On April 17, 2026, St. Petersburg State University of Economics hosted a seminar and a forum with the participation of Dr. Galina Motova, President of the Asia-Pacific Quality Network (APQN) and Director of the National Centre for Public Accreditation. Held as part of the IX St. Petersburg National Forum with International Participation, titled "The Architecture of University Education: National Priorities and Traditional Values," the session focused on "International Accreditation and Rankings as Mechanisms for Enhancing the Competitiveness and Attractiveness of Russian Education."

The seminar brought together 32 participants, including rectors, vice-rectors, heads of various departments, and representatives from academic affairs offices, as well as licensing, accreditation, and quality assurance divisions, representing 15 higher education institutions across St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region.

The seminar agenda addressed emerging trends in higher education assessment, the potential of higher education institutions from St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region in national and global rankings, methodologies for international and public professional accreditation, as well as top accreditation for leading universities.