Minutes of the Rector’s Meeting
Admissions to degree programmes
31 July was the deadline for acceptance of documents and applications for aspirantura programmes. Compared to 2019, this year the number of applicants has grown by almost 300. At the moment, the period of admissions tests for applicants to aspirantura programmes has started.
The acceptance of documents to the programmes of non-university level higher education (St Petersburg University Medical College and St Petersburg University College of Physical Culture and Sports, Economics and Technology) will continue until 15 August. The dynamics of the number of submitted applications is estimated as comparable to last year’s indicators (about 1000 applicants).
On 18 August, the acceptance of applications and documents from candidates applying solely on the basis of the results of the Unified State Exam to government-funded places will finish. 26 August will be the deadline for those applying for contractual places. There was a shift in the admissions schedule for bachelor’s / specialist’s programmes caused by the rescheduling of the Unified State Exams. Therefore, it seems inappropriate to carry out a comparative analysis with the last year’s indicators for this period. However, we can say that at the moment about 16,000 applicants want to become students of St Petersburg University.
The acceptance of applications and documents to clinical residency programmes will continue until 11 August. At present, the number of applicants has exceeded last year’s figures by 200.
Over the past week, the Virtual Reception received about 100 applications from applicants and their parents. They were devoted to various issues related to admission to the University, namely: the operability of information systems; competitive selection of documents (portfolios); consideration of individual achievements; admission of winners and awardees of school olympiads; summing up of the results of admissions tests to master’s programmes; and so on. Prompt decisions are made on all the issues received by the Virtual Reception: if the reasonability of the applications received is confirmed, positive decisions regarding the applicants are made in all such cases. At the same time, many applicants send repeated requests to the Virtual Reception, expressing their gratitude and asking to withdraw the previously submitted application, since the problem has already been solved. Such feedback demonstrates high efficiency of the Virtual Reception as a method of communication and quick solution to problems encountered by the applicants.
In accordance with the Decree of the Russian Government № 889 ’On the procedure and criteria for the distribution to educational organisations of additional admission quotas for specialities and fields of study and/or consolidated groups of specialities and fields of study of government-funded degree programmes in 2020′ dated 19 June 2020, the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education has distributed additional admission quotas for the 2020/2021 academic year among the educational organisations of higher education. It should be noted that, in doing so, the Ministry did not request the University to submit any application related to the provision of additional government-funded places. By the decision of the Ministry, the University was allocated the following additional government-funded places for the 2020/2021 academic year: seven places in three clinical residency programmes (’Roentgenology’ — one place; ’Infectious Diseases’ — two places; ’Oncology’ — four places) and two places in the bachelor’s programme ’Physical Training and Sport’. For comparison: Lomonosov Moscow State University was allocated 17 additional admission quotas for the 2020/2021 academic year. The total number of additional government-funded places allocated by the Ministry makes up about 11,000. Most of them were allocated to regional educational institutions of higher education.
Getting ready for the new academic year
On 31 July, Valery Falkov, Russian Minister of Science and Higher Education, held a meeting of university rectors. He announced that Russian higher education institutions will start the educational process on 1 September, as usual. Yet, certain restrictions related to the requirements for the prevention of the novel coronavirus disease will be introduced. These requirements are specified in a document approved by the Chief State Sanitary Doctor of the Russian Federation on 29 July 2020. Among other things, this document contains recommendations for the prevention of COVID-19 at higher education institutions. This decree regulates not only the hygienic measures (cleaning and ventilation of rooms), but also the organisation of the entire educational process.
One of the main requirements is observance of the face mask mandate during lectures. It must be observed by all persons involved in the educational process. Disposable personal protective equipment should be changed regularly. The face mask may be removed in two cases: when conducting creative classes or during lectures (for teachers). In addition, it is necessary to provide ventilation of classrooms during breaks and measure the temperature of each person entering the University buildings. Also, people showing any signs of an infectious disease are not allowed into the University buildings. If such signs are identified during the educational process, an ambulance team will be immediately called to hospitalise such individuals. After arriving in Russia, international students will be admitted to the educational process only after 14 days’ isolation and upon submission of a negative PCR test result.
