Amigo, You Are in Russia: Krasnoyarsk Student Builds Chatbot for Latin American Students
A linguistics student at Siberian Federal University (SibFU) combined Python programming with real stories from Ecuadorian students to create a virtual assistant that speaks to them in their native Spanish.
Siberian winters and Latin American temperament – what could possibly connect a resident of Krasnoyarsk with someone from Quito, the capital of Ecuador? Quite a lot, it turns out. Above all, there is the shared desire to study, build a career and simply feel comfortable in a new environment, even thousands of miles from home. Where geography creates contrast, people often find ways to bridge it. In this case, through code – and a thoughtful human-centered approach.
Finding the Right Door
Olga Zubrilova, a fifth-year student at the Institute of Philology and Language Communication at Siberian Federal University who speaks Spanish, set out to help Latin American students arriving in Russia avoid cultural shock. Her graduation project, supervised by Associate Professor Yulia Gornostaeva, resulted in a chatbot built using Python.
It is easy to imagine how many questions arise for a student from warm Ecuador arriving for the first time in snowy Krasnoyarsk. Where is the dormitory? What is the “point-rating system”? What is the difference between a course credit and an exam? And most importantly, how can students navigate Russia’s migration registration rules without making mistakes? In the past, newcomers relied on senior students or advisors. Now they have a 24-hour digital guide that communicates in Spanish, the native language for most Latin Americans. The bot does more than translate. It explains the context of unfamiliar systems, helps students choose health insurance and guides them through university procedures so they do not get lost in the institutional maze – or literally walk through the wrong door.
Listening to Students
Zubrilova did not design the chatbot’s functionality purely from theory. Instead, she spoke directly with students. Her research relied on real conversations with native Spanish speakers. She recorded video interviews with students from Ecuador, talked with them about their experiences and tried to understand their motivations and expectations.
The research revealed something surprising. Latin American students do not come to Siberia only to earn a diploma.
Many arrive with plans to build their future there, hoping to become part of the local community while preserving their cultural identity. That nuance matters. Students want to remain connected to their roots while embracing a new culture. The biggest barriers often come from everyday details – daily routines, unfamiliar bureaucratic procedures and differences in mentality. These small but significant obstacles, identified through interviews, formed the foundation of the digital assistant. The chatbot now incorporates solutions for many of those challenges.
From Research to EdTech Innovation
The idea of placing a personal assistant inside a student’s smartphone has been discussed for years. What remained was bringing together the right technology and a deeper understanding of student adaptation challenges.
As early as 2023, researchers began discussing how universities could deploy intelligent chatbots. The idea was to train AI systems to explain university life and academic procedures in ways that would genuinely help students. At the time, most projects remained experimental, exploring which tasks could realistically be delegated to automated assistants.
In 2024, institutions began moving toward practical applications. One proposal involved integrating large language models – such as a pilot project at Leipzig University – into university chatbots so they could guide students through the first and most stressful weeks of adjustment.
Another interesting example comes from Tolyatti in Russia. Educators there created a three-year preparatory program designed to help Chinese students prepare to study in Russian. The program targets applicants from China who plan to enroll at Tolyatti State University in 2027. These students will arrive under an educational cooperation agreement with universities in Wuhan and Changzhou. In total, 1,200 students are expected to participate.
In Cairo, educators also presented an educational project developed by Derzhavin Tambov State University. The open platform “Russian Language. Beginning” was designed for Arabic-speaking students. This digital learning environment integrates multiple information systems and online services into a single educational space.
Students across Russia, including international learners, also benefit from a Telegram application called KonspektBot. Users upload lecture materials – including voice recordings, PDFs or presentations – and the system automatically generates structured lecture notes.
Digital Support for International Students
Interest in Siberian Federal University from Latin America is growing. Among international students at the university, Ecuadorians represent the largest group. Now they have a new digital assistant designed specifically to help them adapt.
“At Siberian Federal University we have students from 72 regions of the Russian Federation. Sixty-five percent of our students come from outside the region. This diversity becomes a shared advantage for the Krasnoyarsk Territory, for the university and for the students themselves. Large-scale projects are underway in the region, and we can offer young people opportunities to participate in solving complex real-world challenges,” says Maxim Rumyantsev, rector of Siberian Federal University.
As these examples show, EdTech tools can also serve as instruments of educational diplomacy. Chatbots automate routine questions, reduce administrative workload and, most importantly, help students feel supported.
Similar digital assistants will likely appear in many major Russian universities in the coming years. They may evolve to incorporate neural networks, anticipate student needs and communicate in Chinese, Arabic and Hindi. As the project’s author notes, integration between cultures begins with dialogue – and dialogue begins with understanding.
