Graduates will be expertly trained in AI and data analysis, as well as intelligent system development and industrial digital transformation. Each year, the program will accept 160 students, both tuition-free and fee-based. Successful students can expect corporate stipends and internships at Gazprom Neft.
“ITMO University is the leader of the national AI training system. Apart from educational activities, the university curates the creation of a role-based competency model that will regulate requirements for AI training, as well as applications of new teaching methods and technologies. A high importance in the program is placed on practical training through work on real-world problems at the Research Center “Strong AI in Industry” and with industrial partners,” notes Alexander Boukhanovsky, the head of ITMO’s School of Translational Information Technologies and the Research Center “Strong AI in Industry.”
“Businesses today require thousands of AI specialists – namely, IT experts with deep expertise in the oil and gas industry. This type of synergy can be provided by our new joint program with ITMO University. We offer our students not just quality education but practically guaranteed employment at one of the major power companies in the world,” claims Ilya Dementyev, the rector of Gazprom Neft's corporate university.
“AI is being used by any competitive business these days, and our mission is to train specialists who will freely apply these technologies to solve various industrial problems. Such specialists are in high demand. Graduates will be able to put their skills into action at Gazprom Neft starting the very first day – we have many promising projects to work on,” emphasizes Oleg Tretyak, the head of digital transformation at Gazprom Neft.
The educational project is financed with the top grant “Training Top Specialists in IT and AI in 2025-2030” in the amount of 350 million rubles. Gazprom Neft acts as a partner, providing 30% of co-financing for the new Bachelor’s program. A total of approximately 10,000 highly-qualified AI experts and 3,500 advanced IT developers are expected to be trained within the national project Data Economy and Digital Transformation of the State by 2030.
ITMO University is part of Gazprom Neft’s League of Universities – a system for interaction between the company and higher education organizations in Russia and abroad. The system ensures an exchange of information in a single-window format, thus contributing to the launch of new faculties, Master’s programs, and laboratories, as well as joint research and grant programs. Among the League’s members are 47 higher education institutions in Russia, as well as two universities in India and China.
