On October 13–15, 2022, MGIMO University hosted PriorityFest — a best practices festival for the universities participating in the Priority 2030 State Program and 14^th Russian International Studies Association (RISA) Convention.

In the three days of the event, the MGIMO University gathered about 2,000 experts, practitioners, scientists, academic and business leaders, statesmen, public opinion leaders in the field of science and education. The event included more than 100 sessions, round tables and masterclasses.

The PriorityFest festival gave heads of universities and their project offices an opportunity to exchange practices and plans implemented under Priority 2030 State Program that seeks to support Russian universities. The program includes 16 thematic tracks dedicated to the management of universities, the introduction of technology and innovation in education, the development of interdisciplinary scientific research. Several tracks are connected with the MGIMO Development Program, in particular global agricultural markets, culture, tourism and hospitality industry training, sustainable development, export of Russian education, student entrepreneurship and university accelerators.

The RISA Convention is a real “symphony” of events. This year it included an Art Masters – MGIMO round table Creative Industries. New Context, the 2^nd Russian Open International Conference on Sustainable Development and ESG-Transformation, a conference Russia – ASEAN. Practice and Methodology of Modern Regional Studies, an expert meeting Russia – Africa, a discussion of relevant issues of international legal research, as well as a meeting of the Russian Business Education Association. The event’s highlights included a RIAC special session Cooperation with Friendly Countries amid Sanctions Pressure on Russia, sessions Endowments as a Tool for Co-Financing University Development Programs, Central Asia in the Context of Global and Regional Trends, the section of the NCMU Human Capital Multidisciplinary Research Center and MGIMO University and HSE's joint event under NCMU Human Capital Multidisciplinary Research Center.

The entertainment program of the first day included the opening of a monument to the great Russian poet and writer Alexander Pushkin on the Alley of Friendship at MGIMO University. The official ceremony was attended by Anatoly Torkunov, Rector of MGIMO, and the creator of the monument Nikolay Ivanov, a sculptor and People's Artist. In the evening, participants were able to enjoy student creative teams' musical performance put on by lead singers and clubs of the MGIMO Cultural Center.

The visitors had an opportunity to take part in practical masterclasses on the development of managerial and negotiation competencies, emotional intelligence, the development of creative potential in students and schoolchildren, the role of universities in tourism and hospitality industry specialist training.

On October 14, the participants of the event attended large-scale plenary sessions to discuss modern international processes, the contribution of universities to territorial and sectoral development and new opportunities arising in the process of energy transition and the implementation of the ESG agenda. The discussion was attended by Presidential Aide Andrey Fursenko, Special Representative of the President for the Middle East and Africa, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mikhail Bogdanov, Director of IMEMO RAS Fedor Voitolovsky, Head of the ArtMasters National Open Creative Skills Competition Borislav Volodin, Director of FSASA Sociocenter Irina Zhukova and General Director of REO Denis Butsaev.

Watch broadcasts of the plenary sessions on the MGIMO YouTube channel.

The evening ended with the Moscow Operetta Theater’s musical performance celebrating the MGIMO Day. Students, teachers and staff, participants and guests of the 14^th RISA Convention and the PriorityFest festival plunged into the world of operetta and heard famous compositions from The Phantom of the Opera, The Bat, The Gipsy Princess, The Circus Princess, My Fair Lady and others.

The event was sponsored by the Yury and Maria Shamara Social Initiative Development Foundation. TASS was the General Information Partner of the event, information support was also provided by Channel One, VGTRK, OTR, VKontakte, FederalPress, Vedomosti.