Minutes of the Rector’s Meeting
International activities
The following events were recently held at St Petersburg University.
Visit of the delegation of the Reform and Development Research Foundation of the China International Trust and Investment Corporation (CITIC) to St Petersburg University
On 16 October, there was a meeting between Nikolay Kropachev, Rector of St Petersburg University and Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and a delegation of the CITIC Reform and Development Research Foundation (People’s Republic of China). The delegation was headed by Kong Dan, Chairperson of the Foundation. The foundation was founded in August 2014 under the CITIC Group, one of the largest state-owned investment corporations in the PRC, created in 1979 with the support of the Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping.
During the meeting, prospects for cooperation in education and research were discussed. The Rector of St Petersburg University made proposals related to joint major events and preparation of expert and analytical materials to name just a few (St Petersburg University plans to open the first Chinese secondary school in Russia for Russian schoolchildren).
Decree of the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt on the establishment of St Petersburg University in the Arab Republic of Egypt
On 18 October, a decree was issued by the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt on the establishment of St Petersburg University in Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt. Work has been organised to hold its opening ceremony.
The 5th Pak Kyongni Art Festival
On 20 October 2023, the 5th Pak Kyongni Art Festival was held during the Korea−Russia Dialogue Forum. The festival is "Pak Kyongni and Alexander Pushkin: prose of a poet, poetry of a prose writer". It is dedicated to the 225th anniversary of Alexander Pushkin (Poetry in prose and prose in poetry: Pak Kyongni Festival brings together writings of the great Korean novelist and the Sun of Russian Poetry). The opening ceremony brought together Andrey Kulik, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Korea; Lee Do-hoon, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Korea to the Russian Federation; Lee Kyu Hyung, Chair of the KRD Coordinating Committee on the Korean side, ex-Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the Russian Federation; Elena Chernova, Senior Vice-Rector of St Petersburg University; Sehee Kim, Head of the Toji Cultural Foundation; and Seok Young Jun, Head of the working group "Culture and art" of the Korea−Russia Dialogue from the Korean side, Professor of Korea University.
Beginning of the academic year within the framework of the project ‘Online school of St Petersburg University’
Since 2023, the project "Online school of St Petersburg University" has been implemented in two formats. The first format is the study of the academic disciplines, while the second format is a full cycle of the curriculum with receiving a certificate from St Petersburg University. The first format of the "Online school of St Petersburg University" has been implemented since 2018 and offers an opportunity to study some disciplines of the Russian curriculum free of charge (at the expense of the University) and in distance format for foreign citizens and compatriots of school age living abroad. Initially, in the 2018/2019 academic year, the project became a response to the request from the parent community of the Republic of Latvia. Classes were held for 70 students in only three academic disciplines that are normally taught at the 10th and 11th grades. Among them were the following: the History of Russia, Russian Literature, and the Russian Language. Subsequently, the number of students increased to 2,700 people.
The geography of the online school has also expanded significantly. In the 2022/2023 academic year, in addition to students from the Republic of Latvia, students from 1st to 11th grades from other countries attended the classes in 11 subjects. Among them are the following: biology, world history, geography, natural science, the history of Russia, literature, mathematics, social studies, the Russian language, physics, and chemistry. Among the countries were the following ten countries: the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Kingdom of Spain, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Moldova, the Republic of Tajikistan, the Republic of Uzbekistan, the French Republic, and the Estonian Republic. The autumn of 2023 saw the beginning of the 6th academic year of the project "Online school of St Petersburg University": online learning of some school academic disciplines. More than 3,000 people from 25 countries started classes in 11 subjects.
The full cycle of education in all school disciplines was opened in 2023 for programmes of basic general education (grades 5 to 9) and secondary general education (grade 10) for foreign citizens, stateless persons and Russian citizens living abroad. These full-cycle programmes, starting from 1 September 2023, are being implemented using e-learning and distance learning technologies. Based on the results of their successful completion, graduates will receive a Russian certificate. Applications for admission to these academic programmes at St Petersburg University were received from almost 300 people from 44 countries. The total number of places is 120 places. The competition is 2.5 applications per place. One hundred twenty people from 30 countries were enrolled. Russian-speaking schoolchildren living in the countries where Russian-language schools are closed, including due to political restrictions, were able to continue their education in the Russian language in accordance with the Russian educational standards that are based on the national values and traditions of the Russian education.
