Minutes of the Rector’s Meeting | St Petersburg University

International activities from 22 August 2022 to 28 August 2022

A delegation from Mariupol State University visited St Petersburg University

From 22 to 24 August, a delegation from Mariupol State University visited St Petersburg University. The delegation included: Rector Larisa Sivolap; Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Oksana Sivak; Dean of the Faculty of Education Olga Berezina; and Deputy Head of the Academic Department Yuliia Izotova.

During the visit, the meetings of Mariupol State University’s representatives and the Vice-Rectors and the heads of the structural subdivisions of St Petersburg University were organised. Among the issues discussed were those concerning cooperation as well as integration of Mariupol State University into the Russian system of education. A cooperation agreement and a networking agreement were signed for the History programme in the main field of study 46.04.04 "History". Additionally, the development of the network academic programme "Engineering-Oriented Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence" in the main fields of study 27.04.03 "System Analysis and Control" is in its final phase.

At present, two of the three buildings of Mariupol State University are badly damaged. One more building is in urgent need of repair. St Petersburg University will assist Mariupol State University in preparing for the academic year.

Larisa Sivolap, Rector of Mariupol State University, also informed that, in early August, Mariupol State University was visited by the Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation Valery Falkov. He highly appreciated cooperation between St Petersburg University and Mariupol State University.

The Director of Business School XXI Century-Consult visited St Petersburg University

On 23 August, representatives of St Petersburg University met with the Director of Belarusian Business School XXI Century-Consult Irina Lyskovich. The meeting was aimed at discussing the possibility of opening a branch of St Petersburg University in Minsk on the basis of the Business School.

Business School XXI Century-Consult, founded in 2001, is one of the best business schools in Belarus. At present, St Petersburg University together with the Business School is running an MBA programme − Executive MBA (EMBA). The programme is aimed at owners and top managers of companies operating in various sectors of the economy. Graduates are awarded the qualification "Master of Business Administration" and receive a diploma from St Petersburg University.

The preparation for the start of the new academic year

At St Petersburg University, preparations for the start of the new academic year are being finalised. Starting in September, classes will be organised in the in-person format. International students who are forced to be away from St Petersburg may be provided with an opportunity to study remotely using ICT on an individual basis. Additionally, classes of some teachers, e.g. visiting foreign academics and/or practitioners working outside St Petersburg, can be organised remotely using ICT.

Up-to-date information on the format of classes and interim assessments for each academic programme is posted in the Electronic Timetable. In accordance with the Academic Regulations for Main Educational Bachelor programmes, Specialist Degree Programmes, Master Programmes and Programmes of Middle Level Professional Education at St Petersburg State University, approved by Order № 470/1 dated 29 January 2016 (as subsequently amended), the timetable will be published on the St Petersburg University portal no later than 31 August 2022.

It was noted that for many years, the staff of the Academic Affairs Department have been using lecture halls of the various buildings of the University in planning classes and interim and final assessments. Students and teachers should pay careful attention to the content of the Electronic Timetable.

For example, when scheduling different academic programmes in medical fields, the lecture halls located in the buildings of St Petersburg University at the following addresses are used: 8 21st Line, Vasilyevsky Island; 7 22nd Line, Vasilyevsky Island; 71 Bolshoi Prospect, Vasilyevsky Island; 20 Korablestroitelei Street; and 5 Mendeleevskaya Line. The sites of St Petersburg medical institutions, which are the clinical bases of the University, according to the agreements concluded with St Petersburg University, are used for practical classes. Classes in the field of study "Economics" will take place in the classrooms at the following addresses: 62 Chaykovskogo Street; 21 Tavricheskaya Street; and 39 Radishcheva Street. Classes in the field of study "Arts" will take place in the buildings at the following addresses: 49 10th Line, Vasilyevsky Island; 15 6th Line, Vasilyevsky Island; 2/11 9th Line, Vasilyevsky Island; and 58-60 A Galernaya Street.

This approach to the use of the University facilities and the University resources in general has not always been put into practice at the University (A Fresh Start: On the way to a unified university: Vice-Rectors for the areas of study). At the same time, it is not only in line with the principle of the University unity, but also contributes to optimising the use of the University facilities. In the early days of September, representatives of the University administration will be meeting with the first-year students.

First-year students enrolled in bachelor’s and specialist’s programmes are also supposed to:

do an English placement test to be placed into groups according to their command of English
undergo a health examination − for admission to physical training classes, and allocation to groups and different sport areas

Enquiries addressed to the Senior Vice-Rector for Academic Activities

Over the past week, the Virtual Reception received 12 enquiries addressed to the Senior Vice-Rector for Academic Activities. Additionally, 14 enquiries were registered in the student enquiry register. Among the enquiries submitted were those concerning procedures of transfer and reinstatement to St Petersburg University and the possibility of professional retraining at St Petersburg University. The applications for transfer and reinstatement to the University are dealt with in a routine manner. The meeting of the Central Transfer and Reinstatement Committee was held on 31 August 2022.

