Russian students can now develop their soft skills with the help of the "Competency Map" digital assistant developed by Moscow Polytech students who serve as ambassadors of the "Competency Centers" project of the "Russia – Land of Opportunity" Presidential Platform. The project is reported by the platform's press service.
The chatbot was originally developed as part of the "Project Activity" course by students of the Faculty of Information Technology and the Faculty of Economics and Management.
The name "Competency Map" has a dual meaning: it serves both as a guide to the conscious and systematic development of skills and as a set of learning cards that users flip through to strengthen necessary competencies step by step.
In its current version, the chatbot performs several functions. Users first complete a soft skills assessment on the "Russia – Land of Opportunity" Presidential Platform website and receive a competency profile showing their level in each skill area. Then the assistant selects books and online resources to help improve weaker competencies. To reinforce learning, the chatbot also includes a "True or Myth" quiz. In addition, users can submit bug reports and suggestions through an integrated feedback system, allowing the development team to continuously improve the service based on real user needs.
"The 'Competency Centers' project is built on three pillars: objective soft skills assessment, personalized recommendations, and individualized development, including through practical experience. The chatbot created by Moscow Polytechnic University students fully reflects this approach," said Sergey Shishunov, Head of the Assessment and Methodology Department at the 'Russia – Land of Opportunity' Presidential Platform, expert of the 'Competency Centers' project. "The chatbot created by the students will help develop transferable skills, but what makes this project especially valuable is that its creators also pumped up their own competencies while working on the digital tool."
The chatbot's main new feature, scheduled for release in September, will be the "Management Situation Simulator." This functionality will transform the service into a full-scale behavioral training platform. Students will be able to immerse themselves in realistic workplace scenarios involving deadlines, conflicts, and uncertainty, make a decision, and get an objective assessment of their demonstrated soft skills – not simply as "right" or "wrong," but through detailed competency-based feedback.
"Our team includes both first-year students and students in their second and third years, and each of them has their own experience and vision. This allows us to improve the chatbot while taking into account a wide range of user expectations and needs. We are not afraid to debate ideas – in fact, that is exactly how we develop solutions that make the 'Competency Map' truly convenient for students across Russia," said Natalya Atsapkina, a second-year student at the Faculty of Economics and Management of Moscow Polytechnic University, ambassador of the 'Competency Centers' project of the 'Russia – Land of Opportunity' Presidential Platform.
Students from Moscow Polytech and other Russian universities can use the service free of charge.
The chatbot is available on VK. To start using the service, users need to subscribe to the project's official community page and click the "Messages" button. After that, they will be redirected to the chatbot and can begin developing their skills immediately.
