The enlarged session of RRU’s directorate (March 10, 2010)

At March 10, 2010, the enlarged session of RRU’s directorate took place. The topic was “Russian Higher Education Establishments in world’s education environment. Developing a system of global ratings”. Participants were, among others, RRU’s President, Lomonosov Moscow State University’s Rector, Academician
V.A. Sadovnichiy and Minister for Education and Science A.A. Fursenko, RRU’s directorate members.

Participants were, too, the chief editor of Times Higher Education World University Rankings (UK) Phillip Baty and director of Thomson Reuters science research evaluation department Jonathan Adams.

The results of the meeting were the resolution of RRU’s executive board to express its position on academical mobility of Russian universities, and, besides, a signing of Russia-UK communique on the principles of cooperation between RRU and Times Higher Education at international university rankings.

To the participants of the meeting were presented the results of RRU’s analytic research “Basics to form global educational ratings”.

The Russian Rectors’ Union and Times Higher Education joint communique on the principles of cooperation

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Meeting of the President of Russia’s Rector Union (RRU), Rector of Moscow Lomonosov State University, academician Victor A. Sadovnichiy and Vice-President of German Rectors’ Conference (GRC), rector of Erlangen Uiversity, professor Karl-Dieter Grueske (February 4, 2010).

According to the results of the meeting, the parties has agreed to prepare to sign a cooperation agreement between RRU and GRG.

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New year greetings from President of Russian Rectors' Union, Rector of Lomonosov State University, Vice-President of Academy of Scinces, Academician Victor A. Sadovnichiy (January 1, 2010)

Eurasian conference on university ratings (November 19-20, 2009)

Eurasian conference on university ratings took place at MSU fundamental library – Intellectual Center. Participants of the conference were – RRU’s President, academician Victor A. Sadovnichiy, rectors of Russian and foreign universities, heads of international rating and statistics organizations.

Guests of honor were Mr. Nunzio Quacquarelli – QS executive director and Mr. Andrea Saltelli – head of econometrics and applied statistics department of Euro commission.

Memorandum of the Conference

Meeting with disabled first-year students winners and awardees of Olympiads and other intellectual contests (October 15, 2009).

Аt the International Day of Blinds, in context of RRUs charity program Talent of Overcoming, RRUs President, Chairman of Russian Council of Schoolchildren Olympiads, Rector of Moscow State Lomonosov University, academician
Victor A. Sadovnichiy met with disabled first-year students winners and awardees of Olympiads and other intellectual contests (October 15, 2009).

Other participants at the meeting were RF Human Rights Commissioner V.P. Lukin; Deputy Chairman of State Dumas education committee, Vice-President of all-Russia Blinds Society O.N. Smolin; Vice-President of RRU, Rector of Moscow State Technical University (Baumann), academician I.B. Fedorov; Director of Scientific Center of Cardio-Vascular Surgery, President of Nations Health League, academician
L.A. Bokeria; editor-in-chief of Odnako magazine, TV journalist, political scientist
M.V. Leontiev; chiefs of particularized schools; figures of culture and art.

About the International “White Cane” Day

It started in 1921, when an Englishman James Beags, professional photographer, got blind in an accident. He tried to conduct active and self-dependent life. In order to be distinguished from ordinary pedestrians with walking sticks, he has painted his cane white. He advised to do so to other blinds.

Decades after, namely in 1969, October 15 became the “White Cane Day”.

Traditionally, at this day, civil society organizations conduct seminars, lectures, meetings in order to remind that there are those who are unable to see all the colors of our world, living nearby. Moreover, it is not only to remind, but also to try to understand them. “Tolerance, Equal rights, Integration” – these are the most common mottos of this day.

Extracts from the address of academician Victor A. Sadovnichiy

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Russia’s history has a lot of evidence to prove that the real strength of a nation is not only economical or defense might, but spirit to fortify people to overcome hardships and to reach new heights.

