The meeting was led by a recognized expert, Corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences J.T. Toshchenko. The discussion was moderated by the Scientific Secretary of the Council, E.K. Biizhanova.

The central event of the meeting was a speech by Yuri Volkov, Doctor of Philosophy, Professor, Scientific director of the Institute of Sociology and Regional Studies of the Southern Federal University/.

In his report "The Potential of Mentoring in Science and Education: Challenges of the times," Yuri Grigorievich presented an in-depth analysis of the transformation of the institute of mentoring in the context of modern geopolitical and technological shifts. The main points of the speech touched upon:

rethinking mentoring not just as a pedagogical technique, but as a strategic resource for the reproduction of the country's intellectual capital;

the need to adapt classical knowledge transfer models to the demands of the "digital" generation of researchers;

the role of a mentor in shaping the value framework of a young scientist in an era of uncertainty.

The speech of Yuri Volkov was developed in the speeches of leading Russian sociologists and philosophers. The discussion allowed us to look at mentoring from different angles:

Historical continuity: Professor A.L. Marshak (Doctor of Philology, Professor, Chief Researcher at the National Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow) correlated the traditions of Russian mentoring with modern realities, emphasizing the sustainability of this institution.

Social regulation: Associate Professor S.Y. Popova ( Associate Professor of the Department of Social Philosophy at the Faculty of Philosophy of the National Academy of Medical Sciences, Director of Science at the Institute of Youth, Moscow) revealed the role of mentoring as a mechanism of soft social regulation and adaptation of youth.

Scientific schools: Research Professor of the Financial University G.G. Sillaste (PhD, Professor, Research Professor at the Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences and Mass Communications, Financial University, Moscow) presented the concept of a scientific school as a unique synthesis of idea generation and generational development of personnel.

Academic integration: R.D. Hunagov (Doctor of Social Sciences, Professor, Director of the ASU Research Institute of Complex Problems, Maikop) focused on mentoring as a tool for students to "enter" the complex academic environment of the university.

The meeting participants agreed that in 2026 mentoring takes on new dimensions, becoming a response to the lack of meaning and the need for accelerated training in high-tech industries. Special attention was paid to the issue of efficiency: how to measure a mentor's contribution and which forms (face-to-face or remote) are most productive today.

The meeting, held in a hybrid format, brought together researchers from Moscow, Rostov-on-Don, Maikop and other scientific centers, confirming the status of the UN Scientific Council of the Russian Academy of Sciences as the most important platform for interdisciplinary dialogue.

The materials of Y.G. Volkov's report and the results of the discussion are recommended for publication in the Journal of Sociological Research (SOCIS).