TOMSK, Nov 28 – RIA Tomsk. "Big University" project which will combine Tomsk
universities and institutes into a single scientific and educational center
allow scientists to implement projects that can’t be completed by "single
organizations". It strengthen region as leader in education and
technologies export, say Tomsk and federal experts. Details – in RIA Tomsk
material.
As it was previously reported, the "Big
University" project is planned to be launched in Tomsk by 2020. It will
involve all universities and research institutes with the preservation of
autonomy and legal independence. The appearance of the "Big
University" is necessary to win the competition for the creation of a
world-class research and educational center center (REC).
It was previously reported that by 2024 at least 15
world-class research and educational centers (RECs) should be created in the
Russian Federation based on the integration of universities, scientific
organizations and enterprises in the real sector of the economy. The Government
of the Russian Federation included Tomsk among the 20 cities where the
conditions for the formation of the REC were formed. Tomsk did not get to the
number of "pilots" of the project, along with other applicants it
will have to go through competitive selection in 2020.
Mature industries and technologies of
the future
The rector of Tomsk State University Eduard
Galazhinsky told RIA Tomsk about the transformations which the organization of
the "Big University" will lead to. He recalled that the very idea of the
"Big University" has been discussed in Tomsk for a long time – for
about 20 years.
"Yury Pokholkov (the rector of Tomsk Polytechnic
from 1990 to 2008) was the first to talk about it. It seems to me that the
reset of the "INO Tomsk" project strategy and the work initiated by
the governor Sergey Zhvachkin to determine the region’s new industrial
specialization raised this issue to a new level.
We timely rethought how we will develop further and
build regional development based on science and technology. The key question we
ask ourselves when discussing the concept of the "Big University" – is
"Why?". There are several answers.
© РИА Томск. Таисия Воронцова
The rector of TSU Eduard Galazhinsky and the governor of the Tomsk region Sergey Zhvachkin at a meeting with the head of the Russian Academy of Sciences Alexander Sergeev
The first is – to ensure the necessary transformation
of mature industries. Today, leadership companies, for example, Gazpromneft,
pose enormous technical challenges for science, but not a single university can
solve them. This cannot be done alone. In early December, a strategic session
will be held in Tomsk with representatives of companies and universities,
where, in fact, we will get acquainted with new projects from the industry.
The second key task – is the formation of new
technological solutions in the future market in the logic of the industrial
revolution. And again, this is a task for a university association – not for a
single player.
As an example. Many companies make investment bets on
new technological solutions. One of them has patented access to the vision of
another person and plans to launch a product in five years and build a business
around relevant technological solutions. Developments of the future – is a
challenge that we must concentrate on.
The third answer – is visibility and the ability to be
competitive at another level. If we think of ourselves on a scale of 20-30
thousand world scientific centers, then, of course, the "Big University"
allows us to be visible. In addition, such a project will become an important
entry point in Tomsk for large domestic and international companies – to work
in large research interdisciplinary projects that can be implemented only
together".
Among the strongest
The "Big University" project was discussed in
Tomsk by regional authorities and the head of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Alexander Sergeev, who visited our city on a working visit at the beginning of
the week.
So, the governor Sergey Zhvachkin said at a meeting
with the head of the Russian Academy of Sciences that the "INO Tomsk"
project allowed to overcome the disunity of the government, science and the
real sector of the economy.
© РИА Томск. Таисия Воронцова
The head of the Russian Academy of Sciences Alexander Sergeev, the governor of the Tomsk region Sergey Zhvachkin and the rector of TSU Eduard Galazhinsky (from right to left)
"Together we connect our main ambitions with
science and education. According to the "Science" national project, we
are creating a world-class research and educational center in the Tomsk region –
the "Big University". We will build the largest inter-university
multifunctional student campus in Russia with 20 thousand places", – Zhvachkin
said.
He added that "INO Tomsk" is developing
along with these new directions.
"Our "INO Tomsk" – is not a museum
exhibit, it does not stand still, but moves forward. The successes of the Tomsk
scientific education complex, the prospects of the president’s national
projects pushed us to develop Tomsk as a university city, to tightly integrate
the scientific and educational complex", – head of the region stressed.
As the deputy governor for economy Andrey Antonov said
at the meeting, the association of university, business and government
resources in the "INO Tomsk" allowed to use all federal tools in the
Tomsk region to achieve one goal.
"The goal – is the creation of advanced
industries, a new technological base within the boundaries of the Tomsk
agglomeration to attract and retain talent, improve the quality of life. We
implemented "INO Tomsk" on 50 federal instruments. All this allows us
to remain one of the strongest innovative regions of the country", – he
said.
Antonov reminded that the Tomsk region ranks the
fourth in the ranking of innovation activity of the regions – it is part of a
group of strong innovators.
In turn, the head of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Sergeev added that Tomsk is really in high positions.
"We must now build interaction with science so
that it is on a regular basis, adequate to the resources that the state
allocates. So that we can set an example of such development. Together we will
move on", – Sergeev summed up.
© РИА Томск. Таисия Воронцова
The president of the Russian Academy of Sciences Alexander Sergeev
"Big Tomsk"
According to Galazhinsky, the "Big
University" management schemes will be discussed at a strategic session
with the participation of rectors and vice-rectors of Tomsk universities.
"The key message – is the preservation of legal
entities and autonomies. This is a necessary condition for the development of a
completely new type of cooperation, under which we need to put a new federal
law. We should design this scheme in the process of work in December.
The "Big University" should form a new
innovative game in the Tomsk region and transform the urban environment. Much
has been said about this. For example, the special envoy of the President of
the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov called Tomsk as "Big Tomsk",
discussing the upcoming project.
This means that due to the logic of the ecosystem, we
are not aiming at attracting a million people, but at attracting such a quality
of human capital and building up of ecosystem that will allow us to make Tomsk
a backbone of the "Siberian metropolis" and affirm our ambitions as a
global scientific and technological center with leadership in the export of
technologies and education".
It is meant that due to the logic of the ecosystem we
are not looking at attracting a million people, but at attracting such quality
of human capital and folding of the ecosystem, which will allow us to make
Tomsk a systemic element of the Siberian metropolitan area and to assert our
ambitions as a global scientific and technological center with leadership in
the export of technologies and education".
© РИА Томск. Таисия Воронцова
Meeting of the president of the Russian Academy of Sciences Alexander Sergeev with the authorities of the Tomsk region and TSU scientists
About the "Science" national
project
Currently the "Science" national project is
being implemented in the Russian Federation. Its key goals – are to ensure the
presence of the Russian Federation among the five leading countries of the
world engaged in research and development in areas defined by the priorities of
the scientific and technological revolution, ensure the attractiveness of work
in the Russian Federation for leading Russian and foreign scientists, increase
domestic spending on research and development.
It includes three projects: "Development of
scientific and research and production cooperation", "Development of
advanced infrastructure for research and development in the Russian
Federation" and "Development of human resources in the field of
research and development".