The institution is fitted with advanced and high-tech equipment: milling and laser machines, 3D printer, cutter plotter, robotics kit, and a set of educational programs.
Progress was established with the support of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, the Government of the Ulyanovsk region and Nuclear Innovation Cluster Development Center in Dimitrovgrad. The students of vocational schools, undergraduates and post-graduate students, as well as representatives of small and medium-sized businesses implementing scientific and technical and innovation projects will study at the Center. ‘Many high school students of the Ulyanovsk region will amicably envy you, since now there are only two such centers: the Voploshchenie Center in Ulyanovsk and now one more center in Dimitrovgrad. In the next few years, we will establish similar educational institutions in all municipalities. In addition, by 2018, a unique Children’s Technopark, fitted with the state of the art equipment will be launched. We are also planning to open a year-round educational Intelligence Camp, where you can combine outdoor recreation with studies in the areas of your interest’, Sergey Morozov said addressing the Center's students. Let us recall that when making a report in May before the deputies of the Legislative Assembly of the region, the head of the region said that a project of the Regional Technological Initiative, formed on the basis of the National Technological Initiative, shall be launched in the Ulyanovsk region. ‘We need an environment where talented people can reveal themselves. It is necessary to focus on the growth of human capital and to make it the main point of development and growth. We will make our region a better and more comfortable place for the development and upbringing of children, for creative self-fulfilment, both personal and professional,’ Sergey Morozov said then. According to the experts of the relevant agency, the educational programs of Progress center meet these goals. They are designed for the secondary school students and are implemented in the following areas: robotics and electronics, unmanned robotic platforms, 3D printing and spatial modeling, work on modern CNC machines, innovative scientific and technical projects, technology to set up and develop start-ups. It is planned that each month at least 50 students will visit the clubs, courses and workshops at the Center. ‘In such centers, the children, from an early age, will acquire new skills, get acquainted with the modern technical opportunities and just spend their free time surrounded by qualified teachers and staff. This means staff training from school-days. These are the basic areas of innovation development. The greatest value of this large-scale project is that there is a significant social component: there are combined, on the one hand, the state position (i.e. financial and material support) and, on the other hand, initiative and energy of entrepreneurs. This is the very junction where the progress starts,’ the Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandr Smekalin commented. By order of the Acting Governor Sergey Morozov, the Ministry of Competition and Economy Development of the Ulyanovsk region will continue working on the development of a network of Centers for Innovative Youth Creativity throughout the region. Soon, there will be a contest for the creation of the third Center for Innovative Youth Creativity in the Ulyanovsk region with funding amounting to about 5.7 million rubles.