TOMSK, Dec 6 –
RIA Tomsk. Implementation of the "Big University"
project and its subsequent integration into a world-class research and
educational center (REC) will allow the Tomsk region to increase Russia's GDP
by 1%, said the governor of the Tomsk region Sergey Zhvachkin at the closing of
the strategic session on the "Big University". Details – in RIA Tomsk
material.
Earlier it was
reported that the "Big University" project involves the unification
of all universities and research institutes of Tomsk into a single scientific
and educational consortium with the preservation of the legal autonomy of all
participants. The main objective of the project – is to obtain a synergistic
effect from the addition of scientific, educational and infrastructural
opportunities for full competition with world university centers.
"Movement
in this direction ("Big University") – is inevitable. Today the world
has changed, it has run far ahead of us ... In contrast to Soviet times, today
we are seriously talking about applied science, its integration with the
economy. We calculated – the Tomsk region is able to increase the GDP of the
Russian Federation by 1%! But for this, we need a REC, we need a "Big
University", – Zhvachkin said.
What is the
"Big University"?
The strategic
session to discuss what the "Big University” could be like was held at TSU
for a week from December 2 to December 6. Leaders and employees of all Tomsk
universities, academic research institutes, authorities, as well as experts
from the Moscow School of Management "Skolkovo" – the ideologists of
the "5-100" project, took part in its work. And not as observers – but
as full participants. Work went in the directions of "science",
"education", "promotion", "city" and
"management".
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The strategic session on the "Big University" project
"I can’t
say that we have already unequivocally come up with a new form, but we were the
first in the country to raise such a question. The legislation of the Russian
Federation is not ready for this yet. We must be aware that this is not about
mergers and acquisitions, but about agglomeration, consortium or some other
form of association. There are enough examples in the world", – said the
head of Moscow School of Management "Skolkovo" Andrey Volkov.
According to the
Skolkovo expert, there are several schemes in the world to unite universities
into scientific and educational conglomerates: New York system, California
system, Levin consortium of universities, but in Russia there are no such
systems. Now this approach is being discussed in Novosibirsk and Bashkiria, but
Tomsk – is one step ahead.
According to the
"rector" working group of the strategic session, in 2035 100 thousand
students will study at the "Big University", 35-40% of whom – are
foreigners (mainly from foreign countries). The budget should triple (today the
budget of all organizations included in the "Big University" is about
5 billion rubles), and in the international rankings it will enter the TOP-200
of the world and the TOP-5 of Russian universities.
"The
project of the "Big University" – is a project of a completely new
scale of ambition for the region, universities, scientific institutes. And the
main question here is: whether all the participants in this process are ready
to meet new challenges in order to compete not with the familiar Russian
universities, but with scientific and educational communities around the
world", the rector of TSU Eduard Galazhinsky told reporters.
According to the
rector, the mechanical unification of universities, even with the merger of the
laboratory base, will not give the desired effect. It is necessary to revise
all approaches based on new principles: recruit and prepare students,
scientific activity and interaction with industrial partners, innovative
developments. It is a matter of time and mutual adaptation. In addition, the
"Big University" needs a list of "quick victories".
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The strategic session on the "Big University" project
"This
includes the creation of a joint innovation infrastructure, and the creation of
a single selection committee, and even joint work on organizing charter flights
at the beginning and end of semesters with Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and
other key countries. There are agreements to create common scientific and
laboratory centers, a common campus map of all universities and access to services
for foreign students", – Galazhinsky said.
Difficult
negotiations
The discussion
of the "Big University" is not easy, all participants of the process
admit this. On the one hand, they are all interested in joint development,
joining forces in obtaining grants and orders from large corporations. Even the
creation of inter-university educational trajectories does not raise questions.
But not everyone is ready to abandon the long-standing traditions of academic
independence.
"Today we
discussed only the most general principles of the forthcoming association,
expressed our main intentions. Clarifications, details, protocols – are still
quite a long way off. But we clearly defined the interest of each university
and scientific institute that will be included in the "Big
University". From the transition to such a great quality will won all
participants of the process", – the acting rector of TPU Victor Dyomin
emphasized.
At the same
time, no matter how difficult the process of integration of universities and
academic research institutes is, this is the only chance for Tomsk not only to
remain on the "scientific map” of Russia, but also to become a
full-fledged player in the education and scientific research market of the
world, stressed the governor closing the strategic session.
"Tomsk for
the third time has a fateful chance to change its fate. So far, it has been
possible to realize it only once: when the emperor struck out spending on an
ironclad battleship from the budget of the Russian Empire and sent money to
create Tomsk University ... Now there is a chance again. And this is not a
solution of issues of individual universities of TSU, TUSUR or SSMU. We are now
choosing the vector for the development of Russian science and education",
– Zhvachkin said.
The results of
the work within the framework of the strategic session on the "Big
University" project will be summarized and presented to the government of
the Russian Federation, as well as in the report of the governor to the
country's president, Zhvachkin said. So the strategic session – is only the
first step, he noted.
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The strategic session on the "Big University" project