Cooperation agreement between St Petersburg University and Sichuan International Studies University
A cooperation agreement has been signed between St Petersburg University and Sichuan International Studies University (the People’s Republic of China) (Cooperation agreement signed between St Petersburg University and Sichuan International Studies University). The text of the agreement can be found on the St Petersburg University portal in the list of Partner Universities in the International Cooperation section.
The Academic Gymnasium at St Petersburg University celebrates its 60th anniversary
In mid-October, the Faddeev Academic Gymnasium at St Petersburg University, one of the leaders of secondary education in Russia, celebrated its anniversary.
The gymnasium education originated in our country during the reign of Emperor Peter the Great. In 1724, he signed a decree on the establishment of the Academy of Sciences, the University, and the Academic Gymnasium in St Petersburg (then the capital of the Empire) (Thank you, there is no end to the lessons. Academic Gymnasium: past and present).
The revival of the gymnasium at the University began in the 1960s, when the country needed high-calibre staff to convert scientific research into products and services. The first stage in preparing such specialists was boarding schools at leading universities. The boarding schools trained students to enter the best universities of the USSR and subsequently developed Soviet science. In 1963, Physics and Mathematics School № 45 appeared at Leningrad State University (now St Petersburg University). In 2015, the gymnasium was named after Dmitry Faddeev, a mathematician and one of the founders of Physics and Mathematics School № 45.
Today, the Faddeev Academic Gymnasium at St Petersburg University is one of the ten Russian educational and scientific centres. There are 360 schoolchildren at the Academic Gymnasium, more than half of them are from other regions of Russia. Students of the Academic Gymnasium, depending on their age, can choose the field of study they are interested in: mathematics and physics, biology and chemistry, convergence and science-intensive technologies, geography and geoecology, applied mathematics and information technologies. Today, the most important task of the Academic Gymnasium is to help talented and gifted children in personal development and to provide support to develop their capabilities, abilities, and talents at the level of school education (The Academic Gymnasium at St Petersburg University celebrates its 60th anniversary).
This year, the RAEX rating agency released its rankings of the best schools in St Petersburg based on the number of graduates admitted to leading universities in Russia. Unfortunately, due to the lack of freely available primary calculation data from the rankings, it is impossible to conduct an analysis of what quantity and in what percentage of graduates were enrolled at universities on a government-funded basis.
However, if we take the rankings of schools by the number of graduates admitted to leading universities in Russia (RAEX, 2023) and look at the rankings in relation to schools in St Petersburg, we can see the following results.
The most important indicator of the quality of schoolchildren’s preparation is the rate of admission to government-funded places. According to this indicator, the Academic Gymnasium at St Petersburg University has a result of 44.6% and surpasses both Presidential Physics and Mathematics Lyceum No 239 (33.4%) and Academic Gymnasium № 56 (36.5%). The Academic Gymnasium at St Petersburg University is second in St Petersburg only to St Petersburg Governor’s Physics and Mathematics Lyceum № 30 (52%).
The second important indicator is the number of winners of school Olympiads who entered leading universities. According to this indicator, the Academic Gymnasium at St Petersburg University has a result of 33.7% and is ahead of St Petersburg Governor’s Physics and Mathematics Lyceum № 30 (19%).
According to the following indicators, i.e. the share of graduates who entered leading universities in Russia on a government-funded basis and the share of graduates who are the winners of school Olympiads and entered leading universities in Russia, the Academic Gymnasium at St Petersburg University ranks first among more than 800 schools in St Petersburg.
Career Day at St Petersburg University
St Petersburg University has held the autumn Career Day 2023. Career Day included expert lectures, workshops, and quizzes from established companies.
Representatives of more than 35 leading Russian and international organisations, including Gazprombank, Nexign, Geoscan, Schlumberger, and Selectel to name just a few, told students about job opportunities after graduation.
Traditionally, the event included poster sessions. The companies shared not only information about available internships and open areas for practice, but also actively interacted with the University students, introducing promising students to the advantages of their companies through thematic games and intellectual tasks.
Career Day at St Petersburg University attracted the most proactive students who are ready to build their future. VTB Bank, a strategic partner of the Graduate School of Management at St Petersburg University, presented its support programmes for early-career specialists in the form of opportunities to pursue non-degree programmes or build a promising career path.
The event offered thematic lectures and seminars. The University students were told about the current challenges in various industries: from economic and trade relations to innovative technologies. As part of St Petersburg University’s Career Day, experts delivered speeches on other aspects of career development, including the search for professional opportunities in consulting, high technology, and management. There were workshops on how to assess investment projects, to analyse job prospects in international companies, and to successfully pass an interview to name just a few (How to decide on a career pathway and find an employer: Career Day at St Petersburg University).
