Tourist Destination Development Multimedia Laboratory was opened at the Department of Tourism and Hospitality Industry of the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation in November 2020. It was opened by the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation under the EURDIQ grant project. The Laboratory’s global mission is to contribute to the Russian tourism sector systemic development by engaging students in their own project development. The Laboratory operations are aimed at expanding students' understanding of each component of the systemic tourism sector development through practical engagement in the following:
The Laboratory is mainly engaged in the following:
The Laboratory develops and implements a computer vision system, image classification system, detects objects in an image, performs video data analysis, and develops efficient face recognition systems. The Laboratory’s goal is to engage undergraduate and post-graduate students in research and practical work using machine and deep learning methods, including computer vision methods and models. The laboratory was founded in late 2022; it became fully operational in February 2023. Our researcher team members have performed under grant agreements, participated in various projects, published their works in peer-reviewed journals and took part in national and international conferences. Our staff members not only examine computer vision, but are also engaged in natural language processing, signal and image processing, develop smart data systems and intelligent machine learning systems. The Head of the Laboratory is the Umnik (Smart Guy) competition winner. He presented his Bluetooth 4.0-based Wireless Data Collection Modules Development project (2014 - 2016). As part of the project, Bluetooth Low Energy technology-based energy meters data collection and transmission modules and an energy meter monitoring mobile application based on the modules were developed. Today, our researcher team develops algorithms for detecting objects in non-optical images using the convolutional neural networks-based approaches and use the developed model optimization technology to ensure high operational efficiency. This is part of the R&D SP-3738.2022.5 supported by the Council for Grants under the President of the Russian Federation. The title of the research project launched in 2022 is Productive Algorithm Development for Detecting Unauthorized Items in X-rayed Luggage. When problems are solved, the detection accuracy is about 89%. The staff workers took part in such conferences as OpenTalks AI, CrossConf, DSPA, ITNT, ICPR and others. They are included in the list of researchers applying for grants. For instance, applications were submitted for developing Driver Vision Test Sets ensuring traffic safety, for developing secure recognition systems to prevent visual attacks. The research findings are published in journals indexed by Scopus (Q2) and journals included into the list approved by the Russian State Commission for Academic Degrees and Titles. The Computer Vision Laboratory staff are engaged in the following projects:
The Laboratory is working on establishing a partnership with VisionLabs, a leading IT company that specializes in computer vision analysis. It occupies a leading position not only in Russia but also on the international market.
The results obtained by the Laboratory staff in 2023 are the following:
The Robotics Laboratory is the platform where projects on robotic systems and intelligent services are implemented. The Laboratory has a range of robotic equipment, including manipulators, quadcopters, quadricycles, virtual reality systems, microcontrollers operating on Arduino, Raspberry Pi boards, STM, and others, equipped with sensors and controlling elements. The highly-qualified engineers are engaged in the teaching process, do the research for the industrial partners and are ready to take part in international projects.
The Robotics Laboratory staff are engaged in the following:
The Laboratory staff are engaged in the following:
The Laboratory staff members are engaged in teaching the students who study additive technologies, Internet of Things, smart homes, and industrial design.
The Laboratory staff members assist in teaching the following courses:
International finance laboratory is part of the Department of World Finance of the Faculty of International Economic Relations. It is one of the forms of research and training arranged in English (or in part in English) aimed at developing practical work skills in the chosen field, in particular, at expanding the students’ research potential, at engaging students in conducting fundamental and applied research, including by acquiring skills needed to use BAHA and Wind information systems acquired by the Financial University in the 2022/2023 academic year. The Laboratory’s goal is to develop researcher’s competencies, conduct interdisciplinary innovative research and improve the teaching and learning process with the practical material used. In order to achieve this ambitious result, the Laboratory intends to develop internationally recognized research and methodological programs in order to maintain the high Financial University standards, as far as the research quality and innovation, the high training and research standards are concerned. To achieve the goal, the Laboratory solves the following problems:
The Laboratory is engaged in a wide range of activities aimed at conducting sociological and marketing research. The research findings can help make important managerial decisions. The customers of the commissioned research are the Financial University management and various external organizations.
The Laboratory’s research projects include:
The key goal of the Laboratory is to give an opportunity to the students to use their knowledge of communication technologies in real-life projects. The Laboratory's activities include the research into the new media platforms, solving practical problems in promoting various companies’ brands and developing students' professional skills in producing and placement of media content on SMM platforms.
The Laboratory is engaged in teaching and research. For students majoring in Psychology, the Laboratory equipment is used to teach the following courses:
For students majoring in other subjects, lessons are organized where the capabilities of a polygraph are demonstrated. The Laboratory staff held two student research conferences. It was part of the student research work. The students in their final year have an opportunity to use psychodiagnostic methods in their research and use the Laboratory equipment when preparing their final graduation papers. We are planning to offer a further education program that is tentatively titled Polygraph as a Tool for Making HR Decisions.
The Laboratory’s goals include the following:
The key goal of the Laboratory is to give the students an opportunity to become engaged in social media work and to learn how to use available SMM tools. The Laboratory staff develop special professional skills in students of the Faculty Social Sciences and Mass Communications, organize practical trainings in the Internet and political content analysis for the final year students; and engage students in promoting the Department of Political Science in social media and messengers.