Today, during our country’s qualitative growth, we must remember it and teach our youth accordingly. We need consolidation of all country’s institutions, which are able to mobilize our society towards spiritual strengthening.

Special significance lays on Russian education system, traditionally responsible for keeping social vector of its activity – to serve for a human and society. We have no right to dispute and change this vector.

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We must admit that basic, crucial problem is that of broken traditions of civil coexistence – to take care of children, to respect elders, to help weak.

Today educational institutions are called upon to not only deliver knowledge and train in a profession, to serve a social lift for children from remote corners of our country. It is time for them to participate in high social mission – to restore ideological dominants.

Different socially vulnerable groups (orphans, invalids, pensioners) are now getting ever-increasing government support.

A year ago, special Presidential council, dealing with invalid’s affairs, was formed. It gave a mighty impulse to development of social processes in this area.

A significant financial support is provided by volunteers and enthusiasts from business community.

Invaluable spiritual care is rendered by Church.

Still, certain vacuum exists in intellectual and educational support of talented disabled children.

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Why do we help them so little in their education, in applying their talents – in their full-fledged socialization?

Some time ago, RRU has decided to render a special care for talented disabled children. You know that some of them had shown stunning results at school Olympiads. They were marked at the charity gala “Talent of Overcoming”, held during the IX RRU Congress.

At the Congress, President D. Medvedev has expressed his support to RRU’s move “Talent of Overcoming” and has proposed to make special care of talented disabled children RRU’s system project.

The idea is now being realized as an all-Russia project of intellectual support of disabled children.

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Presently, there is a biased discussion in our society about possibilities, offered by Government to disabled children during their entrance to universities.

Unforgivable exaggerations at mass media and rumors have distorted the real situation. They say that invalids’ benefits infringe upon other children’s rights, that more than a half of entrants are benefit ones and so on.

In reality, according to Ministry of Education and Science, just 3% of entrants enjoy different benefits. A number of disabled children within these are much less.

Today we should discuss the ways to improve benefit procedures, rather than pass social sentence on our children.

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The results of this year entrance campaign for disabled children are symptomatic.

Socially

On the one hand, public discussion has shown that society does not want to return to “Help weak” approach. On the other hand, it made clear that our society is diverse in health – not only nationally and religiously.

Being diverse, our society is unique in talent and creative potential. It is unforgivable not to let this potential to develop.

Morally

Educational community has realized the necessity of widening limits of its social mission towards intellectual support of disabled children.

We rely on cultural workers. Now, when many libraries are closed, when museums and concerts become inaccessible, they can help to restore the patronage system and deliver lectures and concerts to orphanages and special education facilities.

Professionally

We have discovered that while declaring the necessity of inclusion of invalids into society, we have done little.

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The biggest problem for universities with disabled students is a lack of infrastructure for their adequate studies and life.

We need to adopt accordingly medical facilities, catering, dormitories, services etc.

We have stunning examples. Since 1934, there is a special faculty at Baumann University for disabled technical geniuses. Unfortunately, similar examples are extremely rare.

The evident problem is the existing system of enrollment, in particular, the absence of balance between benefits and other university entrants’ possibilities.

The solution is not the total abolition of benefits for invalids during their enrollment. It is hard to forecast social reaction in this case. We need to “fine-tune” the system.

We can reserve to a particular university the right to decide the level of its social responsibility in support of talented disabled children.

It is clear – if we follow this track, we see our society solid and our country – strong.

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Proposals of the meeting’s participants

• To develop and approve special recommendations for Russian Council of School Olympiads to facilitate wider participation of disabled children in Olympiads starting from this year on.
  
  
• To conduct a year-long cycle of popular scientific lectures at boarding schools for disabled children by RRU’s means.
  
  
• To support Ministry of Education and Science’s proposals to let disabled children to attend access courses.
  
  
• To consider legislative initiative for allow to every university to set own rules of disabled children’s enrollment, thus determining the university’s level of social responsibility.
  
