Pablo Iturralde: ‘I Am Convinced That a Modern Engineer Can Tackle Any Challenge’
A Moscow Polytech delegation took part in the symposium “Technological Leadership: Fr om Expertise to Strategy.” The event focused on reviewing the outcomes of technological expertise in 2025 and on its further development as one of the key tools of the “Priority‑2030” strategic academic leadership program.
The event opened with a plenary session attended by representatives of federal government bodies, industry, and expert organizations, led by Valery Falkov, Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation.
A highlight of the program was an interactive session based on real‑world strategic technology projects. Pablo Iturralde, Director of the FDR Advanced Engineering School for Technological Leadership, was one of four speakers preselected among several dozen heads of strategic technology projects at universities across Russia. His presentation focused on the “Sovereign Automotive Modular Platforms” project developed at Moscow Polytech.
As part of a game‑based defense of strategic technology projects, Iturralde paid special attention to the training of modern engineers and the development of the competencies needed to create industrial‑scale solutions.
“Our projects lay the groundwork not only for training design engineers but also for building a full‑fledged ecosystem wh ere specialists can develop technical solutions, collaborate effectively with partners, integrate products into the Russian market, and ensure localization. When a student is involved in engineering development as part of their education, they acquire transferable skills. I am convinced that a modern engineer can tackle any challenge. If one of our specialists can build a Russian electric vehicle, they can also develop the equipment to manufacture it. That is why our goal is to create a dynamic ecosystem in which new development sparks the next, like a domino effect. This approach requires a seamless combination of systematic thinking and creativity, because every engineer is a creator and a sculptor.”
Pablo Iturralde’s presentation was warmly received by both the jury and the audience. After the main program concluded, a vote was held, and the Director of the FDR School took second place.
Background: The event was organized by the Department for Coordination of Educational Institutions under the “Priority‑2030” strategic academic leadership program, in partnership with the Center for Technological Leadership LLC. FDR stands for Formula Dream Russia.
