This is the first such center in the Southern Federal District. Its creation became a logical continuation and development of the large–scale project "Competence Centers" of the presidential platform "Russia - the land of opportunities". The Center will combine the best practices for assessing and developing supra-professional competencies, career guidance, and student engagement in the ecosystem of projects and competitions on the Presidential Platform.

It should be noted that the Southern Federal University entered the first wave of the opening of such Centers, bringing together 20 leading universities of the country from different regions. This list includes the flagships of Russian education, such as the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, the Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas (NRU), MGIK, SPbPU, TSU, SSU, ZabGU, as well as other national research and medical universities.

According to Oksana Achkasova, Deputy General Director of the Presidential Platform "Russia – the Land of Opportunities", Southern Federal University has become one of the pilot universities for launching Centers of new Opportunities for a reason. Back in 2021, the university became one of the first to open Competence Centers, and during this time it has accumulated a unique experience of working with students.

"Today we are taking this area to a qualitatively new level. Transformation into a Center of New Opportunities is a natural step that allows expanding horizons for young people. Now students will be able not only to undergo diagnostics of their skills, but also to immediately apply them, realizing their potential through contests and platform projects such as "I am a professional", "Flagships of Education", "Your turn". In fact, we are creating a seamless environment: from competence assessment to real career and life achievements," Oksana Achkasova emphasized.

Nadezhda Vasilyeva, Deputy Head of the Rostov Region's State Employment Service, noted the special importance of the new Center for the region's personnel future: "The key task today is not just to help graduates find jobs, but to ensure that the most talented, ambitious and motivated specialists stay and work in the Rostov Region. It is these young people who are able to qualitatively change life in our region, bring the economy and the social sphere to a new level. I am sure that the Center for New Opportunities will become a real navigator for them: it will help them understand where their "flexible skills" are most in demand, find an employer who shares their values, and build a career without leaving their native region. This is an investment in the future of our region."

Oleg Otrokov, Chairman of the Committee on Youth Policy of the Rostov region, noted that the creation of the Center for New Opportunities meets the key tasks of the region in working with youth: "It is important for us not only to create conditions for the self-realization of young people, but also to create an environment in which young people can reach their potential, find like-minded people and get real tools to realize their ideas. The Center for New Opportunities is just becoming such an environment. Education, career, and community initiatives intersect here. I am sure that for many students this center will be the starting point in a great life connected with the Rostov region, with its development and prosperity."

In her welcoming speech, Inna Shevchenko, Rector of Southern Federal University, emphasized the importance of the event for the university and the entire region: "The opening of the Center for New Opportunities is a natural stage in the development of our university as a modern scientific and educational center. We have always strived to create an environment for students in which they can not only gain knowledge, but also develop leadership skills, learn to work in a team and implement their initiatives. Thanks to the cooperation with the Presidential Platform "Russia – the Land of Opportunities," this process is reaching a new level, becoming part of the All-Russian ecosystem of talent support."

The events at the Center for New Opportunities were launched by a large–scale presentation of the Presidential platform "Russia – the land of Opportunities" and its projects: "Competence Centers", "Flagships of Education", "I am a professional", "Your Turn". The students learned how participating in contests and projects on the platform helps them unlock their potential, receive valuable recommendations from leading employers, and build an individual career trajectory during their studies.

"Southern Federal University is one of the long–standing and reliable partners of the Olympiad. Since the first season, face–to-face finals have been held here, and for the ninth consecutive season, SFedU has been co-organizing the project in dozens of areas - from Mathematics to Journalism and Artificial Intelligence. The opening of the Center for New Opportunities is the next logical step: now, at the university, students will be able to systematically develop "flexible skills" for their future careers in various projects of the Presidential Platform "Russia is a Land of Opportunities," said Valeria Kasamara, head of the All–Russian Student Olympiad "I am a Professional."

The presentation was followed by parallel intensive courses. A training course "Individual competence profile: how to apply assessment results to start and develop a career" was organized for 50 students who had previously been diagnosed and received a report on their competencies. Artur Kuchaev, Head of the Competence Centers project, and Valeria Artemova, a leading specialist in the Evaluation and methodology department of the Russia – Land of Opportunity Presidential Platform, told how to correctly interpret their results, see their strengths, and build a career development strategy based on them.

For international students of SFedU, the organizers have prepared a special intensive in the format of a discussion game "Development of soft skills and participation in projects of the Presidential Platform". 40 participants from different countries not only improved their communication and teamwork skills, but also learned how the projects of the Presidential Platform "Russia – the land of Opportunities" help realize the potential of talented youth from abroad.

The final chord of the day was the Skill Drive quiz, which was attended by 80 students. The organizers of the intellectual battle were the SFedU Competence Center and the University's Intellectual Games League. The quiz questions were designed in such a way as to consolidate young people's knowledge about competence development and career building in lectures and trainings in an exciting way.