  
• To realize by RRU’s means complex program of translation of basic university textbooks into Braile and similar. )
  
  
• To develop universities’ infrastructure for disabled students (special faculties, social support offices, dormitories, libraries, laboratories, grants and endowments).
  
  
• To consider the idea of engagement of disabled students in patronizing of the younger invalids and school Olympiads.
  
  
• To support development of RRU’s portal “Talent of Overcoming” as basic site for interactive communication of disabled children with university community in order to develop and support young talents.

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Address of the RRU's President, Academician V.A.Sadovnichiy on occasion of the Day of Knowledge (September 1, 2009)

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Аt Intellectual Center - Fundamental Library of the Moscow State Lomonosov University the IX Congress of Russian Rectors Union was held (March 19-21, 2009).

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Strategic Initiative of the Russian Rector's Union
"The New Educational Dimension"

"Measures to develop education can no way be reduced to overcoming of current crisis. In this context, I endorse the strategic initiative New educational dimension". From the speech of RF President D. Medvedev at the IX Congress of RRU "I would like to congratulate you heartily, if you accept the RRU's strategic initiative, named New educational dimension". From the speech of the Holy Patriarch Moscow and all Russia Kirill at the IX Congress of RRU

Addresses

Address of the President of Russian Federation D.A. Medvedev

Address of the Holy Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Kirill

In context of the IX Congress of RRU, an act of charity Talent of Overcoming to support talented disabled children was held (March 19, 2009).

Acts goal:

- To draw Russias scientific-educational communitys attention to the necessity of more active support of disabled children;

- To help socializing disabled children as full-fledged members of Russias society;

- To help obtaining the necessary teaching aids to optimize learning process for disabled children.

By rectors of higher education establishments of federal districts, disabled children from different regions of Russia were invited. They have shown their high intellectual potential and exceptional purposefulness and remarkable capacity for work at different Olympiads and contests.

Participants in this charity act were:

President of RRU, academician V.A. Sadovnichiy, Vice-Presidents of RRU,
V.N. Vasiliev, S.S. Naboichenko, N.V. Pustovoy, academician I.B. Fedorov, President of Nations Health League, Director of cardio-vascular scientific center
L.A. Bokeria, Chairman of State Dumas education committee G.A. Balykhin, members of RRU, members of Russias school Olympiads Union.

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New year greetings from President of Russian Rectors' Union, Rector of Moscow Lomonosov State University, Vice-President of Academy of Sciences, Acadimician Victor A. Sadovnichiy.

To use Higher School potential in development and implementation of supercomputer technologies in Russian education, science and industry more effectively Supercomputer consortium of Russia’s universities was set up under the auspices of Russia Rectors’ Union(December 23, 2009). Participants of the Consortium are Moscow State Lomonosov University, Nizhny-Novgorod State Lobachevsky University, Tomsk State University, and South-Urals State University.

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December 5, 2008 Condolences on occasion of Moscow and All-Russia Holy Patriarch's Alexi II.

At November 5, 2008, President of Russian Federation Dmitry A. Medvedev addressed to the Federal Assembly.
”… The revival of Russian educational system must play the key role in forming of new generation of professionals…
… The educational system literally creates personality and forms nation’s way of life. It transfers nation’s values to future generations …
… Government soon will ratify the strategy of Russian education’s development. Its realization will continue both in context of national project and on recently approved legislation basis”.

The session of Presidential Council for Science, Technology and Education was held. The subject of the session was development of secondary education in Russian Federation (October 15, 2008, St. George’s Hall of the Moscow Kremlin)

”… I believe it is proper to support several ideas made public here. Victor A. Sadovnichiy put two of them forward, namely – setting up of Coordinative Council on School Education to work out a strategy of general education in Russia and declaring of 2010 ”Year of Teacher”. ”Year of Teacher” – it is good in principle. It is important to accompany it with real changes in teacher’s status and real new possibilities. If we do it, it must not be a vague, formal action, – I give the commission”.

