RTU MIREA and VGTRK Launch a Next-Gen Megalab for Digital TV and Audio Media Engineers

On December 25, RTU MIREA opened an educational and research megalaboratory for digital television, sound technologies, and media communications, created in partnership with VGTRK. The facility represents a genuine leap forward for media education, giving undergraduate and graduate students hands-on access to cutting-edge professional equipment.

The megalab is designed to train in-demand next-generation specialists who will develop technologies for the television, radio, and digital platforms of the future. Imagine a unified immersive digital space where you can simultaneously record a TV show, host a live radio broadcast, mix live audio, and instantly stream content to digital broadcast networks or online platforms. That is exactly the kind of multifunctional complex, also referred to as a "media testing ground," that has gone live at RTU MIREA.

A reconfigurable system integrates three key zones: a production control room and TV studio complex; a radio broadcast and recording studio; and a production stage with theatrical lighting and a LED wall.

What makes this lab unique is its flexible architecture and enormous capacity. Television production, audio recording, and measurement equipment are all connected to a single high-speed network that can be reconfigured for various content workflows. The system can process massive amounts of data, enabling work with high-quality video and clean, detailed sound. Students learn how complex media systems are designed and integrated at functional, circuit, and software levels.

Undergraduates, master’s students, and graduate students will use the megalab to master more than 15 courses, ranging from digital television technologies and sound design to robust signal coding and systems engineering for wireless communication and audio complexes. The lab trains TV engineers, sound engineers, radio engineers, telecom IT solution developers, and software engineers — professionals who will combine deep technical expertise with a creative, art-driven mindset.

Graduates will be able to design TV production studios, sound stages, and mobile TV units; configure and optimize broadcast schedules; create complex audiovisual and video content; and ensure smooth operation of media systems​

"This is more than a lab; it’s a step into the future of education. We are building an environment where theory is immediately tested in practice on the same equipment as used by leading media companies. This is where a new generation of creative engineers for Russia’s digital economy is born," said RTU MIREA Rector Stanislav Kudzh.

"As an employer, it is critical for us that graduates arrive already understanding the logic of modern TV production. This lab is the perfect bridge between university and industry. Students will gain invaluable experience working through the full content lifecycle from idea to broadcast," noted VGTRK Deputy Director General Stanislav Khaustov.

"Here, the line between classroom and real studio disappears. Students will work with the technologies that are already shaping the media industry. The megalab teaches them not just to adapt to change, but to be the ones driving that change. On the basis of this project, a new initiative is already underway to create a unified national youth newsroom," explained VGTRK Director General’s Advisor Aleksandr Minakov.

The megalab is designed not only for Moscow-based students, but as a national center for media competencies. Applicants from any region of Russia can already enter into targeted enrollment agreements to allow them to study at RTU MIREA in Moscow, complete internships at VGTRK’s central office, and return to work at their regional TV company after graduation, strengthening local teams. In addition, the lab will host a youth TV channel, an open creative and technology platform where students can apply their technical and creative skills to produce original content.