Work of St Petersburg University’s representatives in the federal educational and methodological associations

The representatives of St Petersburg University take an active part in the work of the federal educational and methodological associations. They are therefore at the centre of the development of the educational policy of the Russian Federation. On the one hand, they timely monitor the development vectors of higher education, new trends and approaches to education in the modern, rapidly changing world. On the other hand, they have an opportunity to set guidelines to determine the direction and level of development of Russian universities and broadcast their own unique experience and innovative approaches to the educational process to increase the authority of and strengthen the positive image of the University.

The indicators achieved by St Petersburg University are becoming benchmarks that determine the direction and level of development of Russian universities. Among them are: the teaching and learning process along individual educational trajectories; the integration of research activities and professional training with a high level of ability for independent practice; interdisciplinary programmes; the implementation of international educational projects; and highly effective work with employers.

In total, 91 people from St Petersburg University are included in the 28 federal educational and methodological associations in the system of higher education. The greatest activity is at those federal educational and methodological associations where representatives of St Petersburg University are chairs and deputy chairs.

In five federal educational and methodological associations, the following representatives of St Petersburg University are chairs of the following associations:

37.00.00 "Psychological Sciences" − Alla Shaboltas
38.00.00 "Economics and Management" (co-chairperson) − Yuriy Fedotov
40.00.00 "Jurisprudence" − Nelli Diveeva
44.00.00 "Education and Pedagogy" − Elena Kazakova
58.00.00 "Asian and African Studies" — Mikhail Piotrovsky

In six more federal educational and methodological associations, the following representatives of St Petersburg University are deputy chairs of the following associations:

02.00.00 "Computer and Information Sciences" − Leon Petrosyan
06.00.00 "Biological Sciences" − Igor Tikhonovich
39.00.00 "Sociology and Social Work" − Nikolai Skvortsov
41.00.00 "Political Sciences and Regional Studies" − Aleksandr Kurochkin
42.00.00 "Mass Media and Information Librarianship" − Anatoly Puyu
47.00.00 "Philosophy, Ethics and Religious Studies" − Nikita Kuznetsov

Evaluating the effectiveness of the work of the St Petersburg University’s representatives in the federal educational and methodological associations is a certain difficulty due to the fact that the chairs of the federal educational and methodological associations use different methods of organising work within the associations. Some federal educational and methodological associations meet regularly and discuss their developments, while others entrust the development of documentation to individual experts. The involvement of the St Petersburg University’s representatives in expert activities depends not only on their activity, but also on their relationship with the chairs of the federal educational and methodological associations and on the competition of their universities with St Petersburg University. It should be noted that members of those associations where there are no representatives of St Petersburg University in the management of the associations are often deprived of information about the current activities of the associations and do not have access to the minutes of the meetings.

Effectiveness of the work of the St Petersburg University’s representatives in the federal educational and methodological associations is evaluated at the University through monitoring the activities of federal educational and methodological associations. It is carried out through the reports of the meetings submitted by the members of the federal educational and methodological associations. These reports highlight the degree of their involvement in the work of the associations in the development of the Federal State Educational Standard and in participation in the implementation of the instructions of the President of the Russian Federation, the Government of the Russian Federation, and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. The effectiveness is also evaluated through annual reports on the activities of those federal educational and methodological associations in which our representatives are chairs and deputy chairs.

In the 2022/23 academic year, the St Petersburg University’s representatives in the federal educational and methodological associations have new tasks:

Participation in the development of updating the structure and content of the lists of specialties and fields of study of higher education, the nomenclature of academic programmes for which degrees are awarded
Discussion of the ideology and specific proposals for the development of Federal State Educational Standard 4.0 in the light of the urgent tasks of the development of higher education
Amendments to the current Federal State Educational Standard
Amendments to the legal documentation approved by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation
Updating the normative documentation of federal educational and methodological associations regulating their work
Coordinating the activities of the federal educational and methodological associations and councils for professional qualifications in terms of developing professional standards
Development of methodological support for an independent assessment of the quality of education, including the development of funds for assessment tools with the participation of the federal educational and methodological associations
Discussion of a systematic approach to the formation and evaluation of indicators of achievement of competencies
Interaction through the federal educational and methodological associations:

with various educational organisations on information and methodological support, identifying and disseminating best practices, conducting an examination of educational and methodological literature
with the Ministry of Science and Higher Education on various issues in the field of education in the relevant areas of study
with the Federal Service for Supervision in Education and Science in discussing approaches to reforming control and supervision activities in the field of education and to the development of documents for state accreditation of academic programmes
with councils for professional qualifications and employers’ associations

Solving these tasks requires not only highly professional work of experts, but also the formation of an opinion on the entire range of regulatory and methodological issues that will inevitably arise in the context of the reform of Russian education.

