Emotion Engineers and Mechatronics – New Professions in Russian Universities

In the new academic year, Russian universities have introduced several new programs for students.
The need for these programs is driven by the labor market and economic developments. For instance, Kazan State Agrarian University has launched three new fields: applied informatics, business informatics, and biotechnology. Biotechnology studies the use of living organisms and their products to develop valuable solutions, such as medicines or new plant varieties.

Moscow Polytechnic University has begun offering courses in "robotics" and "mechatronics." Mechatronics is a field at the intersection of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and computer science, focused on designing and developing intelligent mechanisms and automated systems.
At the Moscow Institute of Art and Design (MHPI), a new profession called "emotion engineer" has been introduced. This discipline combines psychology, technology, and design, aiming to prepare specialists capable of creating products and services that evoke positive emotions in users.

Additionally, Russian universities have been allocated nearly 621,000 state-funded places this academic year, with 73% going to regional institutions. The largest number of places were assigned to priority fields such as pedagogy, information technology, clinical medicine, agriculture, and mechanical engineering.
It is also worth noting that, starting on September 1, 2025, all Russian universities will switch to a new national education system, replacing the Bologna system adopted in 2003. This means that the term "bachelor," which involves four years of study, will be phased out.