A Pedagogical Cluster has opened at Derzhavin University. This educational space unites the Institute of Pedagogy's departments into a single ecosystem: the Digital Pedagogical Innovations Lab, the Artificial Intelligence and Educational Innovations Lab, the Derzhavin University School of Education, the Derzhavin Lyceum, the Derzhavin University Scientific Centre for Education, and the Centre for Gifted Children.
"By opening the Pedagogical Cluster, we are taking a significant step toward introducing the latest technologies into the training of future teachers and psychologists, which includes nearly two thousand of our students. Artificial intelligence, digital solutions, and personalized learning tracks for schoolchildren and students—all of this is designed to align the needs and demands of all participants in the educational process with the demands of the times," comments Pavel Moiseev, Rector of Derzhavin University.
The main areas of activity of the Pedagogical Cluster are educational and methodological support for educational activities; sharing innovative educational, methodological, and scientific research, developing and implementing best educational practices; and promoting pedagogical initiatives through forums, conferences, seminars, workshops, and other events.
"The Derzhavin University Pedagogical Cluster is an innovative ecosystem that includes educational modules for teacher training, research platforms, and educational hubs. Their interaction will ensure high-quality professional training for future teachers with practical skills development directly at our university's facilities. This will allow us to build a continuous system of educational development—from preschool to the graduation of qualified specialists," says Nikolai Karev, Vice Rector for Strategic Development.
The Pedagogical Cluster, together with Sberbank, Derzhavin University's industrial partner, has opened a new artificial intelligence and educational innovation laboratory. The laboratory plans to study Sberbank's digital products and adapt them to the pedagogical environment. Additionally, staff and students of the university's pedagogical programs will receive additional training in the use of AI in pedagogy and will collaborate with Sber to develop tools to support teachers. "Innovative artificial intelligence technologies are actively entering our lives and must be present in education," noted Alexey Zezyulin, Head of the Territorial Department of Sberbank PJSC. "In the new AI lab, we will jointly integrate services to improve teacher effectiveness, while students will have the opportunity to master generative AI, including GigaChat, and develop new, useful projects, shaping our bright and exciting future."
The Digital Pedagogical Innovations Lab has launched the "Digital Contact Pedagogy" (DCP) project. The project aims to overcome key challenges in modern education: territorial inequality, a shortage of teaching staff, and the need for personalized learning. It is based on a hybrid format that combines digital technologies and traditional teacher-student interaction. This model supports the idea of online lessons that allow students to master the material without constant pedagogical supervision, while maintaining effective feedback, and equal opportunities to prepare for the final OGE and USE exams.
As part of the university's collaboration with PJSC Elektropribor, a Roadmap was signed, which will serve as the basis for targeted engineering training. A corporate engineering class is planned to open at the Derzhavin Lyceum on September 1, 2026, where students will study physics and mathematics in depth and learn the plant's production operations.
"The development of new curricula is particularly important. Today's students are living at a time when domestic industry is experiencing historically high growth rates. This sets clear expectations—we must produce more, better, and higher-quality products. This requires qualified specialists who can successfully meet the challenges of modern production," said Sergei Zakurnaev, Chief Engineer of PJSC Elektropribor.
The new educational space was opened as part of the "Priority-2030" development program.