President of Russian Federation
Dmitry A. Medvedev

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September 16, 2008, another charter plane has delivered the second batch of humanitarian aid from RRU to South-Ossetia’s Tibilov State University.
More than 200 higher education institutions participated in collecting of textbooks and manuals to restore library fund, destroyed during the August military operations in Tzkhinval.
In that way, the unique library, comprising of the best examples of textbooks and manuals is being created by efforts of Russia’s university community.
RRU plans to help and advise constantly on the work of the newly established library.
A word of the South Ossetia A.A. Tibilov State University’s rector
Program of humanitarian aid from RRU to South-Ossetia’s Tibilov State University
Poligraphic complex (printing plant) – humanitarian aid from RRU to South-Ossetia’s Tibilov State University

The meeting of the Presidium of the Russia’s Academy of Sciences on topic “Universities on their way to the new quality of education” (June 18, 2008)
June 18, 2008, the Presidium of the Russia’s Academy of Sciences held the meeting on topic “Universities on their way to the new quality of education”. Within the meeting, the discussion of the problems, touched at the MSU forum, held June 10, were continued. Participants at the meeting were: President of the Russia’s Academy of Sciences (RAS), academician Yu.S. Osipov, Vice-Presidents of Russia’s Academy of Sciences, academicians V.A. Sadovnichiy, N.P. Laverov, G.A. Mesiats, J.I. Alferov, A.F. Andreev, other members of the Presidium, Deputy of RF Minister for Science and Education I.I. Kalina, representatives of Russia Rectors’ Union – vice-President of RRU, rector of Bauman Technical University, academician I.B. Fedorov, President of Association for development of pedagogical universities, rector of the Moscow State Pedagogical University, academician V.L. Matrosov, President of the State University of Liberal Studies, academician A.O. Chubarian, President of A.M.Gorki’s UGU, corresponding member of RAS V.E. Tretiakov, rector of Moscow Physical-Technical Institute, corresponding member of RAS N.N. Kudriavtsev, rector of MSIET, corresponding member of RAS Yu.A. Chaplygin, member of RRU’s board of directors, President of Higher Education Institutions Development Assistance Association, rector of KBGU B.S. Karamurzov, rector of National Economy Academy attached to the RF Government, V.A. Mau and others.

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The “Universities on their way to the new quality of education” forum (June 10, 2008)
June 10, 2008, by joint initiative of RRU’s President, rector of Lomonosov MSU, academician V.A. Sadovnichiy and RF Education and Science Minister A.A. Fursenko under the aegis of RRU in the Lomonosov MSU’s premises the “Universities on their way to the new quality of education” forum was held.
Speech of welcome by V.A. Sadovnichiy
Speech of welcome by A.A. Fursenko
Representatives of educational, scientific and business communities, actually for the first time, at the professional level, in the form of open discussion, considered the future education philosophy – with several State institutions’ participation as the interested parties.
The key discussion issues were:
How to motivate the higher professional education system under the completely new society’s state and new strategy of the State development;
How to aim the higher education system and national education system towards to complete renovation of theirs aims, tasks and content;
How to modernize educational technologies and scientific researches;
How to support the creative thought of children and youth more actively.
Participants were:
President of RRU, rector of Lomonosov MSU, vice-President and academician of Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) V.A. Sadovnichiy, RF Education and Science Minister A.A. Fursenko, Deputy Chairman of the RF State Duma V.V. Volodin, Deputy Chairman of RF Council of Federation M.E. Nikolaev, vice-President and academician of RAS V.V. Kozlov, executive vice-President of the Russia’s Union of Industrialists and Employers A.G. Svinarenko, Director of Scientific Center for Heart&Vessels Surgery, President of Nation’s Health League, Chairman of Public Chamber’s commission for healthful way of life, sports and tourism L.A. Bokeria, Chairman of RF State Duma’s committee for Education G.A. Balykhin, Chairman of RF State Duma’s committee for Science and High-Tech, academician V.A. Chereshnev, rectors and presidents of over 300 higher education institutions from Russia and other CIS countries.