In order to more actively and productively use the federal educational and methodological associations to promote the position of St Petersburg University in solving specific issues and to increase the influence of St Petersburg University on government decision-making, it is important to develop an effective system for the work of the St Petersburg University’s experts. To this end, the management of the academic and research subdivisions are instructed to:

analyse the representation of St Petersburg University in the federal educational and methodological associations and submit proposals for its updating (expansion)
put into practice a constant exchange of information between the members of the federal educational and methodological associations and academic staff at the institutes, faculties, and departments in order to discuss current issues, adopt decisions, and identify significant events based on the received information to be able to timely respond
plan systematic speeches of the members of the federal educational and methodological associations at the meetings of the academic councils of the faculties and teaching methodology committees for the consolidated groups of specialities and fields of study, and in cases of interdisciplinary projects at the joint meetings of several teaching methodology committees

Nikita Kuznetsov, Chair of the Standing Teaching Methodology Committee of the Academic Council at St Petersburg University, was instructed to:

include in the agenda of the meetings of the Standing Teaching Methodology Committee of the Academic Council the reports of the chairs, deputy chairs of the federal educational and methodological associations and members of the federal educational and methodological associations who are the representatives of St Petersburg University in all federal educational and methodological associations
report to the St Petersburg University Academic Council on the results of expert activities of the St Petersburg University’s representatives at the federal educational and methodological associations

Acting Head of the Public Relations Department Polina Ogorodnikova was instructed to put the section "Expert work in the federal educational and methodological associations" on the page "Expert University" on the website of St Petersburg University.

The chairs of the federal educational and methodological associations who are the representatives of St Petersburg University are instructed to submit information about the work of the federal educational and methodological associations. It should include the following: the composition of the federal educational and methodological associations; work plans; and agenda and minutes of meetings for publication in the section "Expert work of St Petersburg University in federal educational and methodological associations".

The members of the federal educational and methodological associations who are the representatives of St Petersburg University are instructed to request in writing from the management of the federal educational and methodological associations the minutes of the meetings.

Elvira Zeletdinova, Vice-Rector for Teaching Methods, was instructed to:

send an enquiry to the management of the federal educational and methodological associations to provide the minutes of the meetings of the federal educational and methodological associations to its members in order to ensure openness and transparency in the work of federal educational and methodological associations
send an enquiry to the relevant Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education with a list of measures to ensure openness in the work of the federal educational and methodological associations, taking into account the positive experience of the chairs of the federal educational and methodological associations who are the representatives of St Petersburg University

Some performance indicators of the staff at the Faculty of Economics

Based on the results of consideration in July 2021 at the Rector’s meeting of the results of the activities of the staff at the Faculty of Applied Mathematics and Control Processes, a roadmap was prepared to develop the team and increase the efficiency of its activities. The roadmap approved by the relevant order in December 2021. It reflects plans to optimise the processes of managing the team; measures are planned to improve the quality of the composition; and indicators for the implementation of the roadmap are approved.

It was decided to conduct an experiment regarding a partial change in the procedure for stimulating the team. As a result, about 30% of the annual fund, that was allocated earlier to the disposal of the Dean, will be distributed to team members in the form of monthly additional payments based on the results of the previous year by using a grading system for real, calculated, and formalised successes in publication, grant activity, and academic work. The experiment is temporary. Its results will be summed up at the end of 2022. Based on its results, a decision will be made on its further implementation or on the redistribution of funding and the adoption of other managerial decisions.

During the Rector’s meeting, Vice-Rector for Human Resources of St Petersburg University Vladimir Eremeev made a presentation on some performance indicators of the staff at the Faculty of Economics.

Presentation

The presentation aroused great interest among the participants of the Rector’s meeting. The deans of the School of International Relations, the Higher School of Journalism and Mass Communication, the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Asian and African Studies turned to Vladimir Eremeev with a request to prepare similar statistics on the work of their teams.

Possibility of obtaining interest-free loans by St Petersburg University staff

Management of the personnel potential of St Petersburg University is the most important condition for the development of St Petersburg University. This determines the possibilities for solving the tasks set for the University in the educational, scientific, technological, medical fields and in the field of culture and art. This circumstance predetermines the need to improve the system of measures to support the staff and to attract new specialists to work at St Petersburg University.

On 12 August 2022, an order was issued by Elena Chernova, Senior Vice-Rector of St Petersburg University. The order established the procedure for granting interest-free loans to St Petersburg University staff. The corresponding procedure will begin to operate at the University from 2023.

