On November 16, 2023, RUDN University's Department of Mass Communication hosted an international student scientific and practical conference as a prelude to its goals of showcasing Russia's educational system on a global scale. Young media communications scholars and practitioners had the chance to voice their views on the current geopolitical discussion regarding multipolarity from the media and communications perspectives at the event. "The Multipolar World in the Mirror of Contemporary Young Media Communicators" was the theme of the II All-Russian Student Scientific and Practical Conference.

From the Global North to the Global South, global political leaders have been urged in the last five years to change their approaches to international relations, particularly in how they initiate and implement foreign policies. This is largely based on the fact that people from different nations across the world's two divisions - Global North and Global South - want mutual friendship that generates mutual benefits for everyone, without a single nation or group of nations dominating other sovereign territories.

When dominance exists and persists in all ramifications, international affairs analysts, social commentators, and academics believe that political leaders of dominating nations continue to practice unipolarity and bipolarity systems in modern geopolitics, which is contrary to the spirit of co-value creation and capture. Using evidence-based media communications methodologies, emerging media communications scholars and established academics from within and outside the Russian Federation investigated these ideas.

International professors took center stage during the plenary sessions, offering diverse perspectives. Dr. Intakhab Alam Khan (King Abdulaziz University, KSA) emphasized the crucial role of critical thinking and enhanced communication skills for humanity students in international universities. Dr. Luqman Rababah (Jadara University, Jordan) shed light on the significance of integrating technology in multicultural education. Dr. Deepali Vora provided valuable insights into the impact of deep-fake media in India.

Dr. Bulgarova Bella Akhmedovna, the conference's moderator and organizer, highlighted the significance of international participation. She stated, "Such international inputs allowed participants to exchange professional experiences across different fields, immersing students in a friendly scientific environment."

Following the plenary session, young scholars had the opportunity to present and discuss their research articles. Kayan Jomaa's study explored the psychological effects of covering violent events on reporters and provided recommendations to minimize damage. Jomaa expressed, "The conference was truly fruitful and interesting, especially with the discussions after every presentation, adding more value to the research itself with questions and feedback."

Participant Diana Tayara shared her experience, stating, "The conference was a chance for us, RUDN students, to meet students from other universities. The international guests introduced us to new academic information, broadening our perspectives."

Looking ahead, Dr. Bulgarova Bella Akhmedovna emphasized the importance of making such conferences a tradition. She stated, "In the plan, we want to organize more of these events, as this conference was very informative on multi-disciplinary levels."

Prepared by: Roula Elias