OREANDA-NEWS. Alstom has awarded three winners of student competition in the field of research in transport infrastructure, signalling and maintenance. The Alstom contest has been organized in the Moscow State Transport University (MIIT), Russia's leading transport higher school. The winners, Alexander Kostyunin, Denis Klevakin and Igor Khromov, will have the possibility to get an internship with Alstom Transport in Moscow over this summer to get a practical use of their theoretical concepts.

Topics offered for the contest covered actual issues in the evaluation of advantages and shortcomings related to the rolling stock maintenance, use of ballast-free design for track superstructure for 1520 mm gauge, and up-to-date signalling systems.

Thibault Desteract, Senior vice-president of Alstom Transport in Russia and CIS, said: "I was aware the Russian transport engineering education makes sure that students become real experts. Today I have got one more proof of that. I was happy to see out of box thinking in the research tasks demonstrated by MIIT students. We are keen on establishing more close connection between real transport "life" and theoretical knowledge got at university. This way, we can contribute to grow of the future experts in the railway industry."

Maria Bobkova, Alstom HR Director in Russia and CIS, stated: "For us, MIIT is one of the main field-oriented higher schools. Since Alstom has come to Russia for the long haul, providing high-qualified staff for the future projects is our priority task."

Alstom Transport is present in over 60 countries and manages entire transport systems, including rolling stock, signalling, maintenance and modernization and infrastructure, and offers integrated solutions. Since 2009 Alstom has been localizing the manufacturing in CIS countries in co-operation with big local railway market players such as Transmashholding. So far, the partners have established three joint ventures in Russia and one JV in Kazakhstan. Also, Alstom is going to widen their presence in maintenance and infrastructure projects.