27 May 2024 Minutes of the Rector’s Meeting

Minutes of the Rector’s Meeting

№ 599
dated 27.05.2024

    Executive Order of the President of the Russian Federation "On the development goals of the Russian Federation through 2030 and for the future until 2036"

    Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed the Executive Order "On the development goals of the Russian Federation through 2030 and for the future until 2036". For each of the goals, clear targets and tasks to be accomplished are defined. 

    Ivan Grigorev, Advisor to the Rector’s Office, suggested paying special attention to the tasks that are directly related to the main activities of St Petersburg University. In particular, the achievement of the national goal ‘self-fulfilment of each person, unlocking their talents, and educating a patriotic and socially responsible person’ (Clause 3 of the Executive Order) is characterised by the following: 

    • by 2030, to increase the number of international students in higher education programmes in Russian educational institutions of higher education and scientific organisations to at least 500,000 people 
    • by 2030, to ensure an effective system for identifying, supporting and developing the abilities and talents of children and youth, based on the principles of responsibility, justice, universality and aimed at self-determination and professional guidance of 100% of students 
    • to ensure the promotion and protection of traditional Russian spiritual and moral values in the framework of at least 70% of projects in the field of culture, art and folk art financed by state development institutions by 2030 and at least 80% of such projects by 2036 
    • by 2030, to form a modern system of professional development of academic/teaching staff for all levels of education, providing annual non-degree professional education based on updated professional standards for at least 10% of academic/teaching staff at leading educational organisations of higher education and scientific organisations

    Among the target indicators and tasks, the implementation of which characterises the achievement of the national goal "Technological leadership" (Clause 7 of the Executive Order), the following are provided: 

    • by 2030, the Russian Federation shall become one of the 10 leading countries in the world in terms of scientific research and development 
    • by 2030, domestic spending on research and development shall be increased to at least 2% of gross domestic product, including by increasing investment from private business for these purposes by at least doubling

    The Government of the Russian Federation has been instructed, before 1 September 2024, to achieve the national goals, target indicators and fulfil the tasks provided by this Executive Order and to develop (adjust) a block of national projects to ensure technological leadership with the participation of the State Council of the Russian Federation and submit it for consideration to the Presidential Council for Strategic Development and National Projects. 

    The participants in the Rector’s meeting discussed other tasks and targets (including the digital transformation of the economy); focused on an issue that the implementation of the updated national projects would require higher activity of the University; and discussed the need to develop new mechanisms for the distribution of government funding in the field of education and science and increase number of high-calibre scientific personnel.

    International activities 

    The following events were recently held at St Petersburg University: 

    Events at the St Petersburg University Representative Office in Spain 

    St Petersburg University and its Representative Office in the Kingdom of Spain held the following events: 

    • on 7 May, there was an online lecture on the history of Iosif Kheifits’ film Hail, Mary! by Natalia Semenova, Associate Professor in the Department of the History of Russian Literature 
    • on 9 May, there was an online lecture focused on the life and work of Anton Chekhov by Nina Shcherbak, Associate Professor in the Department of English Philology and Cultural Linguistics 
    • on 10 May, Anastasiia Babaeva, Assistant Professor in the Department of Foreign Languages in International Relations, delivered the online lecture "St Petersburg cathedrals" 
    • on 14 May, Evgeniia Petrashen, Assistant Professor in the Department of Design, gave a virtual tour of the exhibition showcasing the works of the participants in the third season of Grand Plein Air at the Benois Dacha Art Residence 
    • on 16 May, Anton Sheikin, Associate Professor in the Department of High Energy Physics and Elementary Particles, delivered the online lecture "All the world’s a stage: the quantum mechanical backstage of reality" 
    • on 21 May, Arkadii Demidchik, Professor in the Department of History of the Ancient East Countries, delivered the online lecture "The Great Ancient Egyptian Pyramids of Giza: New Discoveries"
    • on 23 May, there was an online lecture focused on the life and work of Aleksandr Kuprin by Nina Shcherbak, Associate Professor in the Department of English Philology and Cultural Linguistics

    Visit of the delegation of St Petersburg University to the People’s Republic of China as part of the 8th Russia-China EXPO and the 4th Russia-China Forum on Interregional Cooperation 

    As part of the 8th Russia-China EXPO and the 4th Russia-China Forum on Interregional Cooperation, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, visited the joint campus of St Petersburg University and Harbin Institute of Technology in China. During a meeting with Chinese and Russian students and faculty at the university, the President noted that the educational centre being created will become a leader in Russian-Chinese science and education cooperation in the near future (Delegation of St Petersburg University visits the People’s Republic of China). 

