A meeting of the working group on the implementation of the regional law "On environmental education, enlightenment and the development of environmental culture in Altai Krai" was held at the Altai Regional Children's Environmental Center. Tatyana Antonenko, Сandidate of Biological Sciences, Vice-Rector for Youth Policy and Educational Activities at Altai State University, participated in the event.
The meeting focused on interdepartmental cooperation plans for 2025. Representatives from various institutions, including the Ministry of Education and Science of Altai Krai, the Altai Regional Legislative Assembly, the Public Chamber of the region, universities, the Altai Environmental Center, and the Movement of the First, shared their experiences in promoting environmental culture among children and youth and discussed ongoing projects.
"The working group is a team of caring people, where everyone has extensive experience in the field of ecology – from education to environmental business. I would like to note that Altai Krai was one of the first in the country to adopt the law "On Environmental Education." This once again emphasizes that fostering a respectful attitude toward nature is impossible without understanding of the laws of nature. The uniqueness of the nature of the native region requires close attention to it, including at the legislative level,” emphasized Tatyana Antonenko. “For over 50 years, Altai State University has been training specialists in environmental protection: biologists, geographers, physicists, and chemists. The university also implements additional professional education programs in the field of environmental protection."
The university actively engages in continuous environmental education of children, beginning at the school level. Master's student Daniil Egorov has been implementing the project "Ecology is ours" for several years, encouraging kindergarten pupils, schoolchildren and students to recycle batteries, plastic, and waste paper for recycling, while learning about sustainable living.
For many years, the university also hosts an environmental club "Under the Open Sky", once founded by the students themselves. Despite changes in membership over the years, the club remains a key platform for environmentally conscious students to collaborate. Members regularly organize various environmental events and participate in both local and national projects.
Altai State University is a member of the association of "Green Universities of Russia" and supports all events organized by this association. Last fall, our university signed cooperation agreements with two non-profit organizations – the regional branch of the all-Russian environmental public movement "Ecosystem" and the autonomous non-profit environmental organization "Closed Cycle Economy".