HSE University Students Help Develop Kamchatka
The winners of HSE University’s case championship on tourism development in Kamchatka took part in the All-Russian Youth Ecological Forum ‘Ecosystem. Wildlife Sanctuary’. The forum’s main mission is the formation and consolidation of young people’s proposals in the field of ecology for future implementation.
The forum was organised by the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs and the Government of Kamchatka Krai. It was held from July 31 to August 7 in Kamchatka, and was attended by fourth-year students of HSE University Bachelor’s in Public Administration Polina Bulatova, Anastasia Volkovich, and Anna Galkina. Previously, the group were the winners of the case championship on tourism development in Kamchatka. Their team, Velorum, developed a concept of the Milkovushka eco-farm in the Milkovsky District of the region.
The case championship was held from June 1 to July 3, 2023. More than 90 student teams from different HSE University faculties presented their projects. The students offered their ideas for the development of tourism in Milkovsky District, which is located close to the centre of Kamchatka. The case championship was announced as part of the Days of Kamchatka Krai event, which took place at HSE University in January and February of this year.
‘We decided to take part in the case championship because this is our specialisation,’ comments Velorum team captain Polina Bulatova. ‘We were directly interested in the development of tourism and our country. Before that, we had already participated in a similar event—a case championship from the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation with a project on the Caspian tourism cluster of the Republic of Dagestan. We were winners there as well, and after that we realised that this is what we want to do next.’
Polina also noted that their project is a startup that is ready for implementation. ‘It will be very relevant. The project is about an eco-farm serving as additional accommodation for tourists and leisure for the locals. The eco-farm offers new opportunities, including a service for leaving your child with caregivers in the children’s building while the adults go on difficult tours and expeditions,’ she says.
Anastasia Volkovich said that the idea of creating an eco-farm came as a result of a thorough analysis. ‘We found that it is challenging for people with children to go to Kamchatka, because active recreation is common here and it is not always comfortable to be there with children. Hikes last three to seven days, and children under 12 are not allowed. This drastically narrows the circle of the target audience; our eco-farm, however, allows us to expand it,’ explains Anastasia.
There will be a restaurant with dishes made from natural freshly-prepared products and a zone for interacting with animals at the Milkovushka eco-farm.
The team members discussed the project’s prospects with representatives of the government of Kamchatka: Deputy Prime Minister Alexandra Lebedeva and Minister of Tourism Vladimir Rusanov.
Anna Galkina added that the ‘Ecosystem. Wildlife Sanctuary’ forum was dedicated to environmental issues. The students were developing an eco-point where people can bring their sorted waste.
‘The client for this project was the Russian Environmental Operator company,’ says Anna Galkina. ‘We worked directly with an expert from this company. We had one practical trip to the only waste sorting plant in Kamchatka. We saw a rather frightening picture there. It leaves a deep impression and makes you think and be more conscious about sorting waste.’
Anna also said that there were many interesting plenary sessions at the forum. Representatives of environmental NGOs, authorities, and businesses attended. In addition, the forum operated a reward programme under which participants could go on tourist excursions based on a rating and points system. ‘The top 20 went on a helicopter trip to the Valley of Geysers. I went to Lake Tolmacheva, Polina went rafting down the river, and Nastya went to Verblyud Mountain and Khalaktyrsky Beach. We all really enjoyed it,’ Anna comments.
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HSE University and Kamchatka State University Sign Cooperation Agreement
On April 17, HSE University and Vitus Bering Kamchatka State University signed a cooperation agreement at the Durasov House on Pokrovsky Boulevard. The new partnership will include joint expeditions, research, and educational activities, including a permanent expedition to research and preserve the languages and cultures of Kamchatka.
Kamchatka: Your Amazing Adventure
The photo exhibition ‘Kamchatka: Your Amazing Adventure’ was officially opened as part of the Days of Kamchatka event held by HSE University in the building on Pokrovsky Boulevard from January 19 to February 10. Visitors will learn about life in the region through photos of the unique landscapes and wildlife sanctuaries of the peninsula, the traditional Beringia dog-sled race, and the main symbols of the Kamchatka Region—brown bears, Pacific salmon, and wild reindeer.