SILA Union and Bauman Moscow State Technical University: Graduation Projects Already in Business
Four days, 19 final theses—and a noticeable shift toward a practice-oriented approach in the educational process. SILA Union representatives participated in the thesis defense at the Department of Business Informatics at Bauman Moscow State Technical University. More and more students are choosing to address current business challenges for their projects—an indicator of how modern engineering education is changing. Graduates demonstrate a willingness to address issues facing the real sector.
Why it matters: from university to practice
The gap between academic knowledge and practical skills is one of the key challenges in modern IT education. SILA Union is consistently addressing this issue by investing in partnerships with the country's leading universities. Participation in the State Examination Commission (SEC) is an opportunity for the company to assess the current level of student preparation, evaluate how university programs align with industry demands, and benchmark its expectations against reality.
Elena Silkina, founder of SILA Union, chaired the State Examination Commission. According to her, the level of student preparation and the quality of the submitted work confirm that the university-vendor-employer partnership produces measurable results.
"At SILA Union, we invest a tremendous amount of effort, time, and technology into developing the country's human resources. And today has demonstrated that virtually every one of these projects represents a real-world example, one that has already been implemented or is in the process of being implemented. This is precisely the value we strive for: for universities to understand what is specifically needed for the development of businesses and industries," noted Elena Silkina.
What the students showed: facts and figures
The 19 projects presented included solutions for optimizing and automating business processes, IT landscape development, and projects in the field of AI initiative management. Significantly, a significant portion of the work was completed using the data and infrastructure of SILA Union's client companies. The students worked with real data sets, designed architectures, and implemented prototypes.
The committee was particularly interested in projects in which graduates used the SILA Union platform as a foundation for digital transformation. This is no coincidence: the company promotes the development of practice-oriented education, providing students with access to modern Russian IT solutions and digital transformation methodologies.
Why SILA Union Invests in Students
The diploma grade reflects the student's level of preparation at the time of defense, but does not determine the student's future development trajectory. The true result is determined by how the young professional applies and develops their competencies in real-world work. This principle forms the basis of SILA Union's approach to interacting with graduates.
"Grades are a reflection of the work you've put in. But more importantly, how much effort you'll devote to further development: mastering new technologies, learning, and generating fresh ideas. We've strived to evaluate you as objectively as possible, but your true impact lies in how you continue to improve yourself and your projects," emphasized the SILA Union founder.
For the company, participation in the defense is an opportunity to identify potential employees and partners before they enter the market. SILA Union is interested in graduates becoming part of a professional community capable of implementing modern digital approaches and developing Russian companies.
Results and next steps
SILA Union and Bauman Moscow State Technical University continue to collaborate through joint research, events, and internships. The company creates an environment where students gain experience working with technologies already in demand by Russia's largest enterprises, while educational programs are developed to meet the current demands of the digital economy. The best students have the opportunity to intern and find employment at SILA Union and partner companies.
As Elena Silkina noted, theses are the best indicator that investments in education are paying off:
"When I see students interning with our clients and defending projects that are already operational, I understand that we are creating a product that will become the foundation for the digital transformation of entire industries."
