The Ecological Night 2107 was visited by Rector of the Higher School of Economics Research Institute NIKITA YURIEVICH ANISIMOV
Econoch, a series of educational and game events organized by the teaching staff of the school and the Institute of Ecology of the National Research University Higher School of Economics for students and their parents, took place on February 10 from 19 to 24 hours at School #2107, part of the HSE Distributive Lyceum. They were attended by Rector Nikita Anisimov, head of Rosprirodnadzor Svetlana Radionova, environmental scientists and business representatives. The terms of the III season of the International Children’s and Youth Award «Ecology is everyone’s business» were announced.
Every year the Institute of Ecology at the National Research University Higher School of Economics holds a large number of events to educate young people about the environment. The Directorate for Strategic Work with Applicants and the Center for Leadership and Volunteering also took part in preparing and holding «Econochi».
School #2107 is one of the largest multi-profile educational complexes in Moscow. It has been cooperating with Vyshka since 2016, its governing board is headed by Vice Rector Vyacheslav Bashev. Three additional education programs were opened for students: «Eco-school-2107» supported by the Institute of Ecology, «School of Entrepreneurship» with the participation of the Department of Innovation Management and «Design School» with the Department of Creative Industries. One of the joint activities of the project schools was an exhibition of drawings of rare animals and plants in Ugra National Park (the funds raised from the sale of drawings were donated to the park to support the development of the bison population).
Speaking at the Econoche opening, Nikita Anisimov suggested that the acronym HSE should temporarily be deciphered as «Higher School of Ecology», because the university conducts research in the field of ecology, has relevant training courses and even a student organization «Green Vyshka».
He recommended that more attention be paid to ecology as one of the directions of the «I am a Professional» Olympiad and that student projects on «ecology of the soul» be implemented at HSE. The Rector thanked students, their parents and teachers for their participation in «Econochi», recalling that 2023 was declared the Year of the Teacher and Mentor in Russia.
Head of Rosprirodnadzor Svetlana Radionova spoke about the III International Children and Youth Prize «Environment is everyone’s business», the submission of applications for which will continue from March 1 to October 1, 2023. According to her words, participation in the award gives children and teenagers a chance to realize the most courageous ideas and developments in the sphere of ecology, helps to open scientific and creative potential. She also gave examples of how the most active and talented children were able to implement their projects thanks to the prize: investors were interested in their developments.
«Guys, go for it! You have a huge choice of nominations, where you can show boundless imagination in a variety of fields — from art to science. You are future engineers and ecologists, journalists and businessmen, biologists and high-tech developers. Not only your personal professional future depends on your initiative, but also the future of our planet», — Svetlana Radionova addressed to the EconoChi participants.
Elena Naumova, Director of School #2107, told about the project «Eco-school-2107», in the framework of which teachers and the best students of the Higher School of Economics, including winners of Olympiads and leaders of «Green School», work with children. And if in the beginning only some pupils took part in it, with time the project grew, more and more children joined ecological events and activities, and today, according to the principal, «the ecological movement at school is mass.
Natalya Porotnikova, deputy director of the Institute of Ecology of the National Research University Higher School of Economics, emphasized that ecology unites sincere people who believe in its cause, and the university pays much attention to environmental education and scientific research. She noted the importance of project activities in school environmental education. Likewise, at NIU HSE project activities are one of the foundations of the educational process, and project experience allows graduates of HSE to be competitive.
The motto of Eco-school-2107 is «Think globally, act locally! «We strive to ensure that our students’ projects have applied significance, contribute to the solution of specific tasks, and that the children understand this. For example, one of the recent projects was devoted to increasing the population of bison in «Ugra» National Park, and another project was devoted to increasing soil fertility. Environmental projects also contribute to solving global problems, such as climate change,» said Natalia Porotnikova.
SIBUR’s Director of Sustainability Maxim Remchukov noted in his lecture about future professions in the field of ecology and sustainable development: «Environmental challenges are of global significance today. This is where new markets and professions are being created today. We feel the competition for talent as an industrial company active in international markets, developing digital management tools, and paying attention to environmental and climate issues. All of these areas are shaping the requirements for employee competencies.»
After the EconoChi opening ceremony, its participants joined an extensive educational and game program and talked with experts in an informal setting. They also included Rustam Romanenkov, Deputy General Director of the Arctic Initiatives Center, Alexey Reteyum, Development Director of the All-Russian Society for Nature Conservation, Maxim Makarov, Director of Educational Projects of the Tech Platform Environmental Development Technologies, Viktor Grishenkov, Director of the Ugra National Park, and Vysshka students.
Two tracks were organized for adults and children. Parents, in particular, were able to listen to lectures, participate in the discussion «Ecology in Dialogue. Our reality, where to start» and visit the presentation of projects of «Eco-school-2107».
And there were more dynamic formats for pupils in the track: quiz-immersions from Ugra National Park and Kenozersky National Park, collection of toys for recycling, master-class on production of eco poufs and others. The concluding event of «Econochi» was an eco-disco.
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