April 17, 2026, as part of the IX International Symposium “Education and the City: People and Institutions”, a plenary session will be held in a hybrid format. It will serve as a platform for discussing the influence of the urban environment, universities, cultural institutions, and mentoring practices on educational processes and the quality of life of city dwellers.
Presentations and speakers:
-
“Cultural and Leisure Institutions in the Assessments of Belarus’ Urban Population” — Snezhana Voronina (Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Belarus). The presentation presents the results of research into urban residents’ satisfaction with leisure opportunities and the work of cultural institutions. It shows how cultural infrastructure affects quality of life and resident engagement, with satisfaction levels increasing between 2020 and 2025.
-
“University Urban Studies in China as a Laboratory Ground for AI Innovations in Urban Construction and Development” — Irina Shevlyakova-Borzenko (Huzhou University, China). The presentation demonstrates how universities are used as innovation laboratories, implementing AI technologies to transform the economic, social, and cultural environment of cities. It examines case studies from the past decade and the key outcomes of the development of university urban studies.
-
“Mentoring, Tutoring, and Leadership Practices of Moscow Residents as a Result of Educational Activities at the Silver University” — Andrey Terov (Moscow City University, Moscow). The presentation shows how the Silver University’s programmes develop mentoring and leadership skills in participants. It discusses methods for designing humanities practices and their impact on the professional and personal development of mentors and engaged residents.
-
“The City as a School” — Yury Krivov (TVEL Joint-Stock Company, Moscow). The presentation presents approaches to the urban environment as an educational platform that shapes residents’ skills and experience through practices of interaction with the city.
-
“The Transformation of Human Consciousness in the Modern Era: Understanding the Symbolic Contexts of Digitisation as the Initial Process of Digitalisation” — Lidia Smolova (St. Petersburg State Institute of Psychology and Social Work, St. Petersburg, Russia). The presentation examines the psychological and semantic aspects of digitalisation, the impact of digitisation on consciousness, digital literacy, and the educational goals of the present day.
Moderator — Director of the Research Institute of Urban Studies and Global Education, Moscow City University, Svetlana Vachkova.
The event will be held in a hybrid format. In person — at 8 Sadovaya-Samotechnaya Street, Assembly Hall. To participate in the event, please register here.
Please note that several events will take place simultaneously at the indicated time. The full programme of events is available on the symposium’s website.
Photo: Freepik