Siberian Federal University

Eugene A. Vaganov, Rector of Siberian Federal University, Professor of Russian Academy of Sciences held a press-conference on the 16th of January, 2009. It was the first Rector’s press-conference with journalists in 2009. During the press-conference, Rector of Siberian Federal University summarized implementation of the SibFU development programme in 2008 and defined university plans for the future.
Rector said that 2350 million rubles were allocated from the Federal budget to implement the SibFU development programme in 2008. 1 billion rubles was allocated from the budget of Krasnoyarsk region to support the SibFU development programme. The budgetary funds were used to invite visiting professors and global-scale specialists, to make educators’ probations and staff refresher courses, to build new blocks, to buy the newest facilities, to support scientific and youth research results, to develop the social sphere.
When asked about the condition of SibFU scientific potential, Eugene A. Vaganov explained that General agreement for cooperation has been recently signed with Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the separate institutions of Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. More than 30 scientists (Doctors and Candidates of Science) of Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences work in Siberian Federal University. 56 Doctors and Candidates of Science from Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences participate in elaboration of teaching materials and development of scientific research. The competition system was organized to provide assistance to research activities which are to be focused on the priority areas of university development. Total budget of competitions was 230 million rubles. Scholars of the University earned 670 million rubles by carrying out research and development activities in 2008. For comparison: the research and development activities earned profit in the amount of 403 million rubles in 2007 and 160 million rubles in 2006. 83 projects amounting to 106 million rubles were sustained in the competition of scientific-methods projects. 27 projects were sustained in the competition focused on co-financing of fundamental research which had been done on order from Russian Scientific Funds (Russian Fund of Federal Property, Russian Humanitarian Science Foundation, Federal Agency for Science and Innovation). 167 scientific youth projects amounting to 20 million rubles were sustained. Within the framework of academic mobility, the number of invitations for visiting professors, scholars from leading universities and research centers of Russia and other countries, specialists in business to do lecturing and make joint research was tripled in 2008.
Rector emphasized the important role of the endowment which is considered to be the long-time additional and stable source of SibFU development. Dmitry A. Medvedev, the President of the Russian Federation, the chairman of the SibFU Board of Guardians personally made the first dotation to form the endowment.
Eugene A. Vaganov informed journalists about university plans for the future. According to the information given by Rector, new SibFU blocks will be built, students will be doing practical training on Krasnoyarsk Sea and Shira Lake, salary will be increased for the faculty and SibFU will get the status of autonomous institution in the near future.
At the end of the press-conference, journalists asked whether Eugene A. Vaganov had planned to desert his Rector’s post. But Rector assured journalists to the contrary. He went on to say that it is impossible to desert his post now because people voted in favor of him with more than 90 % of votes cast two years ago thus giving him benefit of the doubt. «It would be an unethical act if I deserted my post now», pointed out Eugene A. Vaganov.