    Opening of a representative office of St Petersburg University in the Islamic Republic of Iran 

    A delegation from St Petersburg University visited the Islamic Republic of Iran. The key event of the visit was the opening of the opening of the Representative Office of St Petersburg University at the University of Tehran. 

    The opening ceremony began with a welcoming speech by Alexander Alimov, Director of the Department for Multilateral Humanitarian Cooperation and Cultural Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. 

    St Petersburg University has rich experience in the study of Iran and high-calibre specialists in the country studies and the region studies, said the diplomat. Iranian studies have been taught at the University for more than 100 years. 

    Vladimir Starostenko, Vice-Rector for Digital Transformation and Information Security at St Petersburg University, spoke about the main vectors for the development of international cooperation of St Petersburg University in the Iranian direction, which is in great demand. Today, the University offers 56 academic programmes with an Iranian component. Since 2018, the Centre for the Study of the Islamic Republic of Iran has been operating, which is set to develop interdisciplinary research in the field of Iranian studies. 

    The 4th Forum of Young Writers of Russia and China 

    The 4th Forum of Young Writers of Russia and China, held at St Petersburg University, has finished its work. The forum aimed to establish a dialogue between young writers from the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China and introduce Chinese writers to the cultural and spiritual traditions of Russia. Its slogan "The Sea of Meanings" also refers to the host city chosen for the 2024 forum — St Petersburg. As a seaside city, it offers a range of themes and ideas addressed by the event’s participants in their writings. 

    According to Oleg Bavykin, co-organiser of the event from the Russian side, a graduate of St Petersburg University and representative of the Union of Writers of Russia, the forum has been attended by "great writers, albeit young people". Among them are: Chinese authors from Guangzhou, Leshan, Beijing, Wuhan, and Shanghai; and Russian authors from Barnaul, Bryansk, the Vologda Region, Donetsk, Irkutsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Moscow, and St Petersburg. 

    Mikhail Piotrovsky, Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Dean of the Faculty of Asian and African Studies at St Petersburg University, welcomed writers and literary translators from Russia and China at the University. He emphasised that St Petersburg has long traditions of Chinese Studies, and Chinese writers have been frequent guests at the University. Today, translations of Chinese literature into Russian are on the rise. More than half of the academics in the Department of Chinese Philology at St Petersburg University are professionally engaged in literary translation. 

    Events at the St Petersburg University Representative Office in the People’s Republic of China

    The St Petersburg University Representative Office in the People’s Republic of China held the following events: 

    • on 18 May, Elena Gubar, Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematical Game Theory and Statistical Decisions, delivered the lecture "Evolutionary Games" 
    • on 19 May, Tatiana Matveeva, Professor in the Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, delivered the lecture "Natural GMOs" 
    • on 20 May, Rodion Reznik, Head of the Laboratory of New Semiconductor Materials for Quantum Informatics and Telecommunications, delivered the lecture "Modern Achievements in Quantum Technology"; and Regina Islamova, Professor in the Department of High-Molecular Compounds Chemistry, delivered the lecture "Functional Polysiloxanes and Materials Based on Them"

    Additionally, the following events were held: 

    • A Sino-Russian seminar on current issues in materials science, which was attended by Professor Ruslan Valiev, Leading Research Associate in the Laboratory of Dynamics and Extreme Characteristics of Advanced Nanostructured Materials; and Valentina Stoliarova, Professor in the Department of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences 
    • Day of St Petersburg University, which provided information about the history of the University and the details of admission of foreign applicants to St Petersburg University

    Teleconference between representatives of St Petersburg University and Slavonic University of the Republic of Moldova 

    On 20 May, a teleconference was organised between representatives of St Petersburg University and Slavonic University of the Republic of Moldova. It is part of the activities of the Representative Office of St Petersburg University in the Republic of Moldova. The topic of the teleconference was "Student scientific societies: youth education and professions of the future". On behalf of St Petersburg University, Ekaterina Andrianova, Assistant Lecturer in the Department of World Economy at St Petersburg University, made a report on the employment of economics students and interaction with employers. Members of the Student Scientific Society at St Petersburg University presented reports on the organisation of the teaching and learning process at St Petersburg University and the career opportunities for the University graduates. 

