UBRR and UrFU Opened a New Co-working Space

16:28, November 26, 2019

The co-working will host trainings and other educational programmes

A new co-working space was opened on November 25^th at the GSEM campus building at 25 Gogolya St. The President of the Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development Anton Solovyev and UrFU Rector Victor Koksharov cut the red ribbon, and GSEM Director Dmitry Tolmachev gave them a tour.

UBRR invested 4,7 million roubles in the co-working space, the rest of the funding were provided by the University. Design company UNO-studio developed the interior design concept.

«This is not a direct investment where we’d like to see return on every single rouble we’ve spent, — commented Anton Solovyev. — The strategic goal of this project is to create such a space where we can build our long-term and trust-based relations between the bank as an employer and UrFU as an educator for prospective and current employees».

The bank President also stressed that one of the key tasks today is to develop a collaboration project between academia and business. The short-term plan is to create joint teams that will include bank employees and students. It is also planned to hold soft skills trainings and unique projects for both business and university environment.

«Co-workings for UrFU students are not only a place to develop new education technologies. We are hoping that events with cooperation of UBRR can help students determine their career paths and learn necessary professional and flexible skills», — says Victor Koksharov.

The pilot event at this co-working space was a two-day training for prospective bank employees, to which UrFU students were also invited. The event encompassed two days of the most topical discussions and activities dedicated to professional development: conference, four business simulations that help visualize modern business operations, five master classes on hot topics including teamwork in agile environment, nine business speakers who shared their experience.

Moreover, UrFU and UBRR negotiated long-term collaboration in the area of financial literacy events in the framework of the current project «Finance Guide. UBRR Advices». The events are going to be organised in the co-working space.