The press conference of the rector of North-Eastern Federal University named after M.K.Ammosov, the doctor of pedagogical sciences, the candidate of psychological sciences of Evgenia Mikhailova was held on the 29 of June. The main subject was: "First steps of the federal university. Results of 2010-2011 of academic year". NEFU was established by the decree of the President of the Russian Federation on the base of Yakutsk State University and is one of the 8 federal universities of Russia. There are 3 branches, 9 institutes and 9 faculties in part of NEFU. During the press conference, there was also a speech about the Second International conference "Language and Cultural Diversity in a Cyberspace" which will take place on July 12-14 in Yakutsk.
Our North-Eastern Federal University (NEFU) named after M.K.Ammosov, was created on the base of Yakutsk State University (YSU), in the past of Teacher Training Institute, and has good traditions in the field of pedagogical and medical training. But the tasks which face in the XXI century north-east of the country and, in particular, Yakutia, require introduction of technical specialties. Therefore today we can claim for the status not only the biggest by number of students of regional university, but also university where there are schools of sciences in areas of the geological industry, medicine and pedagogics.
The program of development of our university was approved by the Government of the Russian Federation on October 7, 2010. It has 6 priority directions:
- Achievement of new quality of training;
- Support of ecological safety and rational environmental management;
- Effective reproduction of mineral resources;
- Use of high technologies and production in the conditions of the North;
- Saving and cultural development of the people of the North;
- Analytical and personnel support of innovative social and economic development of the northeast region of Russia.
It is necessary to tell that difference of our program from programs of other federal universities of Russia that it completely consists of separate projects. There are 18 projects and 98 events at this stage. And the principal project - achievement of new quality of training. The higher education institution can and shall guarantee receiving quality education, formation of the personality. In this direction in our Russian higher education institutions operation is carried insufficiently. Unfortunately, only this year since September 1 in Russia transition two-level education will be realized everywhere. In the Far East there aren't enough universities where the two-level system would work as it occurs in many Moscow higher education institutions.
One more serious direction works in the project of achievement of new quality of education – support of the academic mobility of teachers. Teachers can receive skills of teaching on one of the foreign languages that, visiting foreign universities, they could share an own experience and enrich it. Thereby they receive knowledge and information which are necessary for formation of federal university. Only for 2010, 189 teachers and employees taught the foreign languages, and already 300 teachers will complete training in December 2011.
NEFU has the charter. The university included 6 additional establishments. These are two educational institutions – Technical institute and Pedagogical academy, and 4 scientific institutes – Mathematics Institute, Institute of regional economy, Institute of application-oriented ecology of the North, health Institute. Due to the higher education institution program was made in time, almost all who wished to work in NEFU, are provided today with workplaces and, the most important, work in directions well familiar to them.
If to speak generally, the remained five priority directions concern improvement of quality of life of people. The university has the Chukotka branch, representations in Khabarovsk, Magadan and on Kamchatka. We can say with pride that reached good digits concerning the practical-oriented training and preparation of qualified personnel. On separate specialties our graduates 2010 and for 100% are employed 2011. In recent years the close attention was paid to work and educational practice by a republic manual. Today 70% of students did practical training at all enterprises of the republic, Magadan and Chukotka Autonomous Area. We plan not only stimulation of motivated approach for job choice. For us the most important task that, having graduated, the young man knew all subtleties of his work.
There are associations and professional clubs in Yakutia. Not so long ago the association of builders began operation with our university on preparation of new educational programs. We shall provide to the young man receiving not only the higher, but also primary and secondary professional education. I think for anybody not a secret that many perceive the bachelor of the civil engineer as the person who doesn't have finished education. I hope that thanks to support of the Union of employers and Association of builders we will manage to solve a problem of such prejudiced relation, after all in practice the bachelor is a competent expert knowing the business. Especially, as a rule, he will own also working specialty, for example, the rate setter.
We made experiment with power engineers. Support of Yakutskenergo LLC gave to young power engineer’s opportunity to get job as the electrician of the 6th discharge. And absolute employment says that young people aren't afraid of working specialties. Earlier, graduates got jobs with a good salary after graduation. Today in Yakutia the number of students who went to construction and student's groups increased almost in four times. The purpose of these groups is to provide students with initial practice.