    The 134th birth anniversary of Hồ Chí Minh, the first President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, was celebrated at St Petersburg University 

    The 134th birth anniversary of Hồ Chí Minh, the first President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, was celebrated at St Petersburg University. The celebration was attended by: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Mr Dang Minh Khoi; Rector of St Petersburg University, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Nikolay Kropachev; Vice-Rector for International Affairs Sergey Andryushin; Director of the Hồ Chí Minh Institute at St Petersburg University Vladimir Kolotov; and Chairman of the Council of Academic Programmes in Vietnamese Studies of St Petersburg University Vladimir Antoshchenko. 

    As per tradition, the celebration of Hồ Chí Minh’s birthday at St Petersburg University brought together not only Russian experts in Vietnamese Studies, but also representatives of the Vietnamese diaspora, business community, and students studying in St Petersburg. The flower-laying ceremony at the monument to Hồ Chí Minh was also attended by: representatives of the St Petersburg branch of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union; the Vietnamese Society in St Petersburg; and Vietnamese students, cadets and academics of different universities in St Petersburg (St Petersburg University unites friends of Russia and Vietnam). 

    Visit of the President of the Union of Friendship Organisations of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to St Petersburg University 

    Phan Anh Son, President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations, who has the status of Senior Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, visited St Petersburg University. The visit took place as part of the celebration of the 134th anniversary of Hồ Chí Minh, the first President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. 

    The meeting with the President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations brought together: Nikolay Kropachev, Rector of St Petersburg University, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences; Sergey Andryushin, Vice-Rector for International Affairs at St Petersburg University; Sergei Belov, Dean of the Faculty of Law at St Petersburg University; Vladimir Kolotov, Director of the Hồ Chí Minh Institute at St Petersburg University; and Vyacheslav Kalganov, Deputy Chairman of the Committee for External Relations of St Petersburg. 

    The meeting participants discussed the prospects for opening an academic programme in tourism with in-depth study of the Vietnamese language, culture and peculiarities of tourism in Vietnam. St Petersburg University has extensive experience in implementing programmes with a foreign component. Today, the University offers 506 programmes with a foreign component. The Rector of St Petersburg University took an initiative to create a practice-oriented non-degree programme in "Doing Business with Vietnam/Russia" to prepare personnel for doing business between countries, taking into account their cultural and social specifics (The Rector of St Petersburg University proposes to train personnel for the development of trade between Russia and Vietnam). 

    Cooperation agreement between St Petersburg University and Eurasian Technological University 

    A cooperation agreement has been signed between St Petersburg University and Eurasian Technological University (the Republic of Kazakhstan). 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. 

    Cooperation agreement between St Petersburg University and the Russian House in the Republic of Mali 

    A cooperation agreement has been signed between St Petersburg University and the Russian House in the Republic of Mali. 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. 

    Agreement on testing in Russian as a foreign language between St Petersburg University and OOO "Di Language Group Khorezm" 

    A cooperation agreement on testing in Russian as a foreign language has been signed between St Petersburg University and OOO "Di Language Group Khorezm". 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. Cooperation agreement between St Petersburg University and Karagandy Buketov University 

    A cooperation agreement has been signed between St Petersburg University and Karagandy Buketov University (the Republic of Kazakhstan). 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. 

    Cooperation agreement between St Petersburg University and Scolaris Finance-SA

    A cooperation agreement has been signed between St Petersburg University and Scolaris Finance-SA (the Republic of Mali). 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.

