The Vladimir Potanin Charitable Foundation representatives, including Irina Lapidus, Director of Programs, and Daria Bolotinskaya, Project Manager, visited KNRTU on a working visit. The main goal was to meet with the winners of the Professional Development competition, as the university currently has four active grant recipients from this competition.

The conversation did not involve a formal report. The meeting with Dilbar Sultanova, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, and the faculty members demonstrated that the impact of cooperation with the foundation was much broader than just supporting individual projects.

"We don't compare universities or projects with each other," Irina Lapidus began, answering a question about her first impressions. "It's important for us to understand on the spot what a particular organization and its people are like. What really surprised and pleased us is that everyone we spoke to didn't see the grant as a standalone project. Instead, they integrated it into their larger programs, long-term development plans, or the development plans of their departments or institutions. Everyone we met was passionate about their work in the best possible way. If a teacher goes on an internship, they also organize a student's trip. If people from the same department take a course or go on an internship, it can grow into an interdepartmental initiative or a joint project."

Irina Lapidus also mentioned those who stay in the foundation's community for years, returning with new ideas. According to her, this is an important message for those who may find participating in grant competitions challenging or time-consuming: "These examples show that the results are worth the time investment, and the benefits are not only financial."

This idea was immediately picked up by Dilbar Sultanova: "The career boost is enormous. About 20 percent of KNRTU's leaders at various levels participated in the foundation's programs at the beginning of their careers."

The conversation also touched on the importance of personal example, and the university noticed a curious pattern: master's students, inspired by the example of grant-winning professors, began to win grants themselves.

My colleagues gave the example of the volunteer camps of the Potanin Foundation School, where teachers and undergraduates can participate in work on protected areas or cultural heritage sites. This is also an example of collaboration that goes beyond the university. For example, when design or marketing students suggest ways to improve a museum's website or communication with visitors to nature reserves.

The visit has ended, but the dialogue continues. The university is working on applications for the new competition season, and the foundation is monitoring the progress of its new scholarship recipients (this year, five KNIU master's students were awarded scholarships). Most importantly, KNIU seems to have developed a system where grants are not just about money but also serve as a platform for career growth, new ideas, and sustainable collaborations.