Student Takeover Week Begins at Plekhanov University in Dubai
26 January 2026
Student Takeover Week officially kicked off at Plekhanov University in Dubai. For one week, faculty is stepping back while senior students are stepping forward, taking charge of planning, organizing, and guiding activities for the Plekhanov student community.
The opening of Student Takeover Week began with a welcome speech by the University Director, Dr. Svetlana Malkarova. In her speech, Dr. Malkarova encouraged students across all years to be active, work together, and to make the most of this unique experience. The opening itself was fully organized by students and led by master’s student Kirill Karpov.
Student Takeover Week is an initiative designed to give senior students real leadership responsibilities for five days. Throughout the week, they organize activities and experiences aimed at strengthening student communication and rapport while sharpening their own decision-making, planning, and communication skills. This event also helps first-year students feel more connected to university life.
Following the opening, the first official activity of Student Takeover Week was a high-energy team debate organized by bachelor’s student Marina Tikhonova. The debate focused on the Cantrell and Cochrane (C&C) case, exploring the company’s pricing and branding strategy behind Bulmers and Magners in the Irish and UK markets. Three teams took part, with the roles speaker, opponent, and observer assigned by drawing lots and two hours of preparation beforehand. Speakers presented their proposed solutions, while their opponents tested assumptions and challenged arguments, and reviewers evaluated both sides objectively. By the time the debate wrapped up, the lecture hall had shifted from a quiet venue into a lively arena of ideas, quick thinking, and clever back-and-forth.
Day one of Student Takeover Week came with plenty of positive takeaways. Plekhanovites had the chance to test their reasoning and adaptability in a fast-paced, time-capped debate setting. They practiced critical thinking and sharpened their public speaking skills under pressure, learning to respond quickly while defending their ideas articulately. For the senior students behind the scenes, the effort invested in organizing Student Takeover Week was unmistakably reflected in how smoothly the day unfolded. With day one setting a strong pace, the Plekhanov community looks ahead to day two with anticipation and curiosity.
The opening of Student Takeover Week began with a welcome speech by the University Director, Dr. Svetlana Malkarova. In her speech, Dr. Malkarova encouraged students across all years to be active, work together, and to make the most of this unique experience. The opening itself was fully organized by students and led by master’s student Kirill Karpov.
Student Takeover Week is an initiative designed to give senior students real leadership responsibilities for five days. Throughout the week, they organize activities and experiences aimed at strengthening student communication and rapport while sharpening their own decision-making, planning, and communication skills. This event also helps first-year students feel more connected to university life.
Following the opening, the first official activity of Student Takeover Week was a high-energy team debate organized by bachelor’s student Marina Tikhonova. The debate focused on the Cantrell and Cochrane (C&C) case, exploring the company’s pricing and branding strategy behind Bulmers and Magners in the Irish and UK markets. Three teams took part, with the roles speaker, opponent, and observer assigned by drawing lots and two hours of preparation beforehand. Speakers presented their proposed solutions, while their opponents tested assumptions and challenged arguments, and reviewers evaluated both sides objectively. By the time the debate wrapped up, the lecture hall had shifted from a quiet venue into a lively arena of ideas, quick thinking, and clever back-and-forth.
Day one of Student Takeover Week came with plenty of positive takeaways. Plekhanovites had the chance to test their reasoning and adaptability in a fast-paced, time-capped debate setting. They practiced critical thinking and sharpened their public speaking skills under pressure, learning to respond quickly while defending their ideas articulately. For the senior students behind the scenes, the effort invested in organizing Student Takeover Week was unmistakably reflected in how smoothly the day unfolded. With day one setting a strong pace, the Plekhanov community looks ahead to day two with anticipation and curiosity.