    Assistance provided to a St Petersburg University student involved in an accident 

    A 3rd-year student in international relations at St Petersburg University was sent to study at OP Jindal Global University (India) from 1 February 2024 to 31 May 2024. On 13 May, she had an accident: while riding a scooter during her free time, the student fell off. As a result, she received numerous injuries and was sent to a hospital in Goa. Unfortunately, the student’s insurance policy did not include active sports, and the insurance company denied her compensation. Thanks to the support of partners and friends of the University, this problem was solved. 

    According to the results of an examination conducted at the hospital in Goa, the student required urgent surgical intervention. Doctors at the Pirogov Clinic of High Medical Technologies at St Petersburg University were involved in the decision-making process on surgical intervention and assessment of the student’s condition. Based on the results of the medical consultation, it was decided that the operation would be performed by surgeons in St Petersburg. From the doctors of the hospital in Goa, where the examination had been carried out, a conclusion was received on the possibility of transporting the student. 

    St Petersburg University, in cooperation with the Russian Consulate General in Mumbai and the Russian Embassy in Delhi, organised the necessary medical support and transportation of the student to St Petersburg. To organise the flight to Moscow, the student was provided with an accompanying doctor from among the embassy staff. She was delivered from Moscow by an ambulance from the Pirogov Clinic of High Medical Technologies at St Petersburg University. 

    Upon arrival in St Petersburg, the student was safely taken to the Alexandrovskaya Hospital, where she underwent a successful operation. 

    St Petersburg University’s positions in the RAEX Subject Rankings 

    St Petersburg University has made it into the top three in 15 subject rankings published by the RAEX agency. This year’s lists of the best universities included 170 higher education institutions from 43 regions of Russia. There are 36 subject areas in the ranking, and the University was included in the top three in 15 of them. St Petersburg University took the first place in Law. 

    The Faculty of Law at St Petersburg University is the oldest law faculty in the country and the place where legal education began. This year, the University is enrolling students in three bachelor’s and 20 master’s programmes in law. Among them, for example, are the following: "Laws (with Advanced Study of the Chinese Language and the Law of the PRC)"; "Lawyer in the Field of Sports Law"; and "Lawyer in the Field of Norm-Setting" to name just a few. 

    The University was ranked second in nine subject areas, including Biology, Geography, History and Archaeology, Linguistics and Foreign Languages, Mathematics, Political Science and International Relations, Chemistry, Ecology, and Hospitality. St Petersburg University was also in the top three in subjects such as Management, Psychology, Sociology, Physics, Philology, and Journalism. It also improved its performance in Information Technology, moving up one place, and retained its fourth place in medicine. 

    To compile the ranking, a panel of experts evaluates which universities provide the best education for students in each of the selected fields, taking into account the university’s contribution to social development. In order to assess the university’s first mission — education — they look at the quality of students’ education, the results of students’ performances in Russian Olympiads, the number of mass online courses, and other factors. 

    To assess the second — scientific — mission of universities, the ranking compilers study the publications of university staff and the number of citations, the number of dissertations defended and the total amount spent on research activities. 

    In assessing the third — public or social — mission of universities, the contribution of universities to the training of personnel for the region, the level of demand for graduates, the proportion of first-year students from other regions and other indicators were taken into account. At present, the University has more than 27,000 students from different regions of Russia and more than 120 countries. The University offers more than 500 degree programmes, and the number of non-degree programmes and advanced training programmes exceeds 800.

    Organisation of the teaching and learning process 

    Over the past week, 19 enquiries were addressed to the Senior Vice-Rector for Academic Activities. The majority of enquiries relate to preparation of various documents, and transfer to St Petersburg University. 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 and assessments are held in due order according to the timetable. 

    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 Medicine; the Institute of Philosophy; the Institute of Chemistry; the School of International Relations; the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences; the Faculty of Sociology; the Faculty of Philology; and the College of Physical Training and Sports, Economics and Technology. 

    Results of the tenth stage of the mega-grant competition of the Government of the Russian Federation 

    On 6 May, the results were tallied for the tenth stage of the competition for governmental support of research to be carried out under the supervision of leading scholars — the mega-grant competition of the Government of the Russian Federation. The competition received a total of 102 applications supervised by scholars from 36 countries. The largest number of applications was submitted by North-Caucasus Federal University — five applications. Four applications were submitted by St Petersburg University. Three applications each were submitted by: ITMO University; Lomonosov Moscow State University; Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT); the National Research University "Higher School of Economics" (HSE University); and Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University. 

