The coordinator of the summer and winter schools of the Polytechnic University explained, how to take part in the new course on artificial intelligence

From November 16 to 22, at Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University the course on ‘Artificial Intelligence for all’ will take place. It is dedicated to artificial intelligence (AI), one of the most demanded and promising areas of knowledge. By launching this course in English, SPbPU is keeping pace with the global educational trends that have emerged in recent years, such as modularity of the educational process, flexible educational trajectories, inter-disciplinarity, the connection between academic and applied knowledge and skills.

This program will give start to the  International Polytechnic Winter School 2021 and will be the introduction to the module of Machine Learning: Theory and Application. Together, the two courses form a module that will allow participants to fully master the discipline, get high-quality academic knowledge and practical tools.

The coordinator of the International Polytechnic Winter and Summer Schools Zarina ASADOVA told the international services of SPbPU in more detail about the format in which the course will be held, the teachers and content, as well as how to take part in it.

- Zarina, we are glad to see you! Tell us who is the organizer of the course?

- The course is organized by the Graduate School of Cyberphysical Systems and Control (HS CPS&C), SPbPU and the SPbPU-FESTO North-West Interuniversity Regional Educational and Scientific Center (SZ RE&SC Festo-SPbPU), and the teachers are experts in the field of artificial intelligence and computer science from Russia and Turkey.

- Where did the idea for a course on artificial intelligence come from?

The field of artificial intelligence is extremely in demand today. AI tools are used quite widely and cover not only the already familiar technologies in the field of computer science, but practically all areas of knowledge, as well as emerging new areas of human activity and knowledge.

By forecasts of analytics from the International Data Corporation, the global AI market will continue to grow at an average of 17% annually; therefore, the need for human capital for the industry will also grow.

- In what format and in what language will the course take place?

- The course will be held online on the MS Teams platform, and it will go entirely in English.

- Who can take part in the program?

- This program will be of interest to a wide range of students in various fields. The ‘Artificial Intelligence for all’ course is suitable for anyone interested in learning about artificial intelligence and machine learning, and mastering the tools and principles for its application in various industries.

In addition, the program will be a good start for those who are interested in further developing in this sphere and preparing for the “Machine Learning: Theory and Application” course, which will be held as part of the International Polytechnic Winter School 2021.

- What are the requirements for the program?

- The goal of the course is to open the door to the world of artificial intelligence, to show that this area is applicable and incredibly useful in any field of activity. In this regard, participation in the program does not require special knowledge of the subject, since, I repeat, it is introductory, basic. Potential listeners need proficiency in English (level B2), and, of course, a great interest in developments in the field of artificial intelligence.

- What disciplines will the participants study within the course?

- The course program is very intensive. Participants will learn about the emergence and development of AI, modern methods and approaches that study artificial intelligence, neural networks, machine learning workflow and other areas. You can read more about the program  in the course section on our website.

- Are there any activities besides study planned?

- In addition to the educational part of the participants, an active program of cultural and networking events awaits the participants: for example, it will be possible to take a tour of SPbPU accompanied by university students, visit the Hermitage, and also take part in the Online Pub Quiz on the history and culture of Russia. So it will be not only interesting, but also fun!

- Is this a paid course?

Yes, the ‘Artificial Intelligence for all’ course is fee-based; the cost is € 160.

- What will the participants receive at the end of the program?

- Participants who successfully complete the course will receive a personalized certificate of international standard with ECTS credits. Let me explain a little more about ECTS credits: this is a pan-European system of accounting for students’ academic work when mastering an educational program or course. In practice, the ECTS system is used to measure and recalculate the teaching load in the European Union and other European countries that have adopted this system. Students will receive 2 ECTS credits for the ‘Artificial Intelligence for all’ course.

Since this course is the first stage of the “Machine Learning: Theory and Application” program, after completing two courses, students will receive a certificate with 6 ECTS credits, which is equivalent to a full-semester discipline. 

- Tell us about the instructors who will teach the ‘Artificial Intelligence for all’ course?

- The scientific supervisor of the program is Vyacheslav Vitalievich POTEKHIN, associate professor of the Higher School of the KFSiU, director of the Festo-SPbPU SZ RE&SC. The course instructors are current industry specialists and post-graduate students of the Institute of Computer Science and Technology of SPbPU. Among them are Ogul UNAL (Turkey), a specialist in M-Com search engine optimization and Nikita KUDRYASHOV (Russia), chief specialist in machine learning for industrial automation tasks, Avtomatika-Service LLC (PAO Gazpromneft)..

- And lastly, the most important question: how can one enroll in the course?

- Everything is perfectly simple! Write to us at summerschool@spbstu.ru and we will send you detailed instructions.

- Zarina, thanks for the interesting interview! We wish you a successful course!

Prepared by the SPbPU International Office