Interest-free loans are provided only to those for whom St Petersburg University is the main place of work. At the same time, employment contracts with these employees must be concluded for an indefinite period or be valid during the year following the year in which the loan application was submitted. Loans are provided once and for the period of work of the recipients at the University, but not more than ten years. One employee can be the recipient of only one loan. The loan repayment mechanism provides for monthly deductions from wages in the amount specified in the loan agreement. If the recipient of the loan terminates his/her employment relationship with St Petersburg University, he/she is obliged to return the borrowed funds in full no later than on the day of dismissal.

The source of funds for the repayment of interest-free loans is the profit from the income-generating activities of St Petersburg University. The amount of funds allocated for granting loans is determined annually.

Loan applications will be accepted through the relevant application campaigns. The maximum period will be approved for each of these campaigns as will be the amount of loans and the list of categories of employees who can apply for them. Heads of the academic and research subdivisions are to discuss these issues at their subdivisions within two weeks and submit proposals on these issues.

Consideration of applications for granting loans will be carried out by a special committee with the participation of a representative of the primary trade union organisation of employees and the chair of the Council of Young Scientists of St Petersburg University. Evaluation of the submitted applications and making a decision on their satisfaction or refusal to provide a loan will take into account the opinion of the committee. The Vice-Rector for Human Resources will make a decision on the allocation of a loan. Information about the decisions made will be published on the St Petersburg University website without indicating the personal data of the applicants.

The possibility of obtaining an interest-free loan is a measure of social support for highly qualified, talented and promising St Petersburg University staff. On the one hand, it will help maintain labour relations between the University and specialists already working at the University. On the other hand, it will attract new personnel to the University. The prospect of obtaining concessional loans enables, first of all, young people to solve the problems they face at the beginning of their life and professional career, including the problems of acquiring housing. Interest-free loans are also a means of attracting renowned professionals to the University, including those who will have to move to work at St Petersburg University from other regions of the Russian Federation or from other countries.

Vladimir Eremeev asked the deans and directors to submit proposals within two weeks on the maximum periods to provide loans; on their size; and categories of persons to whom they will be provided.

The event dedicated to the start of the new academic year at St Petersburg University

On 31 August 2022, an event dedicated to the start of the new academic year at St Petersburg University was held on Academician Sakharov Square. The programme of the event includes a solemn ceremony "Matriculation ceremony for first-year students of St Petersburg University" and the water part of the holiday, i.e. a parade of yachts in the Neva River, the launch of "ships of hope" by University students and staff. In 2022, the opportunity, which has been so beloved by the University students and staff for the past two years, to set a virtual "ship of hope" afloat online has been preserved.

Disappearance of the student’s belongings from the hall of residence

On 24 August 2022, the Virtual Reception of St Petersburg University received an enquiry with a question about the measures taken by the administration of the University in connection with the disappearance of personal belongings of a University student in the building of Hall of Residence № 8 that is located in the Petrodvortsovy District of St Petersburg (On the personal belongings of a St Petersburg University student).

After the publication of this enquiry in the Virtual Reception of St Petersburg University, one of the public communities of the VKontakte social network published a post, stating that the community ‘... was addressed by a third-year student of the Mathematics and Mechanics Faculty, who is a part-time German citizen and a resident of the Petrodvorets Training and Research Complex. He told us his story...’. The authors of the publication give an unreasonable judgment regarding the actions of specific employees of St Petersburg University and the very fact of the disappearance of the belongings of the international student of the University.

It should be noted that at the time of publication in the Virtual Reception of the enquiry, the University administration had already been aware of the incident and had taken all necessary measures to solve the problem. The administration sent an enquiry to law enforcement agencies and, together with the police, was engaged in an investigation to clarify all the circumstances of the loss of personal belongings. It was what the Dmitrii Mikhailov, Chief Engineer − First Deputy for Senior Vice-Rector, pointed out in his response to the enquiry in the Virtual Reception.

In connection with this incident, Dmitry Gryaznov, Deputy Rector for Security and Acting Head of the Mobilisation Directorate at St Petersburg University, reminded the University students and staff that in the event of any incidents related to the violation of their rights, first of all, it is necessary to immediately seek help from the law enforcement agencies of the Russian Federation. According to Article 12 of Federal Law № 3-FZ "On the Police" dated 7 February 2011, only law enforcement agencies are responsible for detecting, preventing, suppressing and solving crimes. The University, for its part, will provide all necessary assistance and support to law enforcement agencies.

In this case, Dmitry Gryaznov noted that there are objective fears that the publication of information about the incident on the Internet in the public domain may negatively affect the course of the pre-investigation check by law enforcement agencies due to giving the event too much publicity.