    Eight winning projects from eight Russian organisations were identified. The research will be carried out in organisations in Veliky Novgorod, Moscow, Novosibirsk, Orel, St Petersburg, and Chelyabinsk. Project leads are scholars from the UK, Italy, the Netherlands, the Republic of Belarus, France, Sweden, and Japan. 

    This year, the conditions of the competition have been changed: the amount of the grants has been increased to 100 million roubles per year; the implementation period of the research project has been extended to five years (with the possibility of extension to three years). Additionally, one of the conditions for project implementation is that project leads must be based in the Russian Federation. They will have to spend at least three months here in the first year, at least six months in 2025, and in the following years they will have to work in our country on a permanent basis. 

    Sergey Mikushev, Vice-Rector for Research, said that according to the results of the competition, one of the winners was the St Petersburg University project "Analysis, probability, quantum theory, integrable systems, machine learning and their applications" under the supervision of Swedish scientist Håkan Hedenmalm. The aim of the project is to contribute to a significant expansion of current research in mathematical analysis, probability theory and other fields, carried out in the laboratory "Probabilistic Methods in Analysis" at St Petersburg University. 

    For reference: the laboratory "Probabilistic Methods in Analysis" was also established at St Petersburg University in 2021 within the framework of the Mega-Grant Programme. The Laboratory is headed by Swedish mathematician Håkan Hedenmalm, Professor of the KTH Royal Institute of Technology (Stockholm, Sweden). The aim is to extend current developments into new areas: signal analysis, geometry, mathematical physics, and representation theory. Among the new topics to be developed are: point processes; random sequences; integrable dynamical systems; as well as links to random matrix theory, packing problems, and applications in signal analysis and mathematical processing of medical data. 

    The researchers have received funding of 500 million roubles for the implementation of the project over five years (2024-2028).

    Collection and registration of information on measles immunisation of employees and students at St Petersburg University 

    The University has taken measures to prevent the incidence of measles among students and employees at St Petersburg University. Order No 7152/1 "On the collection and registration of information on measles immunisation of employees and students at St Petersburg University" dated 16 May 2024 was issued. 

    Vladimir Eremeev, Vice-Rector for Human Resources at St Petersburg University, has been instructed to ensure the collection of copies of documents and registration of documented information on measles immunisation of staff (date of measles vaccination, the result of a study of measles immune status, a certificate of illness in unvaccinated or who do not have information about measles vaccination), and to sum up the information until 1 June 2024. 

    Vladimir Savinov, Vice-Rector for Educational Activity at St Petersburg University, was instructed to ensure the collection of copies of documents, registration of documented information on measles immunisation of students and summing up the information by 1 June 2024. 

    Assistance to participants in the special military operation by the University staff and students 

    St Petersburg University continues to actively support participants in the special military operation. Another transfer of special cargo, purchased with funds raised by the University staff and students, took place to the military units of the Western Military District. According to Vladimir Savinov, Vice-Rector for Educational Activity at St Petersburg University, the cargo included equipment necessary to perform various tasks in the combat zone. The University staff and students managed to collect and transfer the necessary technical equipment to the participants in the special military operation. 

    Currently, work is underway to prepare the next cargo for shipment. Students, lecturers, and administrative staff of the University participate in this process. According to Colonel Aleksandr Maslikov, Head of the Military Training Centre at St Petersburg University, the initiative to support Russian military personnel is now large-scale, and all departments, subdivisions, and offices at the University have joined in collecting funds for the purchase of special cargo. 

    St Petersburg University will continue to provide comprehensive assistance to the soldiers of the special military operation, demonstrating a high level of social and civic responsibility, solidarity and active participation in supporting national interests. 

    All interested University staff and students can take part in the collection. To this end, you need to send a letter from your corporate email to Aleksandr Maslikov, Head of the Military Training Centre at St Petersburg University at a.maslikov@spbu.ru.

    The fountain festival "Alma Mater" 

    On 18 May, the Spring Fountain Festival "Alma mater" took place in the Lower Park of the Peterhof State Museum Reserve to mark the 300th anniversary of St Petersburg University. 