In addition, academic workers aged 65 and over, as well as academic workers with chronic diseases regardless of their age will not be admitted to classroom-based work. All the requirements specified in the 29 July document will be fully complied with and taken into account when drawing up the schedule for the new academic year. Rospotrebnadzor also recommends to assign, where possible, a particular classroom to each study group, to take measures to minimise student communication and to prevent crowded public areas.
The directors and the deans were instructed to review this document in detail and submit their proposals on how to apply these requirements to the academic process.
On organisation of practical training
Pursuant to the proposals of the directors of the institutes and deans of the faculties, Order № 4471/1 ’On conducting practical training in the 2019/2020 academic year’ dated 20 May 2020 (as subsequently amended) was revised (Order № 6904/1 dated 24 July 2020). Due to the fact that certain restrictions related to the novel coronavirus disease are still in effect, field trips of University students have been postponed and / or will be held in a different format. Some of the practices will be integrated into the educational process in the upcoming semesters.
The matriculation ceremony for first-year students of St Petersburg University — 2020
Due to the fact that Rospotrebnadzor’s ban on public events participated in by students is still in force in St Petersburg, the matriculation ceremony for first-year students of St Petersburg University on 31 August will be held in a mixed format. Most of the events will take place online. Active preparation for the ceremony is in progress. The directors and the deans will record their welcome speeches for new students and congratulations on the beginning of the new academic year. Some of the events, such as setting afloat Ships of Hope and ceremonial flying of the flag, will be held offline, yet only direct participants will be present at them. The programme of the event also includes lectures given by top University scientists.
On the Concept for the Implementation of National Goals in the Field of Science and Higher Education
On 13 July 2020, Valery Falkov, Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, presented the Concept for the Implementation of National Goals in the Field of Science and Higher Education Until 2030 within the framework of the meeting of the Council for Strategic Development and National Projects (Vladimir Putin chaired a meeting of the Council for Strategic Development and National Projects). The new document identifies targets and socially significant results in the field of higher education. For example, it is necessary to provide government-funded places at higher education institutions for at least half of the school and college leavers in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. In addition, a strategic academic leadership programme has been proposed to replace the 5-100 Project. The new programme will integrate the results of several existing federal projects: ’Young Professionals’; ’New Opportunities for Everyone’; ’Export of Education’; and ’Infrastructure of the Science National Project’.
The programme contains specific indicators that must be achieved by the participating universities. Also, there are indicators common to the entire higher education system. For instance, doubling of the number of international students at Russian universities. This indicator will be fixed in the St Petersburg University Strategic Plan 2021–2030. Another example of an indicator common to the entire system of higher education is as follows: the Concept provides for the renovation of 380,000 out 1 million places in the halls of residence of Russian universities. By comparison, the state of the University’s halls of residence is significantly worse than the national average. 65% of the places require major renovation and more than 30% are in need of routine repairs. The general deterioration of the engineering infrastructure of the University buildings exceeds 80%. Senior Vice-Rector Elena Chernova reminded the participants of the meeting that back in 1998 the deans of three special faculties carried out a general analysis of the state of St Petersburg University buildings and submitted their conclusions and proposals to the Rector. One of their conclusions was: if the University buildings stay without renovation, they will begin to collapse by 2006 (’Renovation under supervision’ (Part 1 and Part 2), ’Construction works at St Petersburg University: the past and the present’ (Part 1 and Part 2), Minutes of the Rector’s Meeting dated 23 September 2019, and Minutes of the Rector’s Meeting dated 28 October 2019).
The directors and the deans were instructed to study the Concept in detail for the next Rector’s Meeting.