The International Laboratory’s goal is to conduct research into public financial control (audit), be engaged in educational activity and methodological research work in the above field in cooperation with the Center for Research, Analysis and Efficiency Assessment of the Supreme Audit Chamber of the Republic of Kazakhstan and other international partners. The Laboratory staff ensure professional development of employees of the Office of the Supreme Audit Chamber of the Republic of Kazakhstan by organizing open lectures and round table discussion sessions as part of the Lektory joint project (in partnership with the Treasury of Russia, the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Finance of Russia, and the teaching staff of the Gumilyov Eurasian National University). The Laboratory staff arrange international academic mobility programs for the teaching staff of the Financial University and the Gumilyov Eurasian National University, are engaged in development of a list of sector-specific personnel competencies of the Supreme Audit Chamber of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and are going to open a data channel where the Laboratory’s activity is described in VKontakte social media.
The key goals and objectives of the International Laboratory are the following:
The Laboratory is engaged in advanced research and educational projects in the following areas:
The Laboratory staff develop educational projects, hold conferences and educational events, publish educational digests, research works, and analytical reports. The Laboratory was opened in March 2020. Since 2020, the Laboratory staff have published 17 articles on didactics, psychology and neuroeducation (including two works indexed by the SCOPUS system, 9 works in the journals included into the list approved by the Russian State Commission for Academic Degrees and Titles, and 6 articles indexed by the Russian Science Citation Index.) The Laboratory staff take part in the Russian and international researcher events and workshops. About 50 presentations were made on topical education digitalization issues during the past 2 years. Instructor’s Digital Workshop is one of the significant projects implemented by the Laboratory. It is aimed at teaching the instructors how to use digital educational technologies. More than 50 webinars were held, with more than 11,000 viewers, and with more than 2,000 participants from 8 countries who represented more than 200 higher education institutions. The Laboratory staff and the Financial University instructors developed the Try an Occupation simulator. It won an award in the special Business Education category in the EdCrunch – 2021 international educational technology products competition. The innovative simulator allows the students to try their hand in the chosen profession in real time. The simulator is built to improve students’ awareness when they make their choice of a profession. The simulator is used in the teaching process when bachelor degree programs are taught at the Financial University. Real Estate Management Lawyer simulator is yet another Laboratory staff product. It shows operational algorithms observed in transactions with various types of real estate, teaches the students to identify risks when registering property rights and handling documents associated with a rent, pledge, purchase, sales of residential and non-residential real estate. In order to include neurotechnology into the learning process, the Laboratory staff examine the experience gained by Russian and overseas researchers, organize tours and conduct master classes for secondary school students, post-secondary school students, university students on the use of neurogadgets in education, using Neuroplay neurogadgets, conduct experiments with students in order to detect the concentration and involvement in the learning process; organize hackathons and neurogames. The Laboratory staff are engaged in the analysis of educational data uploaded from the Moodle learning management system (LMS). Using descriptive and predictive analysis, current IOE students’ academic performance data are generated and forecasts are made. Up-to-date analytical reports and training data reports are prepared regularly. The Laboratory staff also manage educational events and arrange interactive games. Webinars and master classes for instructors were held as part of the Instructors’ Winter and Summer School -2021/2022 (more than 10 presentations were made). More than 20 presentations were made during Lan and Yurait electronic library system-related events in 2020-2022.
We have implemented secondary school student, post-secondary school student, university student projects, incl. the following:
Our partners:
The Laboratory for Online Learning and Education Data Analysis closely cooperates with the International Association of Financial and Economic Education Institutions, Yurait and Lan e-library systems, Innopolis University, Neurobotics OOO, Simulizator.com, and other partners.
CYBERHUB is a center where virtual reality-based educational technology and VR research methodology is implemented. Today, VR-based technology use in education is considered to be very promising. VR presents data in such a way that students can make use of a full-fledged three-dimensional model of an object. VR-based technology is especially useful when students need to absorb a large amount of data. VR technology-based education helps instructors improve the transmission of educational content and allows the users (that is, students) to see the content and interact with it. Full immersion helps the students to better progress in the learning process. Moreover, if the VR is used, less effort and time are required from the student to fully process the information.
Why should we introduce virtual technologies into the Financial University learning process?
VR-based Technology Capabilities
Virtual classrooms make it possible for the instructor to open any number of windows with data presented in various manners (as a PDF file, as a Power Point presentation, as an Excel file, etc.); use an Internet browser to solve any types of problems (testing using Kahoot system, showing a video clip on YouTube, etc.); use a virtual board for writing, make students solve problems, both on the board and on their computers. The instructor does not need to worry as you cannot possibly cheat when the virtual board is used, and the instructor can ask a system administrator for help. The system administrator is in the Center’s classroom.
VR -based technology used in education
The VR simulator is a method of rationalizing the process of knowledge acquisition. It presents information to the students from a new perspective, while speeding up the learning process.
Today, the staff of the Center have selected VR-technology based programs that can be used when teaching the following courses:
