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Evgenia Mikhailova: "We should strive for excellence in everything, whatever university did!"

Speech at the meeting with the NEFU active group.
31.08.2012
Dear colleagues!
Of course, you know that on the 7th May this year by the President of Russia signed a decree № 599 "About measures for implementation of the state policy in the field of education and science." In this decree, the submission of the project of Federal Law "About Education in the Russian Federation" to the State Duma, promotion the concept of math education, monitoring the activities of higher education institutions in order to assess their work effectiveness and restructuring of inefficient state education institutions, increase of educational scholarships, development a set of measures to identify and support talented children and youth, making a modification to the regulatory funding of educational programs of higher education, improving standards of financing of the leading universities that train specialists in engineering, medical and natural sciences (specialty), an increase of funding of public research funds, increase of funding of researches and developments on a competitive basis, increase the share of universities buildings adapted for people with limited capacities, increase the proportion of publications of scientists, professional accreditation of educational programs of High Professional Education, primarily in educating in economics, law, management and sociology, and, except to these listed, there is one very important, in my opinion, action - is entry at least five Russian universities in the first hundred of the world's leading universities, according to the world rankings by 2020.
Read the Decree and remembered the words of Somerset Maugham, "If you refuse to accept anything in life, but the best, you often get the best," I thought, 'Why do our young people should not be able to study at the best university in home and thus attract to their university coevals from other regions and countries?"
Really, it is not necessary to be a huge country and a powerful state to become a world leader. It is not necessarily be the largest university in the world to become a leader in the ability to train and educate the best students, cultural and educated people or have the most successful science park with modern equipment in the country. For this purpose, I think it is only necessary that the people, from whom something depends, knew how to dream, how to learn and how to act, how to solve problems.
Did we fail to become that university, which will be not only an innovator, but also a true leader in the most profound changes in the education system of the Republic, the country and the world?
Actually, I often remember the words of Charles Darwin that "survives not the strongest or the most intelligent, but the one who responds the best way to the changes."
I think we have the most important thing - the university space, filled with kindness, love and positive emotions! We create it together by cooperative labour, respect for each other, patience and trust. Such space – is the necessary condition for educational process of young people in the XXI century.
Today, in virtue of momentary communication means every person on Earth has access to global knowledge and experience of the best teachers in the world online. According to words of Bill Gates in the book "The Way Ahead", "wherever people live, they can always get the best courses from the best teachers." Today, teaching via the Internet captures universities and they, in my opinion, are similar to each other. Nothing negative about that, because the rule number 1 of Internet age, derived by Thomas Friedman in his book "Lexus and the Olive Tree", is: "We are connected with each other and we are all equal." Moreover, as we know, the real power of the computer is the way students use it as learning tool, managed by themselves! Certainly, the introduction of new information technology is available to schools a unique means of improvement of intelligence.
Today, there are more over 2.1 billion Internet users. And if anyone thinks that this has no effect on aims facing the education system, he is profoundly mistaken. Mankind is moving rapidly from the global computer network to a worldwide learning society, a society of interactive and independent students. Even some of today's methods and techniques of production, transportation, finance, and other causes young people today wonder as it are some relics of the archaic age.
According to international forecasts "Internet users will have access to the entire volume of the experience accumulated by humanity on Earth, to the collective knowledge and wisdom gathered over the past 5000 years - all written human history" by 2020. This has far-reaching implications for the future world community. Traditionally, universities spread knowledge without restrictions. Internet, as we know, also grew out of this desire.
Modern schools have in their structures Cyber, digital and electronic universities, using Internet technology (network technologies), provide access to higher education without the daily visits of the university by student. And young people, especially those who have the desire, ability and resources to create their businesses, and we have a lot of senior students move to distance educating or try to enter the Cyber universities, which is much cheaper ( it is not necessary to spend their own money on travel, accommodation, meals, but university degree is the same). And the quality of the knowledge, the experience of electronic universities in Japan, the UK, South Korea, Cyber universities in the U.S., is not worse than intramural training, because close contact between students and teachers, thanks to computers, the Internet, software, and wireless communication with the scientific research centers around the world, providing instant consultation, establishes.
Computer programs and we all know it, act as interactive tutors on various academic disciplines and areas of knowledge. Therefore we have to take full advantage of the explosive development of electronic communications and combine them with new teaching methods of educating. This is an example, leading to the fact that NEFU could accept "virtual students" from different countries. On the 1st of October we have to open the International Scientific school on permafrost in Yakutia for those who will live and work in a global cooling in future. As you know, an advantage or superiority - it is not just outstanding results of outstanding students, but also additional knowledge that university gives, responding to the specific learning needs in teaching individual people. 74 teachers of NEFU have original programs, know foreign languages at high level and can teach online. NEFU students, wishing to enter in Cambridge, Busan, Hankuk and other universities - those who are planning their professional careers related to the NEFU and the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences will attend the school.
Some foreign experts call the future as "new economy of services." Industry is developing rapidly in rich countries, but the number of vacant positions is axed in ten times, because products are manufactured with the help of computers, automation and robots, not manpower, as in the twentieth century. Economists forecast goes like this: "By 2020, most people in developed countries to work on ourselves." Today, everyone is an independent manager of the future. But education, according to many, is still reminiscent of the obsolete industrial production methods: a standard conveyor courses, divided in subject, taught by blocks, divided into classes or courses, controlled by means of tests and examinations. And this program does not reflect current realities. Investigations, conducted in many universities, show that, for example, a few students retain information of the presented at the lecture. For many universities in the U.S. the major innovation was the use of the benefits of information technology to change the traditional lecture system of teaching. A bright example of this - is Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, which in 90 years has been recognized as the undisputed leader in the field of information technology and who in 1986 became the first American university established in the overall campus computer network. As you know, now it is possible to transfer most of the outstanding teachers and education experts in such forms which, in turn, can be instantly available to anyone who need them - anywhere, anytime.
Today, the teacher, who knows the course material, plays the role of "adviser, standing next to the student" and not "the sage, broadcasting from the scene." Much is written about the fact that in some universities, faculties and departments resist giving up their traditional lecture form of teaching, but the situation is changing by leaps and bounds. All universities, occupying the rating place in the top hundred universities, are making some of the best courses on the modern educational technologies for students, bachelors, masters and doctorates. Typically, the physical presence on the courses required only two or three times a year for a week. All the rest training goes online.
The NEFU main task for the coming school year is to retrain all teachers, so that they would know how to combine the best global information technology with the best way of teaching and learning in the world. In this area, there are different models (often in isolation from each other). And we, acting to common sense, must take measures for their association. Thus, we teach ourselves and the world to learn a new way. I hope for all departments, faculties, institutes and management, even I want to offer the motto of the year "Strong university relies on strong units." Pioneers are IMI, BGF, IYCN, IFPR, HF, MPTI, we invite to join the PI, then IP, MF, GRF, NTI, etc. It is very important self-esteem and desire to learn! As you know, lower expectations lead to low results. Comparing our work with others, we see a potential for successful competition in the country and in the world, we are looking for ways to create a modern university, guaranteed exemplary education and the best rating in many academic disciplines. We know that the governments and the public in many developed countries of the world are interested in maximizing the return of its investment in universities. Two years of our joint activities have shown that we can achieve great things. University fulfills its obligations under the Development Program and state task to training the staff. But we do not have a stable ability to attract the best students and do not have a high concentration of talented teachers well-known in the world. Rather, our talented teachers are unknown in the world. In general, NEFU to become competitive in the country and in the world and has received international recognition with the appropriate status, we have to work together very hard to change a lot, become more demanding and mutual responsibility.