St Petersburg University Strategic Plan 2021–2030
The St Petersburg University Strategic Plan is being developed (Minutes of the Rector’s Meeting dated 15 June 2020, Minutes of the Rector’s Meeting dated 10 February 2020). Previously, the directors and the deans had been instructed to submit their proposals on any new areas, activities and indicators to be taken into account in creating the new Strategic Plan. Over 160 such proposals were received and 109 of them were taken into account in the forthcoming draft.
The main results for 2010–2019 in all areas of the University’s activity were presented at the meeting. Thus, the University has managed to significantly increase the number of international students during this period (2010 — 1,809; 2019 — 3,775). According to the Concept for the Implementation of National Goals in the Field of Science and Higher Education, by 2030 this indicator should also be doubled. In addition, there is an increase in the number of non-degree programmes and students enrolled in them. In 2010, the total number of students was 1,472, while in 2019 this figure increased to 11,084. The number of partner universities has also expanded. The clinical model of internships is on a strong track: instead of two clinics, there are now eight. Over the years, the number of participants in School Olympiads held by the University has grown significantly. That became possible due to the inclusion of these Olympiads into the list approved by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation. One of the most significant results in the field of education was a significant increase in the grade point average of the applicants to St Petersburg University: from 76.3 points in 2010 to 92.4 in 2019.
The previous Strategic Plan set forth the task to increase the number of double-degree programmes. From 2010 to 2019, the number of such programmes has increased from 4 to 14. The number of the University’s partner employers has increased significantly: now the employers’ representatives are members of educational and methodological boards, councils of educational programmes, and state assessment boards. There is also a positive trend in the growth of non-resident applicants (Steps to open admissions).
In the field of science, there has been a significant increase in the number of University scientific journals indexed in Science Metrix databases (in 2010: one journal out of 19; in 2019: 16 journals out of 28). Almost 80 foreign scientists work at the University under labour contracts. As of 2019, 118 projects of University scientists were supported by the Russian Science Foundation and 315 by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research. The number of Scopus indexed publications has increased: from 1,307 (2010) to 4,338 (2019); as well as Web of Science indexed papers: from 1,098 to 3,799. In addition, 19 small innovative enterprises have been created from scratch at the University during this period, and 11 grants related to the creation of mega-laboratories led by the world’s top scientists have been approved.
The University’s expert activity in 2010–2019 is characterised by the expansion of the subject areas of expertise. In 2010 the expertise was mainly limited to only ten subject areas, while today the University is positioned as a centre of expert advice for public authorities, with the number of its areas of expertise having been increased to 36. Also, the number of academic workers involved in expert activities has increased fourfold. Due to the efforts of the University’s senior managers, expert activity became part of the governmental assignment for St Petersburg University (Anton Popov: ’Anyone may apply to St Petersburg University for expert advice’; How do we write the University’s history today? or The historical memory of generations, Expert University).
In addition, the University’s senior staff managed to achieve the inclusion of museum activity into the list of the main activities of the University. Now the total number of items in the University’s museum holdings makes up three million units (’The University museums: a victorious leap from the past into the future’ (Part 1 and Part 2).
The outgoing mobility of St Petersburg University students educated at a foreign partner university has almost doubled. The number of partner universities has also increased (from 319 to 533). St Petersburg University has opened four representative offices abroad and increased the number of foreign teachers and students who took part in academic mobility programmes (How the University changed the way it runs its international affairs). The number of ’Russian as a Foreign Language’ Language Testing Centres abroad has increased from 6 to 80. They play a significant role in promoting the Russian language overseas (‘Those who decide to learn Russian are amazing people’: about the work of the Language Testing Centre; From one to twenty languages: how the Language Testing Centre of St Petersburg University works; A boost for the Russian language: St Petersburg University holds an online marathon for teachers from over 100 countries).
In 2018, the Rector succeeded in fulfilling the electoral mandate he was charged with as a candidate for the University Rector’s position in 2008 (Minutes of the Rector’s Meeting dated 9 July 2012). The University has finally opened its own medical clinic. The Pirogov Clinic of High Medical Technologies at St Petersburg University is one of the most efficient specialised surgical organisations in Russia. It has a major pool of highly qualified doctors (The clinic of tomorrow is already here today; The Pirogov Clinic of St Petersburg University is ranked as one of the best medical institutions in St Petersburg; Over 5,000 operations have been performed at the Pirogov Clinic of High Medical Technologies during the pandemic; The Pirogov Clinic of St Petersburg University ranked first among the St Petersburg medical institutions).
