EkoNiva has held a forum at Voronezh State Agricultural University (VSAU), where the students have been introduced to the Group, met with its founder and president Stefan Dürr, listened to lectures by company specialists and solved practical problems at a case competition.

The cooperation between EkoNiva and VSAU dates back to 2011, and its main areas comprise career counselling for schoolchildren, work with agricultural classes, tours of the Group's enterprises, the Spring Academy and Autumn Academy annual educational projects, lectures, internships, practical training, the ZooVet and Career Start graduate programmes, an initiative for secondary vocational students, joint activities aimed at launching the Advanced Engineering Schools project, organisation of employer-sponsored education at the university, etc. In 2024, the company opened a branded lecture room within the Department of Agronomy, with one for Veterinary Medicine students started earlier. The holding's enterprises welcome about 200 interns every year. After graduating, many of them begin their career at EkoNiva.

‘VSAU is our strategic partner and mother university. Together, we raise future specialists from school all the way to employment. Today, over 400 graduates have jobs in various departments of our company. It is a pleasure to work with like-minded professionals towards advancing Russian agriculture. Without science, technology and modern approaches, it is impossible to engage in efficient production. And what is most valuable and inspiring is the drive and initiative students and young specialists show’, says Stefan Dürr, EkoNiva Group President.

The company’s employees shared information about its various business areas, personnel policy and career prospects. The students were given lectures on agronomy, soil science, herd management, livestock farming, cheese production technologies, veterinary and sanitary inspection, agricultural engineering and economics. EkoNiva’s representatives dwelled on their choice of profession and career paths. Stories from experience and life hacks used by today’s specialists in farming sparked great interest among the students.

The biggest part of the forum was the From Field to Shop Shelf case competition. After summing up the results, the top players received memorable gifts, and the winning team was awarded a tourist trip from EkoNiva.