Opening of the student design bureau "Robotics and UAS"
In order to involve students in research, development, and practical professional activities at St Petersburg University and to create conditions for the development of modern technological processes and improve the quality of education at St Petersburg University, a student design bureau "Robotics and UAS" (UAS is referred to as unmanned aircraft systems) has been opened at St Petersburg University (Order № 11745/1 dated 14 September 2023).
Konstantin Amelin, Director of the Research and Educational centre "Mathematical Robotics and Artificial Intelligence", has been appointed as the project manager of the project ‘Student design bureau "Robotics and UAS"’. Among his responsibilities is to ensure interaction between "Robotics and UAS", Geoscan, and other partner organisations that are interested in "Robotics and UAS".
More than 30 scholars from St Petersburg University listed among the most cited scientists in the world
Scholars from St Petersburg University have been included in the annual list of the world’s highly cited researchers, according to Scopus. According to the authors of the ranking, only 2% of researchers are included in this list. St Petersburg University took the second place among the top ten academic and research organisations of the Russian Federation, whose employees were included in this ranking.
According to Vice-Rector for Research Sergey Mikushev, the citation rate of scientists was assessed using all Scopus author profiles as of 1 October 2023. The Scopus ranking is compiled on the basis of data for a scientist’s entire career, excluding self-citations, based on normalised indicators for each field of science. This year, the list includes about 200,000 people. The citations are assessed for 22 scientific fields and 174 subfields in accordance with the standard classification of Science-Metrix. This year’s list includes 906 cited researchers from 256 organisations in Russia, including 82 universities.
The share of highly cited researchers from St Petersburg University in the total number of Russian scholars listed included in the above list of the world’s highly cited researchers is 3.4%. Below is information on organisations with more than six researchers in the ranking.
№ | Name of the university | Number of the highly cited researchers of the university, persons |
---|---|---|
1 | Lomonosov Moscow State University | 87 |
2 | St Petersburg University | 31 |
3 | National University of Science and Technology MISiS | 19 |
4 | National Research University ‘Higher School of Economics’ | 16 |
5 | Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology | 15 |
6 | Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University | 14 |
7 | Novosibirsk State University | 10 |
8 | Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology | 10 |
9 | Kazan (Volga) Federal University | 9 |
10 | Samara University | 8 |
11 | ITMO University | 7 |
12 | Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University) | 6 |
13 | Tomsk State University | 6 |
14 | Ural Federal University | 6 |
Allan Kalueff, Head of the Laboratory of Biological Psychiatry at the Institute of Translational Biomedicine at St Petersburg University, who was the first in the world to use artificial intelligence to analyse the reaction of zebrafish (Danio rerio) to psychotropic drugs, was listed among the top 100 highly cited researchers. Additionally, Professor Gennady Leonov, Professor Sergey Krivovichev, and Associate Professor Nikolai Tsyganenko were also listed among the highly cited researchers.
Among the 500 highly cited Russian researchers according to Scopus are: Professors of St Petersburg University Nikolay Kuznetsov, Vladimir Shabaev, Vadim Kukushkin, Viktor Sergeev, Vladimir Kharitonov, Vladimir Dubrovskii, Iosif Khriplovich, Anatoly Vershik, Aleksandr Andrianov, Yuri Vlasov, Anatoly Rusanov, Robert Evarestov, Boris Noskov, Alexey Matveev, and Kirill Kavokin, Leading Research Associate at the Spin Optics Laboratory.
Among the highly cited researchers from St Petersburg University also included in the Scopus ranking list are: St Petersburg University Professors Valentin Ostrovsky, Alexey Timoshkin, Mikhail Krasavin, Boris Andrievsky, Stanislav Filatov, Igor Zenkevich, Vadim Vadim Boyarskiy, Elena Kustova, Valeri Tolstoy, Aleksandr Aleksandrov, Aleksei Smirnov and St Petersburg University Associate Professor Andrei Legin (More than 30 scholars from St Petersburg University listed among the most cited scientists in the world).
Organisation of the teaching and learning process
Over the past week, 33 enquiries were addressed to the Senior Vice-Rector for Academic Activities. The majority of enquiries relate to preparation of various documents. An analysis of the information on the organisation of the teaching and learning process provided by the heads of academic and research subdivisions has been carried out. Classes are held in due order according to the timetable. As of 19 October 2023, the information was not sent by: Alla Shaboltas, Dean of the Faculty of Psychology; Viktor Titov, Senior Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Economics; and Sergei Belov, Dean of the Faculty of Law.