In 2011, a Virtual Reception anyone can apply to was created at St Petersburg University. It was the first tool of such kind at the disposal of the Russian universities (St Petersburg University Student Council and students’ rights: from the past to the present; Students influence the quality of education at St Petersburg University; Minutes of the Rector’s Meeting dated 23 March 2020). During these years, the number of appeals to the Virtual Reception has grown from 397 to 2,533. During the pandemic, it was the only opportunity for students and teachers to contact the University administration and ask any question.
During this rector’s meeting, Senior Vice-Rector Elena Chernova spoke about the main requirements for the structure and contents of the University Strategic Plan. It is necessary to define the goals, ways to achieve them, and a set of measures that will help achieve these goals. The structure of the Strategic Plan should contain quantitative and substantive characteristics that are included into its application package. The contents requirements are specified by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. First of all, the Plan must comply with: the strategic documents; modern challenges of the economy; the demands of the labour market and the technology market; and advanced scientific achievements. The contents should meet the requirements of assertiveness; yet at the same time be realistic and ensure continuity in the development of the goals set by the previous Strategic Plan that were achieved wholly or partially. The new Strategic Plan should absorb the best practices and accumulated scientific and research achievements.
Results of ’The University League’ competition organised by Gazprom Neft
In early June 2020, Gazprom Neft PJSC initiated a competition for higher education institutions titled ’The University League of Gazprom Neft PJSC’. The University submitted information within the framework of competitive selection, and prepared an application that included a presentation of University projects (20 projects). The application was submitted on 01 July 2020. More than 40 Russian universities located in Moscow, St Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Kazan, Novosibirsk, Tyumen, Omsk, Ufa and other cities took part in the final stage of the selection. According to Gazprom Neft’s letter № NK-20/010745 dated 31 July 2020, St Petersburg University became one of the company’s preferred partners — members of the University League of Gazprom Neft. In the near future, it is planned to sign a cooperation agreement between St Petersburg University and Gazprom Neft within the framework of the University League project.
Results of the competition for the right to conduct major scientific projects in priority areas of science and technology
The Ministry of Science and Higher Education announced the results of the competition for the right to conduct major scientific projects in priority areas of science and technology. Ultimately, 41 applications out of 367 were supported. Among the winners there are three applications with St Petersburg University as one of the project contributors as part of a consortium. These are applications from: Federal State Budgetary Institution of Science ’A. V. Rzhanov Institute of Semiconductor Physics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences’ with the project titled ’Quantum structures for post-silicon electronics’ (University employee in charge is A.M. Shikin); Joint Institute for Nuclear Research with the project ’Superheavy nuclei and atoms: nuclei mass limits and the boundaries of Dmitri Mendeleev’s Periodic Table’(University employee in charge is V. M. Shabaev); and Federal State Budgetary Institution of Science ’Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences’ with the project ’Theoretical and experimental research into the formation and evolution of extrasolar planetary systems and characteristics of exoplanets’(University employee in charge is R. V. Baluev). The maximum value of each grant will be 300 million roubles for the whole duration of the project (for all members of the consortium). The grants will be funded up to 2023.