Forum’s Program

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The Partnership Agreement between the Russian Rectors’ Union and the Russian Machine Builders’ Union
At March 06, 2008, the Partnership Agreement between the Russian Rectors’ Union (RRU) and the Russian Machine Builders’ Union (RMBU) was signed. Participants at the ceremony were President of RRU, academician V.A.Sadovnichyi, Chairman of RMBU S.V.Chemezov, Vice-President of RRU, Chairman of Rectors’ Union of Central Federal District, Moscow and Moscow Region, member of the RRU’s Central Council Bureau I.B.Fedorov, Vice-President of the RRU, Chairman of St-Petersburg Rectors’ Union V.N.Vasiliev, Chairman of Rectors’ Union of Siberian Federal District N.V.Pustovoy and others.

The Agreement with RMBU, which unites the machine-building enterprises and related branches of industry, is the first document signed by RRU with a branch association.

This is an important step towards a practical realization of strategic partnership agreements between RRU and the biggest domestic business unions, adopted at the VIII Congress of the RRU.

Plan of main events of the Russian Rectors' Union for 2008

New Year Greetings from President of Russian Rectors' Union, Moscow State Lomonosov University Rector, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Victor A.Sadovnichiy

Address of the Council of Russian Rectors’ Union to scientific-educational community of Russia “INTELLECTUAL POTENTIAL of INNOVATIVE RUSSIA" (November 20, 2007).

The round table meeting of rectors of European and Russian universities (November 10, 2007)
In the context of the 17th Assembly of Universities of European Capitals Association (UNICA), the round table meeting of rectors of European and Russian universities was held.
Participants of the meeting are: Yu.M. Luzhkov - Moscow mayor, V.A. Sadovnichiy - President of RRU, academician, A. Mattinger - President of UNICA, members of RRU: A.I. Vladimirov, N.N. Gritsenko, Yu.S. Karabasov, P.D. Sarkisov, A.S. Sigov.
At the meeting, the agreement on cooperation between the Universities of European Capitals Association (UNICA) and All-Russia Non-Government Organization “Russian Rectors’ Union” (RRU) was signed.

Higher School establishments of Russian Federation and People’s Republic of China rectors’ forum (September 04-07, 2007)
In the context of the Year of China in Russia, the leading higher school establishments of Russian Federation and People’s Republic of China rectors’ forum was held. The forum main topic was : “The role of international cooperation in the higher education quality increase”. The forum was held under auspices of Education and Science Ministry of the Russian Federation and Education Ministry of People’s Republic of China.
In Forum’s work participated: Member of the State Council of People’s Republic of China Mrs. Chen Zhili, The Head of the Federal Agency for Education Mr. G.A. Balykhin, President of Russia Rectors’ Union (RRU) Mr. V.A. Sadovnichiy, Vice-President of RRU Mr. I.B. Fedorov, Vice-President of RRU Mr. V.N. Vasiliev, Vice-President of RRU Mr. V.G. Grigorenko, other rectors of the leading higher school institutions of Russia and China.
Forum’s work resulted in unanimously adopted Declaration, prepared by RRU staff.

Speeches of:
Mrs. Chen Zhili - Member of the State Council of People’s Republic of China;

Mr. G.A. Balykhin - Head of the Federal Agency for Education;

Mr. V.A. Sadovnichiy - President of Russia Rectors’ Union (RRU), rector of the Moscow State Lomonosov University.

The 35 anniversary of creation of Rectors' Councils (July 18, 2007)
July 18, 2007 is a historic date for Russia Rectors Union. This day, 35 years ago, the decree of CC CPSU and Council of Ministers “About measures for further improvement of higher education in the Soviet Union” was published. This decree initiated the forming of regional rectors’ unions of higher education institutions.

I.B.Fedorov about history of Rectors’ Council of Moscow and Moscow Region

Other events