Skills of the Future: No-Tie Talk — How It Went 🌐👔

🟢On September 14, the International Festival of Youth — 2026 hosted the first large-scale event of MGIMO’s “Future Global Leaders Laboratory” program — an interactive session, “Skills of the Future: No-Tie Talk.”

What skills should a future leader possess? What helps one make decisions under uncertainty, find a common language with people from different cultures, and lead others?

🌏Three young Festival participants from Russia, Mongolia and Vietnam presented their vision of the key competencies needed by future leaders. Invited experts continued the conversation: they shared professional experience, practical recommendations, and their view of the skills that are becoming especially important in today’s world.

We’ve prepared for you several leadership tips that our experts shared with the session participants 🤫

➡️Ekaterina Shuvalova, Advisor to the Rector — Deputy Vice-Rector for Students’ Development and International Affairs at MGIMO:

Networking is not about the number of contacts, but about the quality of communication because the real value comes after the exchange of business cards, when genuine human connections begin to take shape.

➡️Tatyana Terentyeva, Deputy CEO for Human Resources at Rosatom State Corporation:

In a world of generative AI, where there is no single source of truth, we need to learn how to manage AI as part of a team, make use of machine-generated expertise, while developing uniquely human skills such as critical thinking.

➡️Dauren Abayev, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Russian Federation:

My advice to future leaders is simple: first and foremost, be a good person, become a professional in your field, and constantly build your social capital.

➡️Kunal Sharma, Founder and President of the Indian youth platform Chhatra Sansad:

When people ask me what to do after graduating from university, I always advise them to ask themselves three questions: 1) What problem do I want to solve in my community, country, or university? 2) Whose life do I want to impact? 3) What legacy do I want to leave behind?

➡️Shi Tianchi, Deputy Head of the International Department of the All-China Youth Federation:

Lifelong learning is the foundation of modern life. However, learning is not simply about becoming familiar with a topic — it is about understanding its essence. Time management is merely a tool; the most important thing is to define your values and goals.

💭And the most interesting part — everyone could offer their own version of the answer. All participants joined the conversation through a digital platform and, in real time, chose the qualities they consider key for a modern leader. That’s how the “skills cloud” appeared — a collective portrait of the professional of the future.

Thank you to the experts, young participants, and all guests for the open conversation, fresh ideas, and the atmosphere of a genuine no-tie talk. And this is only the beginning of the “Future Global Leaders Laboratory.” Ahead are new meetings, discussions, and opportunities to search together for answers to the questions that determine the future.

See you at the next Festival events! 🩵

🌐MGIMO International (ENG) / МГИМО для иностранцев (RUS)

🌐 Leadership in a Multipolar World: What Determines a Country’s Position in the New International Reality?

🟢On September 15, as part of the International Festival of Youth — 2026, MGIMO hosted a panel discussion titled “Leadership in a Multipolar World: What Determines a Country’s Position in the New Architecture of International Relations?”

Leading experts in international relations discussed the nature of leadership and the key factors shaping a country’s position on the global stage.

📩The discussion was moderated by Stanislav Surovtsev, Vice-Rector for International Cooperation, Youth and Social Policy, MGIMO University.

The panel brought together:
✅ Maria Zakharova, Director of the Information and Press Department of the Russian MFA;
✅ Arno Gujon, Director of the Office for Public and Cultural Diplomacy of the Government of the Republic of Serbia;
✅ Dauren Abayev, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Russian Federation.
✅ Toufik Djouama, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria to the Russian Federation.

Here are the key takeaways from the discussion 👇

⚪Maria Zakharova highlighted a number of leadership qualities that challenge conventional perceptions of what it means to be a leader.

“It is commonly believed that a leader is someone who is always ahead, someone who strives to take first place. This is a misconception. Leadership is not about competition or being formally first. Leadership is strength and confidence that become a source of support for others. Leadership is when you are targeted by a campaign against you, yet still find the strength to keep moving forward,” Maria Zakharova emphasized.

⚪Dauren Abayev stressed that domestic stability remains the foundation of an effective foreign policy: “Without stability within a country, it is impossible to act effectively on the international stage.” Speaking about cooperation between countries and continents, he put forward the principle that “a bridge is more important than a fortress,” emphasizing the importance of openness, connections and communication over isolation. Dauren Askerbekovich emphasized that Russia and Kazakhstan are key strategic partners.

⚪Arno Gujon emphasized that leadership is made possible not by words, but by actions.

“We will not pursue a policy that treats Russia immorally. This is a principled position based on values, not political expediency.”

⚪Toufik Djouama outlined a fundamental principle of genuine partnership: “It begins where people not only take, but also share.” According to him, this principle applies equally to relations between individuals and to cooperation between states.

➡️ We thank all speakers and participants for a meaningful dialogue that brought together diverse professional and national perspectives — and for the opportunity to discuss together what defines the leadership of states today and what the world of tomorrow may look like.

🌐MGIMO International (ENG) / МГИМО для иностранцев (RUS)