Position |
Application registration number |
Name of the legal entity participating in the competition |
Project subject |
Final assessment of the application, points |
University employee in charge |
|
Item 1. № 2020-1902-01 ’Conducting major scientific projects in the priority areas of science and technology’ |
||||||
24 |
2020-1902-01-058 |
Federal State Budgetary Institution of Science ’A. V. Rzhanov Institute of Semiconductor Physics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences’ |
Quantum structures for post-silicon electronics |
91.50 |
A. M. Shikin |
|
25 |
2020-1902-01-181 |
Joint Institute for Nuclear Research |
Superheavy nuclei and atoms: nuclei mass limits and the boundaries of Dmitri Mendeleev’s Periodic Table |
91.50 |
V. M. Shabaev |
|
39 |
2020-1902-01-133 |
Federal State Budgetary Institution of Science ’Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences’ |
Theoretical and experimental research into the formation and evolution of extrasolar planetary systems and characteristics of exoplanets |
90.00 |
R. V. Baluev |
|
Applications participated by the University that did not win
Position |
Application registration number |
Name of the legal entity participating in the competition |
Project subject |
Final assessment of the application, points |
University employee in charge |
|
44 |
2020-1902-01-310 |
Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution ’All-Russian Research Institute of Agricultural Microbiology’ |
Plant-microbial systems in ensuring stable plant productivity: genes, signals and external factors |
89.50 |
A. A. Nizhnikov |
|
58 |
2020-1902-01-335 |
Federal State Budgetary Institution ’Federal Centre for Brain and Neurotechnologies’ of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency |
Oxidative stress as a driver of brain pathologies: from molecular bases to therapy |
85.50 |
R. R. Gainetdinov |
|
71 |
2020-1902-01-192 |
Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education ’St Petersburg State University’ |
Creation of personalised functional food products aimed at achieving active human longevity and reducing the risk of atherosclerosis and nervous disorders |
83.00 |
A. A. Frolov |
|
79 |
2020-1902-01-246 |
Federal State Unitary Enterprise ’Scientific Research Institute of Hygiene, Occupational Pathology and Human Ecology’ of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency |
Development of new means of pharmacological protection and methods of laboratory diagnostics of acute toxic exposure to nerve agents, metabolic agents and genotoxic agents |
81.50 |
N. V. Goncharov |
|
91 |
2020-1902-01-092 |
Federal State Budgetary Institution of Science ’Federal Research Centre Kola Scientific Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences’ |
Fundamental mineralogical research for the benefit of the Russian mineral resources sector and creation of new nature-like technologies and materials |
79.50 |
V. V. Gurzhiy, S. V. Krivovichev |
|
124 |
2020-1902-01-362 |
Federal State Budgetary Institution of Science ’Institute for Problems in Mechanical Engineering of the Russian Academy of Sciences’ |
Hybrid intelligence in cyber-physical systems, mechanical engineering and energy industry |
74.00 |
A. L. Fradkov |
|
169 |
2020-1902-01-247 |
Federal State Budgetary Institution of Science ’V. A. Trapeznikov Institute of Control Sciences of the Russian Academy of Sciences ’ |
Heterogeneous modelling of socio-economic and scientific-technological development in the context of global transformations |
68.00 |
L. A. Petrosyan |
|
175 |
2020-1902-01-199 |
Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education ’Don State Technical University’ |
Formation of a methodology for the synthesis of new functionally graded biocompatible materials and a comprehensive study of their physical and mechanical properties for the creation of implantable sensor devices |
67.00 |
A. Yu. Arbenin |
|
210 |
2020-1902-01-148 |
Federal State Budgetary Institution ’National Research Centre Kurchatov Institute’ |
Fundamentals of neurohybrid systems development |
60.50 |
P. E. Musienko |
|
290 |
2020-1902-01-376 |
Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education ’Omsk State Pedagogical University’ |
Genetic and ecological aspects of the stability of invertebrates’ populations and communities |
47.00 |
M. V. Vinarski |
|
Organisation of renovation works at the University
In the near future, the amount of funding will be determined for the 2021 renovation works of the University buildings engaged in the academic process. Senior Vice-Rector Elena Chernova said that the Rector had made a decision to improve the disbursement procedures. The directors of the institutes are entrusted with the following: to determine which rooms will be renovated in the buildings where the institute’s team works; and to prioritise the renovation works within a specified amount of funds. The deans of the faculties will make proposals for such renovation works, as they did it before, and the decision is up to the Vice-Rector in the appropriate field of study.