The main thing for us is creation of the Small Innovative Businesses in the direction, which concerns use of high technologies and production in the conditions of the North. They could teach young people to organize own business. According to the plan of 2010 we shall create five innovative businesses, but we created seven. There are already 35 workplaces. All this thanks to that the program is financed.
I consider that presence in the program of development of higher education institution of such direction as saving and cultural development of the people of the North does our university unique. About 7 thousand languages are known worldwide, the part of which disappears as their native speakers become less. Therefore the Institute of Languages and Culture of the People of North-East was open at our university. People who live in the north, have desire to study the native language. And we give them such opportunity in NEFU. In this regard the International conference "Language and Cultural Diversity in a Cyberspace" is held by us already for the second time. 2008 was declared the International year of languages by the UN, thus the first conference took place in Yakutsk. More than 100 representatives from five continents took part. Acceptance of the Lensky resolution which is observed today by all participants of the conference was the result of it. It would be desirable that conference which will take place on July 12-14 in Yakutsk, would receive the positive response too, that communication in the native language was carried not only in a family, but the sphere of the use of languages of indigenous people was expanded.
Last year, our university accepted for the first time entrants from Kamchatka, from Magadan, from the Irkutsk region, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Ingushetia, Tatarstan. We have very good hostels – we provide to students fine conditions. Quite recently NEFU carried out the small analysis of a demand of frames during which outputs were drawn that nearly 25% of the population of Yakutia have no professional education. It is 4% less, than across the Russian Federation, and 2% less, than in the Far East. The second index which shall cause alarm in the authorities and in society, – a third economically the active population is in pre-retirement age. From those strategic documents which were accepted by the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, our republic and the regional ministries, we know that till 2020 more than 120 thousand frames will be demanded. Till 2016 NEFU shall prepare more than 40 thousand experts a third from which are specialists of the industry. In this direction the university already began the operation, but it would be desirable to tell that all our system conversions will have positive implementation both in economy, and in the industry, and in culture.
- How do you think, whether your university will be able to compete with other higher education institutions of the country and in what directions?
- I think that we will interact. Our installation is cooperation. We are on friendly terms long ago with such known universities, as name MSTU of Bauman, the Moscow State University of name M.B. Lomonosov, MIRT. Not so long ago I met the rector of PFUR Vladimir MikhaylovichFilippov, we will sign the agreement. NEFU shall be demanded for the region, to be the useful to it. Therefore we carry preparation of practical experts for environmental management, the industries, ecology taking into account that the territory of Yakutia the edge of so-called "permafrost" in the people. Our experts can work in the conditions of cold. We have single in a pattern a merzlotovedeniye Institute. Its researches say that the planet is threatened not by universal warming, and a cold snap.
- In what directions of sociocultural researches of university you plan to strengthen operation?
- In structure of higher education institution two new institutes – Olonkho's Institute and A.E Kulakovsky opened. Alexey Kulakovsky wrote at the end of the XIX century how the educated person can help the Homeland and the fellow countrymen. In the Yakut epos, first of all, the good was approved in case of any situations. Those human qualities which were preached by Olonkho, found an appreciation in the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation. I am glad to report that in 2005 according to UNESCO decision Olonkho's Yakut heroic epos received the status of a masterpiece of an oral and non-material cultural heritage of all mankind. In this plan opening of Institute of Olonkho, education of young people on the example of athletes who protect the house, protect the Homeland, a family, is important. Very good project which was initiated by our scientists, - the research devoted to the future of Yakutia and north-east. Research is carried together with the Siberian federal university; later the Institute of polar researches of a name of Robert Scott joined us in case of the Cambridge University. I think that over time everyone wants to glance in the future. We understand: to have the good future, it is necessary to learn to create it.
- Whether it is difficult to woman to be the rector?
