A team of students from the North Caucasus Federal University won the second place at the Caucasian Investment Forum-2026, presenting a project to develop event tourism in small towns of the North Caucasus Federal District.

The forum was held at the Minvodyexpo site and brought together representatives of business, government and the youth community from all over the country. The main theme is "Expanding horizons of possibilities". The event was organized by the Roscongress Foundation with the support of the Government of Russia, the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Stavropol Territory. The agenda includes investments, tourism, industry, digital technologies and personnel training.

Students of the NCFU Institute of Economics and Management took part in the Youth Day of the forum. Ksenia Umnova, Ksenia Frantseva, Leila Khaibulayeva and Alina Kappusheva, as well as Gleb Gunaris and Anna Frantseva presented the Roots project, a concept for a network of youth event bureaus in small towns and tourist spots in the North Caucasus Federal District.

According to the results of the competitive defenses, the team took the second place in the Laboratory of the future of the North Caucasus Federal District in the field of "Tourism. Smart Resort: services of the future". The scientific supervisor of the project is Rustam Ustaev, Head of the NCFU Department of Management.

It is worth noting that such results reflect the systematic work of NCFU to involve students in real project activities and the formation of practical competencies in demand in the region.