Over the past week, meetings were held with student activists: group heads, and representatives of student councils and student scientific societies to name just a few. They discussed issues with organising the teaching and learning process. The meetings were held at: the Graduate School of Journalism and Mass Communication; the Institute of Philosophy; the Institute of Chemistry; the Faculty of Foreign Languages; the Mathematics and Mechanics Faculty; the Faculty of Medicine; the School of International Relations; the Faculty of Physics; the Faculty of Philology; and the College of Physical Training and Sports, Economics and Technology.
Violation of the legislative regulations of the Russian Federation, by-laws of St Petersburg University, employment contracts and other documents by St Petersburg University staff
According to Vladimir Eremeev, Vice-Rector for Human Resources at St Petersburg University, over the last three months, 19 violations of the legislation of the Russian Federation, by-laws of St Petersburg University, employment contracts, and other documents by St Petersburg University staff were recorded. Among the violations are the following: smoking on the University premises; violation of labour discipline, i.e. absence of an employee from the workplace without a good reason; violation of access control and intra-facility regime; and non-compliance with the class timetable by academic staff. Each case was checked; response measures were taken.
One of the priorities of St Petersburg University’s human resources policy is to create conditions for improving the professional competencies of employees. An important area of work is to improve the qualifications of members of the St Petersburg University staff. The University administration sends employees to pursue training programmes depending on the tasks included in their responsibilities. Some programmes are mandatory in accordance with the requirements of the legislation of the Russian Federation. To improve the quality of research and academic activities, St Petersburg University also organised advanced training in the field of information technology, on modern teaching methods in higher education, and in the English language.
Unfortunately, not all employees pay due attention to their professional development. In June 2023, at the request of the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, 21 members of the academic staff were sent to improve their skills in the English language. As of 20 September, 7 out of the 21 people had not started classes yet. Among the reasons were the following: the topic of the advanced training programmes did not correspond to the topic of the classes (it became clear after the beginning of the training programme); the employee independently decided to have individual face-to-face classes with a lecturer; the class time was not agreed upon with the employee; at the time indicated in the timetable, employees could not connect to the remote classes; the employees could not participate in distance learning because they were involved in their research activities, but got acquainted with the educational materials after online lessons; and employees rarely check corporate email and did not know about the start of the classes to name just a few.
The Human Resources Department at St Petersburg University organised additional explanatory work with the colleagues and all persons who were sent to pursue training programmes started to attend classes.
According to Vladimir Eremeev, St Petersburg University has a system for monitoring the quality and due execution of managerial decisions. The Rector of the University gave instructions to conduct a planned analysis of the current state of the control system and to present proposals to improve the efficiency of the control system. Vladimir Eremeev asked vice-rectors, heads of structural units who are subordinate to the Rector directly, and the heads of the academic and research subdivisions to conduct an analysis of the current state of the discipline on the issues that are within their competence.
Cultural events at St Petersburg University during October
Elena Lebedkina, Head of the Main Department for Exhibitions, Museum, Library and Publishing Activities, has presented the digest of cultural events of the University, which will take place at the end of October.
Virtual exhibition "The image of India in Russian poetry of the first half of the 20th century"
On 23 October, the M Gorky Scientific Library at St Petersburg University opened a virtual exhibition "The image of India in Russian poetry of the first half of the 20th century". It is part of the cross-year between Russia and India. In the Silver Age of Russian literature, almost every symbolist poet turned to the Indian theme.
Opening of the exhibition "Image and form. Selected works"
On 28 October, the Vladimir Nabokov Museum at St Petersburg University opened an exhibition "Image and form. Selected works". It features the best works of jewellery artists who are the winners of the International Competition of Jewellery Designers in 1996–2021.
Open lecture "Unique Zhamanshin astrobleme"
The open lecture "Unique Zhamanshin astrobleme" is postponed from 24 to 31 October. It is to be held in the memorial room of Vladimir Vernadsky at the Mineralogical Museum at St Petersburg University. The Zhamanshin astrobleme is a unique crater on the Earth’s surface. All types of impact (meteorite) rocks are found inside the crater.
The Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul at St Petersburg University
By the decision of Metropolitan Barsanuphius of St Petersburg and Ladoga, Archpriest Peter Mukhin, who is the dean of churches in universities of the St Petersburg diocese, was appointed Senior Priest of the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul at St Petersburg University. Currently, renovation work is ongoing at the church.