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Since its inception in 2024, the “Startup as a Diploma” competition has showcased real business projects developed by students, highlighting their readiness for independent professional endeavours. In 2025, Margarita Chekhunova’s graduate qualification paper, titled “Organization of an Online School of Illustration,” caught the attention of judges and secured a spot among the best projects in the competition.

The relevance of Chekhunova’s project is underscored by her background as a practicing illustrator. She collaborates with various state-funded organizations, including the Vremya Pervykh Russian Movement of Children and Youth and the Rossmolodezh Federal Agency for Youth Affairs. Her project aims to equip participants with illustration skills while also teaching them how to monetize their talents. As Chekhunova explained, the unique selling proposition of her initiative lies in its personalized approach to education, which adapts to the individual goals of each student and fosters a sense of community.

Olga Gerasimenko, Head of the BelSU Department of Management and Marketing and Chekhunova’s academic supervisor, noted that while the student is set to defend her final qualifying work at the end of June, her project has already garnered significant recognition at the national level.

“The defense of final qualifying works in the ‘Startup as a Diploma’ format has been a staple at our Department since 2019. From 2019 to 2025, 31 graduates from the BelSU Institute of Economics and Management have successfully defended their diplomas as startups, contributing to the commercialization of small and medium-sized businesses. Our department actively supports students in securing social contracts, entering competitions, and applying for grants,” Gerasimenko shared.

BelSU Rector Evgenia Karlovskaya took to  to congratulate the student and her academic supervisor on the achievement. She emphasized the university’s commitment to integrating education, science, and real-world economic applications.