PhD student of SPbPU Nikita Blagoy received a presidential scholarship to study in China

Nikita Blagoy, a PhD student of the Institute of Industrial Management, Economics and Trade, assistant of the Higher School of Engineering and Economics, received the scholarship of the President of the Russian Federation for students and PhD students studying abroad. He told us how he passed his academic path, how his ideas about life and science changed.

— Nikita, you were born and lived all your life in Kazakhstan, right?

— Yes, I started my way in Russia as a foreigner. Representatives of different Russian universities came to our city of Aktau, they told us about the programs they have, about the peculiarities of studying in Russia. My parents work in the energy sector, and I wanted to continue, so to speak, the family tradition. I chose Polytechnic University because it has a strong base for training specialists in this field, including modern equipment, qualified teaching staff and up-to-date training programs. I enrolled for a bachelor’s degree in Energy Economics. I later obtained Russian citizenship.

— Did your studies in Russia live up to your expectations?

— I did not chase grades. I tried to get the knowledge that I thought I needed the most. And I received sufficient support from my parents in extracurricular activities. My mother was a very active person, the chairman of the trade union. She always supported me in my endeavor to develop skills of communication and interaction with people. During my undergraduate studies, I went on exchange to Italy to the University of Bologna. It was a very interesting experience for me both academically and socially.

— It is really inspiring. How do you rate your social skills now compared to what it was like at school, for example?

— I feel much more confident. I used to be intimidated by public speaking, but now I’m a teacher and I teach classes in front of students. It’s really helped develop confidence.

— Why did you decide to pursue your academic path?

— During my undergraduate studies, I had a wonderful teacher, Yulia Dubolazova. She and I got to talking about cybersports, and I started to tell her what it was all about. She and a few other teachers became interested in the topic, and we decided to write a paper for the annual international conference. That’s how our paper «Digital Economy and Cybersports in Russia» was born. And I really caught fire with this topic, realized that I wanted to continue studying, and entered the Master’s program on a budget.

— How did you feel about your academic activities in the Master’s degree program compared to the Bachelor’s degree program?

— In the master’s degree program, studying became more serious and focused. After my undergraduate degree, I felt that I could go deeper into my interests. I spent a lot of time on preparation, took courses in economics and realized that it was easy for me. Naturally graduate school was the next natural step.

— We have come up to the most, perhaps, interesting part. You have received a scholarship from the President of the Russian Federation to study abroad. Share your experience. What does a student need for this?

— All undergraduate and graduate students who have demonstrated themselves in the fields of science, culture and art, and have achieved significant success in fundamental and applied scientific research can become contestants.

Based on the results of my work: scientific articles published in Scopus, VAK, RSCI journals; co-authorship and certificate of state registration of the computer program and recommendations from my scientific supervisors, academic council and university administration, Zarina Asadova, Deputy Head of the International Educational Programs and Academic Mobility Department and I prepared and sent a large package of documents.

Dalian University of Technology was chosen as the host university, as it is a platform for providing research in the field of regional development. The key objective of my study is to test and modify the algorithm for implementing cyber sports technologies in the key business processes of companies.

— How do you assess the impact of international exchanges on your perception of the world?

— Every trip opens my eyes in a new way. I’ve been to Italy and Germany, and I’m sure traveling to China will be unique as well. It forces you to be flexible, to compromise and find common ground with other cultures. I would have done fine without it, but the exchange gave me tremendous development and skills — both flexible and rigid. I recommend everyone to have an experience like this. While it can be costly, it is well worth it. Even if you don’t gain tremendous knowledge, discovering a new culture and country broadens your horizons a lot.

I am currently working on my dissertation, in which a whole part will be devoted to China and the possibilities of interpreting my algorithm for Chinese companies. I realize that it will not be possible to implement it in a company in a short period of time, but it is quite realistic to adopt the experience of foreign colleagues.

— What three pieces of advice would you give to students who are starting out?

— Don’t be afraid to try something. It’s always scary, you’ll never be ready and you’ll never feel confident, but it’s better to try and fail than to not try and regret it for the rest of your life.

— Enjoy it. These are your best years, Make the most of these opportunities. Try your best at everything, look for yourself!

— Don’t chase grades and approval. Chase knowledge and understanding of that knowledge.