Moscow Polytech launches the Advanced Publishing School “Book of the Future” to develop innovative book formats and ensure its competitiveness in the digital era. Studies at school will begin in October this year.

“We want to create a unique environment where breakthrough ideas and projects that can change the image of the book in the digital age will be born. Our goal is not just to teach students new technologies but to give them the opportunity to experiment and create innovative products that will find their audience. We will work in close partnership with leaders of the book industry and creative business to ensure that our graduates are in demand in the labour market”, says Ekaterina Khokhlogorskaya, Creative Director of Moscow Polytech.

Three project-creative laboratories will open within the framework of the school. The Laboratory of Interactive Electronic Editions aims to create and fill the market of interactive e-books. Based on the existing constructor and shop from the company “Book of Impressions”, students will develop innovative editions in partnership with leading publishers.

According to Ekaterina Khokhlogorskaya the video game studio will build on existing game developments in the form of concepts and prototypes to create full-fledged game projects and develop games as a new format of interactive storytelling.

“The Media Art Studio will be an experimental platform at the intersection of literature, visual art and digital technology. Students will create innovative art objects and installations that reimagine the book in a modern context. The first exhibition of the studio's works at “ART POLYTECH” is planned for spring 2025”, says Ekaterina Khokhlogorskaya.

The laboratory projects will involve students from 13 educational programmes of Master's, Bachelor's and Specialist degrees, including “Producing in Creative Industries”, “Modern Publishing Process: Innovative Practices”, “Augmented and Virtual Reality Technologies”.

As early as autumn 2024, enrolment for additional professional education programmes will start. In 2026, enrolment will open for the renewed main Master's degree programmes. The first product results of the school's work are expected starting from 2025 - in the field of media art, and publishing projects and video games - from 2026.

“Digital technologies rapidly change our life becoming a trend and a strategy for economic development. The digital future has arrived: artificial intelligence reads audiobooks, creates cover designs and it’s the basis for reference services. Employer's requirements to young specialists also are being changed: now we need not just editors, and not even producers of publishing projects but producers of digital creative projects. There is a great demand for not only computer games developers and digital marketing specialists. Creative industries have a huge demand for creativity in a full-cycle team: from an idea to a prototype and a packaged, marketable product. Creating such teams is the educational goal of our Advanced Publishing School “Book of the Future”, said Ekaterina Khokhlogorskaya, Creative Director of Moscow Polytech.

An important part of the Book of the Future School ecosystem is cooperation with leading professional organizations of the publishing industry and creative business. Among the partners are the “Russian Book Union”, “The Union of Writers of Russia”, “CHARMED BOOKS”, “AROMABOOK”, the Forum “KNIGABITE. The Future of the Book”, Forum and the Union of Entrepreneurs “Lift”.

The finalist of the International Competition “The Book of the Future” will also become the basis for experiments. The results will be tested at scientific conferences. First of all, at the International Scientific and Practical Conference “The Book of the Future”.