As physicists say, "We cannot divide the world into mutually independent particles. Penetrating deep into the matter, we see that in nature there are no isolated "building blocks" - rather, there is a complex network of relationships and interactions between different parts of a single whole."
We have to work together, to be able to overcome any barriers and create system of education, integrated with the best universities in the world, based on the laws of harmony and momentary communications.
I think we all have an understanding of how we learn and will learn. On a par with the students, we can enkindle in ourselves the thirst for knowledge, which we experienced in childhood and adolescence. We have common dreams, values, goals, and they exist in the context of the global community. We must combine our talents and abilities in a network of collective wisdom and encourage each young person to develop their unique talents and contribute to the common goal.
We should strive for excellence in everything, whatever university did! In practice, this means that we need to formulate our competitive advantage and consider how they can be used and developed. On the 7th of October this year, it will be exactly two years as President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin signed a Development Program for NEFU 2010-2019. On 25th -27th of October we will take an International Conference "Science and Education in the XXI century: the role of the University in the innovative development of the region."
In November we will hold a conference, where Strategy for further development of NEFU, the concept of financial and economic stability of the university and the concept of business activities of the University will be reviewed and submitted for approval of the Academic Council. The plan for the institutes and faculties, members of VTK need concrete suggestions and new ideas.
Dear colleagues, today we combined a joint report, the first part answers the question "What did we do? What are our achievements? How are we working?" with the results of the university in areas represented by the administration. V.M. Savvinov, director of the Institute for Advanced Technology in Education, told about the list of indicators to measure the activity effectiveness of federal institutions and their affiliates. All is clear. All state universities in Russia will be involved in the ratings, the results of their work will be analyzed and compared, and, of course, the evaluation. And it is inevitable.
Dear colleagues, I offer you the five major directions of the university, they are presented in different view, which is why they are conceptualized as problems and challenges. These directions must have "content". Until November we gradually develop a plan of action to strengthen the foundations of the federal university, especially the library and information structure, teaching and research laboratory facilities, to change the methods and techniques of teaching, research, and services, to achieve significant results on the quality of teaching of mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, electrical engineering, computer science, law, construction science, and others, to create the leading centers - research schools, etc.
The first direction - is a global competition for talented students. An essential feature of modern society is the universal demand for higher education. But demand does not determine the high status of university education, quality of education and its international recognition. Higher education of children around the world is the main task for the parents. Therefore, it is necessary to work with potential students and their teachers, and parents who work and represent various industries, organizations and institutions. In working with school teachers and their students, we have the first steps: the North-eastern Olympiad to attract talented and enthusiastic people, Olympiad "study and design", association "the North-eastern University Education Area", the program "From the beginning", Small Computer Academy with school robotics, and introduced an annual high bar set lower limits of passing scores for admission to the fiscal and commercial, private scholarships for promising students NEFU on important directions (specialty) of training. For reflection and organization of the schools, I would say that the next orienting point for admission campaign - exam in one subject - at least 60 points for the budget place and 50 points for the commercial place. From this academic year, we are beginning to implement in the educational process English- and French-speaking authors programs for training students of NEFU and attract foreign students. Starting in 2013, they should ensure the beginning of mass education of specialists in various organizations and institutions. In this regard, the Institute of Advanced Training of teachers, having good results in working with teachers from six Russian regions (Yakutia, Magadan, Kamchatka, Chukotka Autonomous District, Khabarovsk and Amur region) will be joined by Center for Continuing Professional Education. We have to create a system of postgraduate education of specialists in different professions, training and retraining.
Perhaps, such measures we will attract attention, call the interest, but the formation of an attractive image and credibility of the institution depends of many factors. Thanks to our students, student associations (KVN team, sporting and cultural activities), their public statements, NEFU gains a reputation as an educational institution, friendly students, on which its popularity among students who are considering NEFU as the first choice is based. But the lower bounds passing scores established by the university itself, do not "miss" a large number of applicants, so NEFU has not high competition (about 6 people per site). We must have a principled position - we accept in NEFU so many students who will be able to provide education of the highest quality! We should be demanding in the selection and do not expand without a good reason. It is clear that the first and most important determinant of quality is a critical mass of good students and good teachers who carefully and responsibly, passion and talent working with students. We will continue to pay great attention to improving the quality of students’ life. In coming years, we need to address three specific problems:
- Reforming the curriculum,
- Accommodation of students and staff on campus,
- The involvement of students into research activities.
II. New systems and methods for education the creative students.
The first and the central function of the university – is to involve students into the most important cultural areas of expertise. We know that this areas are:
1. Physical image of the world (physics)
2. Fundamental issues of organic life (biology)
3. The historical development of the human race (history)
4. Structure and functioning of society (sociology)
5. The Universe (philosophy), and others.
This academic year, I propose to introduce a system of scientific seminars for students of 1-2 courses, for example, 200 seminars a year. Council of Scientific seminars, if you trust, I will lead, I offer well-known teachers to be co-council, supervisors of seminars, for example, a seminar on the physical image of the world – U.M. Grigoriev and V.V. Beskrovanov (PTI), the history – A.I. Gogolev and U.N. Ermolaeva (HF), the sociology - U.S. Borisova and I.I. Podoinitsyna (FEI), philosophy – N.N. Kozhevnikov and A.S. Savvinov (Department of Philosophy). The main controller board, SNS Coordinator I appointed K.K. Krivoshapkin.
Next. The whole world knows about the scientists working in the area of the brain, giving more and more new discoveries. They are essential for education, memory, health, human activity throughout life. And all of this passes beside us and our students. And they probably want to know how the memory works, what concentration of attention is based on, how the process of thinking is being. Young people, I think, will not give up studying and teaching to use themselves and their abilities. Maybe it will sound like a challenge to all standard norms, but we could create an institution or lecturing group of knowledgeable people in the organization to study our thought, basics of brain power, etc., and various "centers of the mind" to give our young people keys to healthy mind and positive intelligence!
Third direction: is function of NEFU professor as the main factor of the formation of the federal university.
Dear colleagues, the List of indicators to measure the effectiveness of the institutions of the 47 positions - 20 are directly dependent on the activities of the professor, the other - indirectly. Today, the university has 178 professors, including 108 ongoing.
Taking into account the true fact that the professor - is the teacher of high level of competence, the expert in a particular field of science or art, and he has the freedom of teaching and research, I would like to ask our distinguished professor with the request to consider ways or methods to achieve efficient work of the University. If to the 1st of October you submit proposals, we will consider them at the first meeting of a new peer-created structures - College professors of NEFU. I suggest introducing one of the ways of public university management, including peer review each other's work in our university. I believe that the Head of Board will be appointed the "bottom", i.e. he will be elected from equals. Head of the Board could be V.D. Mikhailov, K.G. Basharin etc.
Dear colleagues, in the formation and development of the country's leading university, we have made a number of concrete steps. For example, we open staff positions of research professor and professor-mentor.
Member of RAS N.G. Solomonov, academician of the AS of RS(Y), B.M. Kershengolts, and Doctor of Geographical Sciences L.A. Pestryakova agreed to work as professor-researchers.
Nine employees became professor-mentors. They are: professor P.A. Timofeev (BGF), O.S. Kornilova (IFPRS), N.K. Alexeev (IMI), N.M. Okhlopkov (IMI), I.S. Sivtsev (HF), V.P. Kochnev (IPCS), N.E. Petrov (ILKN), R.S. Tazlova (MI), and I.I. Suzdal (PTI).
And they both work very selflessly, with dignity. We summarized the interim results of their work on the 1st of September. Today I want to thank professors for the ability to work with the sincere desire to benefit the home university.
On the 16th of July we annunciated a competition to attract leading scientists from Russia and foreign countries to make scientific research on the basis of NEFU in three fields: applied mathematics, biology, chemistry. The contest received four applications, including:
- Applied mathematics: from Peter Nikolaevich Vabishevich, the doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Professor of the Institute of Nuclear Safety RAS for the solution of applied mathematical modeling problems relevant to areas of the Arctic and the Far North through the use of modern computer technology;
- Biology: from Alexei Matveevich Olovnikov, Ph.D., a leading researcher at the N.M. Emanuel`s Institute of Biochemical Physics of RAS, to study the aging of the brain and the body as a whole;
- Biology: from Ismael Sohbatovich Zulfugarov, professor of Pusan National University of introducing molecular approaches to plant biotechnology research to identify wild plants of the North and the use of stress-adaptive genes;
- Chemistry: from Ho Choi Jin, a graduate of Stanford University, professor of Myongji University, South Korea, to develop a self-lubricating polymer nanocomposites and elastomer materials, efficient to minus 70 degrees.
Now NEFU expert committee is undertaking the procedure and up to the 10th of September Contest winners will be determined. Next year we will hold the contest, which directions, I think, you can prompt. In general, the scientists of high caliber attract other scientists of high caliber.
Finally, on the third direction I want to propose the development and implementation of two new projects:
1. "Professor – is the supervisor of the PLO" (M.U. Prisyajny).
2. "From discovery to mastery" - according to the famous saying of the American physicist and futurist Michio Kaku: "the era of discoveries in science ends, the era of excellence begins" (K.K. Krivoshapkin)
IV. The role of employees as creative structures for effective governance.
For you I put double task this year:
Management: to pre-install and implement short-term goals, attracting others to perform promptly and beforehand.
Leadership: to direct the construction and promotion of the new rules and new ideas, to set more ambitious targets. To move away from the lead, based on the "military pyramid."
Everything should revolve around the student and the teacher! You must clearly and specifically represent what is the North-Eastern Federal University for the country and what it wants to be. Your creative efforts should strengthen and develop the foundations of a modern university, which provides high-quality facilities and effective environment for research and academic activities of both teachers and graduate students (professionally and efficiently equipped buildings and laboratories, highly comfortable campus, friendly and well-trained staff).
A generating of innovative ideas, a variety of basic and applied research, conducting outstanding researches, the level of integration into the economies of the Far East, a stable financial base, attraction of private capital and increase of income of the university depends on your activity. We need to develop two clinics: law and medical, open preschool and elementary school, repair and tidy dormitory, build new dormitories, houses and academic buildings, construction of teaching and laboratory building in Mirny, make serious efforts to optimization of learning places, audit of use of educational and scientific equipment and property of the University.
V. The university as an intellectual center, "Think factory."
We need to create a number of the leading centers in the various areas of social and economic sphere of life of man and society. For example, in 2011, in the faculty of law were created two centers:
- Centre for Legal Research and sustainable development of the Arctic indigenous peoples;
- Centre of Public Law.
The number of faculties and institutes may declare its readiness to implement the best PLO (and possibly copyright) of the best universities in the world, to make proposals for up to the 1st of October. Managers and heads of departments should make proposals for the development of measures to achieve the significant contribution to the development of modern society and Yakutsk, which they can do.
In conclusion, I will say that the great universities are not only beneficial for its time, but also work for the future. I do not think that the "great", "value" world-class universities is composed exclusively of such factors as numerous publications in international journals, availability of super modern laboratories, academic buildings, the "star" professors or additional funding. Today I share with you some thoughts and I wish you candor, trust, patience, willingness to learn and change for the good of the common cause.
For me, the main thing is your attitude to the abovementioned, the work, and the results of our activities.
We are at the beginning of a long journey, and we risk to astray, if we stop for a minute!
Let the winds of change helps us to go faster and all together.
Because, of course, together we are smarter and stronger!