    During the opening ceremony, Alexander Beglov, Governor of St Petersburg, Member of the Board of Trustees of St Petersburg University, addressed the guests. Today, continuing the tradition established by Peter the Great, the Russians, the heirs of the great emperor, are again preparing to open the fountains, he said. 

    According to Elena Chernova, Senior Vice-Rector of St Petersburg University, both Peterhof and St Petersburg University are symbols of the cultural code of Russia. "This is a special day for you and me, because the fountains of Peterhof and the Grand Cascade were launched in honour of the anniversary of St Petersburg University, whose founding father was also Emperor Peter the Great. In this sense, we consider ourselves heirs of Peter the Great." 

    The Fountain Festival "Alma mater" began with a theatrical performance about the history of Peterhof, the creation of the University, and the achievements of its great graduates. Its participants were soloists of the Mariinsky Theatre: Natalia Chasovitina, Irina Motaeva and Sergei Romanov; students at St Petersburg University and St Petersburg State Institute of Culture; and St Petersburg artists, dancers, and musicians. 

    Turning the fountain key gave a symbolic start to the launch of the Peterhof fountains. The Anthem to a Great City and the ancient student hymn "Gaudeamus Igitur" were played over the Grand Cascade to mark the 300th anniversary of St Petersburg University. The ceremony was completed by the multi-coloured fireworks blossomed over the Grand Cascade. 

    On this day, Peterhof turned into the largest classroom in the world. The University lecture hall opened at the Eve fountain, where everyone could listen to speeches by world-famous University scholars, writers and popularisers of science. Tatiana Chernigovskaya, Director of the Institute for Cognitive Studies at St Petersburg University, Member of the Russian Academy of Education, and a leading specialist in the field of cognitive sciences: psycholinguistics, neuropsychology and neurophysiology, delivered the lecture "The brain and the world". Anna Kartsova, Professor in the Department of Organic Chemistry at St Petersburg University, focused on the mystery of the great discovery of Dmitri Mendeleev and the 190th anniversary of the famous chemist. Anatoly Pautov, Head of the Department of Botany, Professor of St Petersburg University, spoke about a small pearl in the city centre, i.e. the Botanical Garden at the University, which celebrates 160 years since its founding. Andrei Astvatsaturov, Acting Dean of the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences at St Petersburg University, Director of the Vladimir Nabokov Museum at St Petersburg University, introduced listeners to the mysteries of the short prose of the outstanding writer. 

    Another scene unfolded at the Roman fountains and the Chessboard Hill Cascade, where creative teams from St Petersburg University performed throughout the Alma Mater event. Visitors could enjoy music performed by the St Petersburg University Choir directed by Edward Krotman. The St Petersburg University Theatre Studio presented a performance based on the poem The Twelve by one of the most famous University students, Alexander Blok. The G M Sandler Academic Choir of St Petersburg University performed works by composers from different eras dedicated to the work of Alexander Pushkin. The University’s ensemble of early music "Musica Universalis" directed by Aleksandr Kiskachi performed compositions of the first half of the 18th century to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and his sons. 

    Guests of the celebration were invited to take a quiz on knowledge of the history of the University, prepared for the 300th anniversary by specialists from the St Petersburg University History Museum. At the Triton Fountain, any guest could send a holiday postcard throughout Russia, the design of which was specially developed for the event at the Peterhof State Museum Reserve and Russian Post. 

    Delegation of St Petersburg University visits the People’s Republic of China 

    As part of the 8th Russia-China EXPO and the 4th Russia-China Forum on Interregional Cooperation, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, a graduate of St Petersburg University, visited the joint campus of St Petersburg University and Harbin Institute of Technology in China. During a meeting with Chinese and Russian students and faculty at the university, the President noted that the educational centre being created will become a leader in Russian-Chinese science and education cooperation in the near future. 

    The joint project of St Petersburg University and Harbin Institute of Technology will contribute to the training of top class professionals who will be able to solve problems in the priority areas of development of Russia and China more efficiently. Over 1,500 Russian and Chinese students will study mathematics, physics, chemistry and other natural sciences under excellence programmes at this centre. Vladimir Putin emphasised that "I have no doubt that it will become a leader in Russian-Chinese science and education cooperation in the near future." 

