On the Eve of the 90th Anniversary MAI Celebrated Knowledge Day

On September 2, 2019, students and staff of Moscow Aviation Institute (National Research University) celebrated the Knowledge Day.

This year, the Knowledge Day opened a series of celebrations dedicated to MAI 90th anniversary, which will be held on March 20, 2020. The festival dedicated to the start of academic year and was attended by more than 5,000 MAI students.

The Knowledge Day began with a freshmen procession: in the columns of MAI faculties and institutes, matriculated students marched solemnly across the university. A separate column was represented by students of MAI and Shanghai Jiao Tong University double degree programs. MAI international students, representatives of more than 50 countries, carried flags of their states. In total, more than a thousand students from 77 countries study at MAI. In 2019, for the first time, students from such countries as the Republic of Panama, the Republic of Cuba and the Plurinational State of Bolivia became MAI students.

Rector Mikhail Pogosyan congratulated freshmen on joining a friendly MAI family: “Greetings to our freshmen! Choosing MAI, you made the right decision: you have years of exciting student life ahead of you. I hope that the multifaceted creative environment of Moscow Aviation Institute will inspire you and help to realize your dreams and aspirations. Meet, learn new things and create. MAI is the whole world. Here you can get an excellent education, you will make new friends, you will have great opportunities for development in science and business, sports and creativity. I wish you to take the initiative from the first day at Moscow Aviation Institute and propose new projects and solutions: your wildest and most ambitious ideas will find support at the university. Choose your success path and implement it in MAI!”

Following the Rector, Deans and Directors of MAI Faculties and Institutes, as well as honored guests, Alexander Bugaev,  Head of the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs, Sergey Revin, pilot-cosmonaut of the Russian Federation, leading specialist of the cosmonaut corps at the Cosmonaut Training Center named after Yu. A. Gagarin,  Evgeny Marchukov, Director and General Designer of Experimental Design Bureau named after A. Lyulka, professor, doctor of technical sciences, graduate of MAI Institute No. 2 “Aircraft, Rocket Engines and Power Plants”, Ivan Yunin, two-time world champion in kettlebell lifting, graduate of MAI Institute No. 7 "Robotic and Intelligent Systems", and others congratulated students from the main stage. 

Embassy representatives also arrived to congratulate MAI freshmen: in the celebration participated the First Secretary of the Embassy of Uzbekistan Damir Mamatkulov, Minister Plenipotentiary and Adviser of the El Salvador Embassy Rodrigo Ernesto Gomez Martinez. 

At the end of the solemn part, the celebration continued on the main stage and at the Cosmonaut Alley, where creative performances, various activities and competitions for students started. A concert program was held on the main stage of the festival with the participation of MAI cheerleading team JETIX, as well as the most vibrant and dynamic bands of MAI Cultural Center.

At the same time, at the Cosmonaut Alley MAI students could get acquainted with a diverse interactive scientific exhibition prepared by MAI Schools, take part in 3D printing and technological design master classes, as well as participate in a scientific quest developed by MAI Student Research Department. Also, here sport competitions and attractions awaited the students. In the Sports Complex “Cherepakha”, professional competitions for MAI Sprint Cup in rowing on rowing machines were held. And on Instagram it was possible to participate in the contest for the best photo.

In addition, at the venues of MAI Student Union and Volunteer Center, everyone could talk with the guests of honor.

The celebration at the main stage finished with awarding the winners of competitions. Super prizes - a laptop, Apple AirPods and an electric scooter - were presented to the lucky ones personally by MAI Rector. And in the final of the festive program, popular artists performed in front of MAI students: the Brothers Grim band and the Russian rapper AMCHI.

Encouraged by such a large-scale and varied start of the anniversary academic year, tomorrow MAI freshmen will begin their journey into a successful future with MAI.