On February 6, the general meeting of the University Consortium of Big Data Researchers took place at Penza State University. Representatives of universities gathered to sum up the work done, outline further plans for the development of the community and the launch of a number of new network projects.

The University Consortium of Big Data Researchers was founded in 2017. In eight years, it has become the largest expert community in the field of artificial intelligence and big data analysis in the CIS.

Today, the consortium includes 77 universities in Russia and several CIS countries. At the meeting, it was announced that two more participants had joined the professional community: the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University named after B.N. Yeltsin and Open Solutions LLC.

The general meeting was opened by Aleksandr Guliakov, Rector of Penza State University. He addressed all those present with words of gratitude for their interest in the event. The head of the university said that it was a great honor for Penza State University to host participants and guests of such a respectable meeting. "It is a great honor for us to work on the state task in the field of organizing developments related to artificial intelligence and working with a big data base. We must solve this problem with joint efforts. This is a great responsibility. I believe that we will cope with it," said PSU Rector.

It should be noted that the community of researchers from 78 leading universities in Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Armenia implements fundamental research and applied projects in the field of AI and the use of big data in the context of continuous cooperation with academic and industrial partners.

Continuing his speech, Aleksandr Guliakov expressed the opinion that the University Consortium of Big Data Researchers justifies its purpose. The volume of work done over the years of its existence is solid, the speaker said.

"We can say with confidence that the consortium is a scientific and practical mechanism for developing and implementing the state task that the country's leadership sets before us in terms of activating work with artificial intelligence and big data," added Aleksandr Guliakov.

At the end of his speech, the rector addressed the participants of the meeting:

"We must continue to move forward. And due to the current conditions on the world stage, within our country, these tasks must be carried out quickly and effectively."

The General Director of the University Consortium Association, Vyacheslav Goyko, is confident that teachers and students at universities and institutes make a great contribution to the development of their country and its prosperity. 

"You have a flexible mind, a huge heart and an endless soul. We would like to combine this with the capabilities of the consortium so that our developments in the field of AI and big data make the lives of the people of our country better," said Vyacheslav Goyko.

The founder of the University Consortium, Mikhail Myagkov, recalled that eight years ago the consortium included only three universities: North-Eastern Federal University, Tomsk State University and Northern (Arctic) Federal University.

"Now there are 78 of us. The greatest value of the consortium is you, the people, the teams that make it up," the speaker emphasized his idea.

He added that the consortium carries out many important state projects and tasks. In addition, the association has become international. The development of the consortium's ties with friendly countries is beneficial to both Russian university teams and foreign partners from Central Asia, Mikhail Myagkov added.

Those gathered reviewed the results of the most significant projects, discussed plans for community development and the launch of a number of new network projects: educational, applied, socially significant.

The work of the general meeting continued with a summary of the congress events: the Open Data Forum, the opening of the Point of Attraction in Uzbekistan, and the International Gravity Prize 2024.

The latter was announced during a teleconference by representatives of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. It was established in 2023 on the initiative of the Presidential Academy (RANEPA), Tomsk State University and the University Consortium of Big Data Researchers.

Developers of IT solutions from Russian and foreign universities, as well as other organizations, can participate in Gravity if their products can be implemented in the university environment. In 2024, more than 170 applications from 104 organizations from 41 regions of the country were submitted for the award. The participants include 81 universities, 23 business companies, research organizations, government agencies and schools.

In total, 14 network projects from Lomonosov Moscow State University, V.G. Shukhov Belgorod State Technological University, Southern Federal University and other universities were considered during the day at PSU. In addition, the programme included lectures from leading experts in the field of AI and big data.

Photo reportis available in the official group of PSU in VK.