- I think that isn't difficult. When I worked as the vice-president of the Republic of Yakutia, I resolved many issues and always to find the fair and objective decision that the rights of people, irrespective of age, a nationality and operation places, weren't restrained. And today it is difficult to me to make sometimes decisions, after all there are teachers to whom both 85, and 90 years, and they still teach. There are any difficulties in this regard. And I should be more loyal as to the woman, probably; the man on my place would make more sharp decision. Last year I created council of instructors, and the structure which will lead to appearance of professors-instructors now prepares. People, who have experience, will help with university formation. It would be possible to do without it, but I think that it is necessary to show respect and honoring for high generation and in practice to show young that it is impossible to write-off the person in connection with age.
As you know, all the federal universities have acquired a new status, a new legal form - an autonomous institution. And, unfortunately, as an autonomous institution, for example, opening a small innovative company encounters a number of obstacles. Since last year, I put this question to the Education Committee of the State Duma. I really hope that in the near future it will be solved.
- Where did teachers come to you? What percentage of your graduates among them?
- We have more than 1,420 teachers, about 1,200 of them work at full-time basis, and the rest part-time. Approximately 80% - university graduates of the Far East, of which more than half - YSU graduates. There are graduates of the St. Petersburg State University, Moscow State Technical University named after N.E. Bauman, MSU and NSU. Part teachers defended graduate of the Moscow State University and other Moscow universities. Last year we started to invite teachers from other regions. In front of me was not to take the challenge and change 30% of the teaching staff, I try to be respectful to the people. The first two years everybody have to learn. Today, 25% of working teachers attended workshops and visited the course. 10 teachers invited from abroad: Japan, China and South Korea, Britain and France, that is, are teachers of the universities with which we cooperate. NEFU joined the University of the Arctic, and we are also working teachers from Norway and Finland.
- Where children go to learn, if you do not enter to your school? Are there any trends?
- We had been established a good system is the first president of the Republic of Yakutia, Mikhail Yefimovich Nikolayev. Almost every 700 young people gain all universities of Russia, mainly in universities Siberia, Moscow and St. Petersburg. In Moscow alone enrolled 2,000 students in those professions that are in demand in the economy of Yakutia. This tradition continues today. Introduction USE saves republican budget. Up to 60% of graduates from all areas of Yakutia year began to enter higher education. Back to the region returned to 70% of ready professionals and this is normal.
- How do you use national languages in higher education institution, whether you teach on them any subjects?
- The higher education institution always carried the teaching in Russian. But, for example, future philologists who are going to be teachers of the Yakut language or to journalists of the Evenki newspaper need knowledge of the native language. And for that who want to be an economist, the builder, but doesn’t want to forget the roots, we organize training according to additional programs.
- I want know about employment of rectors of the higher education institutions which have entered into your federal university. How passed this process?
- The rector of YSU Anatoly Nikolaevich Alekseev entered a serious contribution in formation, university development; he is elected today the president of NEFU. Quite recently he was elected as the director of Institute of humanitarian researches of the Siberian separation of the Russian Academy of Sciences. It as the historian-archeologist is much demanded. The rector of Technical institute Gennady Muguyev will work as the director of engineering technological institute. The Rector of Sakha teaching training academy the doctor of pedagogical sciences TrophimeSavvinov is demanded as the head of the department. Directors of 4 research institutes headed scientific research institute. We try to offend nobody; after all it isn't enough competent people.
- What new master programs you plan to open?
- We began operation with implementation in educational process of the European tools of quality and would like that our students, ending a bachelor degree, could arrive in a magistracy in the European, American higher education institutions, higher education institutions of China, Japan and South Korea. Joint educational programs are for this purpose necessary. In this direction operation already goes. Very much it would be desirable that the one, who wants to arrive in postgraduate study or doctoral studies abroad, had no problems. On state programs any experts study foreign languages, but upon termination of higher education institution all forget. Therefore we began a joint program for those who badly know language. Some higher education institutions of the world responded already. Language preparation means to our students much.
- What do you dislike in the behavior of young people today?
- I'll speak for myself. In Yakutsk, I am concerned that young people are not formed by a sense of responsibility. There is some disorder in relation to themselves and their actions. Some of the wise said that education creates images of those people that want to be. Young people today, most of them, unfortunately, are not in front of a large number of experimental examples, which they would like to be like.
Recorded by Andrei Borisov, Newspaper "University Vestnik" (Moscow), № 14, 16-31 July 2011
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