Evgeny Pavlovich Ilyin — a scientist, teacher and mentor: An article to mark the 90th anniversary of his birth (based on the materials of the round table)

Abstract

Introduction. The scientific legacy of Evgeny Pavlovich Ilyin as a scientist, teacher and mentor constitutes a whole epoch of development of the Leningrad psychological school. In 2023, Ilyin’s former students and colleagues participated in the 6th Herzen University Conference on Psychology in Education dedicated to the Year of Teacher and Mentor: they attended a round table to have a scholarly discussion of Ilyin’s contribution as a scientist and teacher to solving educational problems, as well as of his outstanding personal qualities as a mentor.

Materials and Methods. The study is based on the reports and presentations made by Ilyin’s former students and colleagues, archival materials of the Institute of Psychology, and Ilyin’s video report on the topic ‘Motivation of scientific creativity’. The key method of the round table was a scholarly discussion in a focus group.

Results. The round table resulted in proposals which were included in the resolution of the conference: 1) to continue to develop, implement in practice and popularise the ideas of Ilyin as a scientist, teacher and mentor, 2) to include in the programme of the 7th Herzen University Conference on Psychology in Education a section devoted to sport as an environment for the development of psychological resources and the formation of vital skills, and 3) to develop and implement a series of research projects to study the mechanisms and benchmark qualities of effective mentoring.

Conclusions. The ideas of Evgeny Pavlovich Ilyin as one of the brightest representatives of the Herzen University school of psychology should be popularised and implemented in the practice of education.