Researchers from Tyumen State University have developed a priority training model for young members of indigenous small-numbered peoples of the North’s communities with the aim to uphold the sustainable development of the Arctic. The model is expected to halt the outflow of young people from the region, training workers who can drive change. Olga Zakharova, Professor of the Academic Department at the School of Law and Management of Tyumen State University, spoke to RIA Novosti about the project.

Q: Tell us about this priority training model and what problem it addresses.

A: Tyumen State University’s model addresses the systemic problem of the skills gap in the Arctic. Study programs are usually designed to meet the demands of the current economy, which often leads to a disparity between the expectations of talented young people from indigenous small ethnic groups and the career trajectories offered, subsequently prompting the outflow of potential or loss of identity.

Our model changes the paradigm: we proceed not from abstract market forecasts but from the carefully researched life strategies, educational demands and visions for the future of talented youth from indigenous small-numbered peoples of the North. We build a talent pool not for today but for the Arctic’s future sustainable development scenarios, where graduates do not simply become professionals but introduce positive changes in their respective regions.

Q: Is professional training a pressing issue among the indigenous small-numbered peoples of the North?

A: It is an exceptionally pressing issue that has strategic significance for the region’s workforce autonomy. The indigenous peoples are not only residents but owners of unique knowledge and ecosystems. Their involvement in the modern economy and administration, founded on quality education, is key to balanced development.

Our studies have revealed a clear demand from the youth for modern professions in IT, law and the environment. As a mandatory requirement, they wish to preserve cultural links with their native environment. Ignoring this hybrid demand will lead to a loss of human capital. Therefore, professional training for indigenous populations goes beyond employability and concerns the long-term sustainability and social stability of the Arctic regions.

Q: How does the model essentially work?

A: The model creates a closed research and education circuit that stems from and ends in the Arctic. It comprises three major stages. The first stage is to create a research nucleus. Unique methods, such as in-depth interviews and research volunteering for students from indigenous small-numbered ethnic groups, reveal these young people’s actual rather than claimed demands.

Our identity research has discovered three essential life strategies for young people. We call them Parallel Worlds (flexible training while continuing to perform family duties), Guide (quality education for local employment), and Global Nomad (international skills).

The second stage involves using an education wizard. Flexible tracks within the university’s main study programs are designed to drive the three strategies. For example, Guide will contain specialized modules on protecting the legal rights of the indigenous small-numbered peoples of the North, Siberia and the Russian Far East, or on IT in the digital economy of the North. Parallel Worlds offers modular and distance learning formats.

The third stage is implementation and feedback. Graduates return to the region where they implement projects, shaping new demands for the education system. The circuit closes at a new level.

Q: What makes this model stand out among similar solutions?

A: The model has a unique methodological foundation and is scalable. It is the first model based on deeply researched life strategies of students rather than on employer demands (although we do consider them in partner projects). We can move away from training conveyors to tailored wizards of education and career trajectories.

The model offers innovative flexibility and adaptability to three different strategies, which drastically improves student engagement and the effectiveness of education. This approach – from studying the demand to designing an educational product – is universal and can be scaled up to any target group of young people in other Russian regions, giving the model a federal status.

Q: Did you rely on the experience of other regions in your work?

A: We blended best practices to develop the Tyumen State University model. This model is based on our own fundamental and applied research conducted here in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area. We also worked with partners in other regions. The model is integrated into the strategic project under the Priority 2030 program. We closely cooperate with the government of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area, industrial companies and public organizations. The work of the West Siberian Interregional Research and Education Center and the experience of other Arctic states have also enriched our model.

To summarize, we did not borrow but drew from the dialogue with the region to create our own research-substantiated and authentic model.

Q: What outcome do you expect to achieve if the model is implemented on the regulatory level?

A: By incorporating the model’s principles into the regulatory framework – for example, into the state programs for Arctic development and targeted education programs – we can formalize and scale up this approach, based on youth demands, to the federal level.

We also hope to create consistent mobility opportunities for talented young people from indigenous small-numbered ethnic groups by guaranteeing support and employment in their home region. It is important for us to build long-term workforce autonomy for the Arctic by cultivating loyal, competent and deeply motivated leaders of change directly within the Arctic communities.

Finally, we want to launch a self-reproducing development cycle, where a strong workforce creates successful projects in the Arctic, leading to new, more complex education demands and new study programs. This is the cornerstone of sustainable development, and Tyumen State University can be a national-level research, methodology and training hub.