Three St Petersburg University scholars are winners of the contest "Golden names of higher school"

Russian universities and scientific institutions nominate the most outstanding representatives of their academic staff to participate in the contest. Applicants should be distinguished by significant achievements in academic and research activities, achieved using the latest methods and innovative practices. According to the organisers, the project will raise the status of university lecturers who develop modern science and education.

The contest "Golden names of higher school" has been held annually since 2017. The aim of the contest is to identify and publicly recognise lecturers who achieve high results in their professional activities.

The participants competed in ten categories covering many areas of lecturers’ work. The winner of the contest in the "For achievements in educational activities" category was Nina Scherbak, Associate Professor in the Department of English Philology and Cultural Linguistics at St Petersburg University. Nina Shcherbak is the author of three online courses on the history of foreign literature. The first programme, "Postcolonial Literature, Oriental Motifs", has already started. It introduces students to the basic concepts and ideas of postcolonial literary theory. The course "Detective Prose, Mysteries and Myths", which reveals the history of the development of this genre, and the course "Methods of Teaching English" are about to be launched. 

"My reaction to winning is one of great gratitude, joy and surprise. I prefer to work to the maximum. I submitted all my main works to the contest, which are more than 145 publications, 15 grants and more than 35 public lectures for the Russian House in Barcelona Cultural Foundation, for which I am very grateful to its director Anna Silyunas and St Petersburg University," said Nina Scherbak, Associate Professor at St Petersburg University. 

Vladimir Vasilik, Professor in the Department of History of Slavic and Balkan Countries at St Petersburg University, also won in the "For achievements in educational activities" category. Professor Vasilik’s recent research was aimed at spreading knowledge of the history of Byzantium and the Universal Church, and preserving the memory of World War II.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the University administration for the great honour of representing St Petersburg University in this contest, and I am very glad that my work has been appreciated. I sent information about more than 15 monographs, around 200 academic papers and professional awards to the contest.

Vladimir Vasilik, Professor in the Department of History of Slavic and Balkan Countries at St Petersburg University

Galina Kuteeva, Associate Professor in the Department of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics at St Petersburg University, won in the "For the development of student scientific, competitive and olympiad movements" category. "Every year, like my other colleagues, I prepare junior students for participation in prestigious Olympiads and contests in theoretical mechanics. And I wanted to tell the contest organisers about my students’ numerous successes, because they participate and win in a large number of competitions," Galina Kuteeva shared her impressions. 

The prize-giving ceremony will take place on 19 November 2024 in the building of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Russia.