The pilot project of the RAFU International Olympiad has been completed.

The pilot project of the International Olympiad of the Russian-African Network University (RAFU) Consortium for future Master's students has been successfully completed. The main organizer was the National Research Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod. In total, 13 Russian RAFU universities participated in the Olympiad this year as co-organizers of the project.

The Olympiad was held in two stages in a remote format and included a portfolio competition, followed by an online interview with the jury members. In total, 1,447 people from 39 African countries submitted applications. Nigeria became the leader in the number of applications (873 participants), significantly outpacing other states. The top five most active countries also included Côte d'Ivoire (59), Benin (53), Congo (47), and Sierra Leone (45). The greatest interest among applicants was attracted by the profiles "Computer Science, Engineering and Technologies of the Future" and "Biomedicine and Cognitive Sciences" – these areas became leaders in the number of participants, which confirms the growing demand for training in high-tech and natural sciences among African youth.

Based on the results of the two stages, the jury determined the winners and prize-winners in each profile. All of them received electronic diplomas and the right to enroll in Master's programs at one of the 13 Russian universities that co-organized the Olympiad. Within the framework of the pilot project, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation allocated 20 state-funded places in 2026. In 2027, the pool of co-organizing universities of the RAFU Olympiad is expected to expand, and the quota for state-funded places is expected to increase to 100 people.

Commenting on the results of the Olympiad, Vice-Rector for International Affairs of SPbPU Dmitry Arsenyev emphasized:

"The pilot launch of the Olympiad confirmed the demand for Russian education in Africa, especially in the fields of digital technologies and biomedicine. As the coordinator of the RAFU consortium, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University is ready to continue providing comprehensive support to this project, contributing to the identification of talented students and strengthening scientific and educational ties between our countries."