Russian President Vladimir Putin has expanded the pilot project for reforming the higher education system by including Stavropol State Agrarian University. Stavropol State Agrarian University has become the only agricultural university in the country to be included in the list of participants in the project, which aims to create a new model for training specialists in key sectors of the economy.

The pilot project for transitioning to a new model of higher education began in 2023. It aims to change the traditional «bachelor's degree — master's degree» system. Instead, it introduces a more flexible and transparent learning structure, where the duration and content of programs are determined by the actual requirements of the profession. The new model provides for basic higher education lasting from four to six years, specialized higher education as a level of advanced training, and postgraduate studies, which are a separate type of professional education for training scientific and academic personnel.

For agricultural fields, this system is of fundamental importance. Modern agriculture requires specialists with fundamental knowledge, practical skills, and scientific training, so basic education tends to be longer and more comprehensive, without formal division into levels.

 By presidential decree, the implementation period of the pilot project has been extended until 2030, and the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation has been involved in its supervision, in addition to the relevant education agencies. This strengthens the sectoral focus of the reform and allows for the training of personnel in direct alignment with the needs of the agro-industrial complex.

 «With the support of Russian Agriculture Minister Oksana Lut and Stavropol Governor Vladimir Vladimirov, the university is already fulfilling strategic objectives to develop applied research and implement developments in production. The new model of higher education will allow for a more precise alignment of program content with industry requirements. The new model of higher education will allow for a more precise alignment of program content with industry requirements and improve the quality of training for key areas of the agricultural sector,» said Vladimir Sitnikov, Rector of StGAU.

 Participation in the pilot project confirms StGAU's status as one of the universities that are already contributing to the future system of higher education in Russia and setting the direction for agricultural training for years to come.