    According to Nikolay Kropachev, Rector of St Petersburg University and Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the number of Chinese students studying at St Petersburg University is increasing every year. Over the past ten years, the number has grown from 500 to 2,300 students. In general, the competition among international applicants today is 21 applications for one place. The number of degree programmes attended by Chinese students has increased 15 times. The number of programmes with a Chinese component has also increased significantly. 

    St Petersburg University is the first Russian university to enter into an agreement on interaction with the China’s largest national massive open online courses platform XuetangX and gain access to the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). 

    During the 8th Russia-China EXPO and the 4th Russia-China Forum on Interregional Cooperation, St Petersburg University organised a business programme. St Petersburg University academics delivered open lectures for Russian and Chinese students. Ruslan Valiev is Head of the Laboratory for Mechanics of Advanced Bulk Nanomaterials for Innovative Engineering Applications at St Petersburg University, established within the framework of the mega-grants programme of the Government of the Russian Federation. He talked about the laboratory’s activities and current research. Rodion Reznik is Head of the Laboratory of New Semiconductor Materials for Quantum Informatics and Telecommunications at St Petersburg University. He explained how the University is today developing the legacy of Alexey Ekimov, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry and a graduate of St Petersburg University, and continuing to work on quantum technologies for microelectronics. A lecture on chemistry was delivered by Regina Islamova, Professor of St Petersburg University. Tatiana Matveeva, Professor of the University, talked about the development of genetics and biotechnology. Elena Gubar, Associate Professor of the University, delivered a lecture on game theory, i.e. a mathematical method for studying optimal strategies used in games and for solving complex mathematical problems (Russian President Vladimir Putin: The campus of St Petersburg University and Harbin Institute of Technology will become a leader in Russian-Chinese science and education cooperation in the near future). 

    Participation of St Petersburg University in the 19th St Petersburg International Book Fair 

    From 16 to 19 May, the 19th St Petersburg International Book Fair was held on Palace Square, with more than 250 publishing houses, libraries, museums, literary magazines, newspapers and universities participating. This year, St Petersburg University presented ten new books, each of which is of interest to a wide audience. 

    The ceremonial opening of the Book Fair brought together Alexander Beglov, Governor of St Petersburg, Member of the Board of Trustees of St Petersburg University; Sergei Stepashin, President of the Russian Book Union; and Anna Mitianina, Commissioner for Children’s Rights in St Petersburg. 

    After the opening ceremony of the Book Fair, the Governor of St Petersburg visited the pavilions and got acquainted with the recently released publications. In the St Petersburg University tent, branded in honour of the 300th anniversary of the University, Elena Chernova, Senior Vice-Rector of St Petersburg University, presented new books from the St Petersburg University Publishing House to Alexander Beglov and Sergei Stepashin, including those dedicated to the 300th anniversary of St Petersburg University. 

    This year, there have been published the following books: the album "St Petersburg Imperial University in photographs by Boris Menshutkin (1896—1899)"; three-volume editions "The three centuries of St Petersburg University"; "St Petersburg University in memoirs and diaries"; and a collection of essays about Dmitri Mendeleev "A trap for the genius". 

    The St Petersburg University exhibition at the Book Fair is dedicated to the 300th anniversary of the University. Presentations of new publications by the St Petersburg University Publishing House took place every day. The authors presented the books and held open lectures to talk about their creation and meet with readers at an autograph session. 

    Opening of the new season at the Botanical Garden at St Petersburg University 

    This year, the opening of the season at the Botanical Garden at St Petersburg University and the festival "The University seasons — 2024" will take place on 11 to 12 June. The festival brings together landscape professionals, University students and lecturers, and citizens who are passionate about garden design and environmental issues. The programme includes lectures, discussions, creative workshops, thematic seminars, excursions and quests, which makes it possible for every visitor to find something interesting for themselves and spend time in the garden in a fascinating and useful way. 

    The key event of the festival is an exhibition of themed student gardens called "Returning to nature", which addresses issues of ecology and biodiversity in urban green spaces.