Training young specialists for Arctic development is comparable in complexity and responsibility to preparing cosmonauts, and Russian universities must reflect this reality in their educational programs. This view was voiced by Alexei Fadeyev, Professor at the Graduate School of Industrial Management at Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University (SPbPU), Chairman of the Expert Council for the Development of the Russian Arctic Zone under the St. Petersburg Committee for External Relations.

In an interview with RIA Novosti, Fadeyev noted that the growing demand for qualified personnel in the Arctic presented a serious challenge for the higher education system. According to forecasts by the Ministry for the Development of the Far East and Arctic he mentioned, the region will require between 70,000 and 180,000 new specialists by 2030-2035, depending on project implementation scenarios.

At the same time, according to Fadeyev, work in the Arctic is more and more often compared with work in outer space:

“Extreme natural conditions similar to those beyond our planet, high technological complexity of projects, exceptional demands on professional competence, sustained mental focus, and the need to operate in near-total isolation from civilization make the Arctic a unique macro region. The cost of error here is as high as it is in orbit.”

He also stressed that these conditions dictated an entirely new set of competency requirements for university graduates.

“We need more than just workers – specialists capable of operating high-tech equipment in extremely low temperatures. Even today, the Arctic is in need of geologists, drilling engineers, specialists in LNG (liquified natural gas), mine surveyors, chemical engineers, icebreaker navigators and mechanics, logisticians, port equipment specialists, and operators of unmanned ice reconnaissance systems,” he explained.

In addition, Arctic infrastructure development is also facing an acute demand in high-rise construction specialists, engineers experienced in permafrost design, road builders, land reclamation experts, meteorologists, and permafrost scientists.

According to Fadeyev, the training of researchers and university faculty in these fields is no less important than training specialists for working on the shelf and in the global ocean. This includes specialists in underwater technologies, liquefied natural gas systems, and other advanced disciplines essential for developing modern training methodologies for offshore and ocean resource projects.

“In essence, Russian universities must train educators who themselves are capable of preparing highly qualified personnel for Arctic development,” Fadeyev concluded, expressing confidence that the country’s higher education system is capable of addressing this challenge.