interdisciplinary engineering education. They are carried out with the support of the federal program “Priority – 2030.”
One of the projects was a comprehensive graduation thesis carried out jointly by students of the Engineering and Construction Institute and the Institute of Energy on behalf of the organizations of the State Corporation “Rosatom” — “Breakthrough” and “Atomenergoproekt.” The work was devoted to the storage of spent nuclear fuel from a power unit with a BR-1200 reactor installation. The goal of the project was to develop and optimize design solutions for a power unit with a fast neutron reactor as part of an industrial energy complex, taking into account requirements for integrated safety, digital engineering, and the prospects for implementation within the closed nuclear fuel cycle infrastructure.
The project’s subject matter directly aligns with the objectives of the national projects “New Atomic and Energy Technologies” and “Manufacturing Means and Automation,” corresponds to the priority areas of Russia’s scientific and technological development “Highly Efficient and Resource-Saving Energy,” and is included in the list of the most important knowledge-intensive technologies, ensuring the development of core engineering and digital competencies.
An intensive development of Russian nuclear energy is planned for the next 20 years — the commissioning of more than thirty new power units, including innovative units with fast neutron reactors and closed fuel cycle production. To achieve this goal, Rosatom requires well-trained specialists in many fields of professional training, who are currently being trained by SPbPU. The new format “Project as a Final Qualification Work” that we tested proves its effectiveness in conditions as close to real project conditions as possible and allows assessing the individual and team potential of graduates, noted the chairman of the State Examination Commission, chief engineer of the project direction of the company “Breakthrough,” Andrey Petrenko.
The second large-scale project was a comprehensive final qualifying work on the topic “Development of design solutions for a hydraulic structure as part of a water management or hydroelectric complex,” commissioned by JSC “Lengidproekt.” The work was carried out by an interdisciplinary team, which included students from the fields of “Construction of unique buildings and structures” and “Technosphere safety.”
Students developed the water-conducting channel of the Tolmachevskaya HPP-4, carrying out a feasibility study of pressure and non-pressure derivation options. The project included calculations of the main hydro-power and mechanical equipment, as well as determining the flooding zone of the area in the event of a hypothetical destruction of the head hydrounit, taking into account the high seismic activity of the region. A separate section was dedicated to developing engineering protection measures for the outdoor switchgear against the impacts of unmanned aerial vehicles.
The third comprehensive final qualification work was dedicated to the restoration and use of the cultural heritage site of the Pashkov House (Department of Domains) as the Restorer’s House. The project was commissioned by the Union of Restorers of Saint Petersburg and aimed at developing competencies in building reconstruction and restoration, digital recording, and designing cultural heritage sites. Students were tasked with creating a solution that takes into account strict requirements for preserving historical and cultural value, functional adaptation, ensuring safety, and inclusivity of the site.
The graduates presented spatial planning and architectural solutions, construction process technologies including the restoration of facade sections, comprehensive fire safety measures, and the corporate identity of the renovated area. The uniqueness of the work lies in the use of modern technologies: the students proposed a method for creating a digital conservation object and an option for using artificial intelligence to verify and visualize conceptual project proposals for the restoration of the historic interior.
The interdisciplinarity of the comprehensive final qualifying work has covered the most relevant and challenging aspects of adapting cultural heritage sites for modern use. The students developed technologies for restoring the historical appearance of the dining hall, reconstructed in the mid-20th century, including the restoration of the original complex decoration and preservation of historical structures. A delicate and attentive approach to cultural heritage sites will serve as a good foundation for the development of all participants in the comprehensive work, as the preservation of cultural heritage is one of the priority tasks set by the President of Russia, noted Alexandra Komissarova, Deputy Director of the Union of Restorers.
Another comprehensive final qualifying work was the project “Organization of production and commercial activities of an enterprise producing bakery products in the regions of the Russian Federation,” carried out by an interdisciplinary team of students from ISI and the Institute of Biomedical Systems and Biotechnology under the commission of IP “Kiryukhin S. S.”.
The graduates developed architectural and planning solutions for the building using fast-erect modular technologies, created the information model of the facility, performed calculations for production and warehouse premises, and also developed a marketing strategy for product promotion and a brand concept. Special attention was paid to technological documentation, calculations of the enterprise’s economic efficiency, and occupational safety measures.
The final project was a comprehensive graduation thesis on the topic “Renovation of a factory-preparation plant to supply semi-finished products for the chain of canteens, stores, and culinary outlets of LLC ‘Corporate Catering.'” An interdisciplinary team consisting of students from ISI, IBSiB, and IE completed the entire range of works for renovating the existing building: from architectural and structural solutions to the development of power supply, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. The students developed an informational building model, performed calculations for production workshops, created technological documentation, and carried out fire safety measures. The project included a technical and economic justification of the renovation and a construction schedule with 4D visualization.
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