At the end of January, the international program “Integrated Railway Transport Logistics” came to a successful close. The program is carried out by the Department of Logistics and Supply Chain Management at St. Petersburg State University of Economics (UNECON) in partnership with Russian Railways (OAO “RZD”) and is designed to strengthen professional competencies in logistics and supply chain management.
Now in its fourth year, the program continues to bring together international students from UNECON’s partner universities, welcoming them to St. Petersburg and offering them the opportunity to explore the complexities of railway logistics, visit key infrastructure facilities, and collaborate in teams with peers from different countries.
In fall 2025, for the first time the program welcomed students from China represented by the Institute of tourism (University of Changchun). They joined participants from Kyrgyz Economic University (KEU), named after Musa Ryskulbekov and the Tajik State University of Finance and Economics. Over the course of four months, students engaged in an academic curriculum focused on contemporary challenges in freight railway logistics. During the program students faced hands-on exposure to the operations of Russian Railways through on-site seminars at structural divisions of the Oktyabrskaya Railway — a branch of OAO “RZD”. Students were given the opportunity to visit the Main Material Warehouse of the Oktyabrskaya Supply Directorate, Terminal and Logistics Center St. Petersburg-Finlyandskiy, the Oktyabrsky Territorial Center of Corporate Transport Service, and the Service Sales Center of the Saint Petersburg–Vitebsky Territorial Administration. These site visits allowed participants to connect theoretical knowledge with real-world logistics processes. The program also offered a cultural dimension – students visited the Russian Railway Museum, one of the largest technical museums in the world.
Professor Vladimir Shcherbakov, Doctor of Economics and Head of the Department of Logistics and Supply Chain Management opened the certificate award ceremony. Dmitry Vasilenko, Vice-Rector for International Affairs, and Oleg Beletsky, Deputy Head of the Human Resources Service of the Oktyabrskaya Railway, extended their congratulations to the program participants, noting the program’s relevance and practical importance.
Upon successful completion, participants were awarded certificates and commemorative gifts from Russian Railways. The knowledge and experience acquired by students will contribute to their professional growth and support their future careers in logistics and railway infrastructure in their home countries.
Saint Petersburg State University of Economics and the Department of Logistics and Supply Chain Management extend their sincere appreciation to Russian Railways for this forward-looking educational initiative, which not only prepares highly qualified young specialists for the logistics sector in partner countries, but also strengthens international academic and professional cooperation.
