On July 19, a meeting of the SSU Academic Council took place. The guest of the event was Chief Federal Inspector of Saratov region Vitalii Slastnoi, who was invited to solemnly present certificates to young researchers – the winners of presidential grants.

SSU Rector Aleksei Chumachenko noted that Saratov University successfully participates in grant competitions annually. This year, four SSU employees have been among the winners of the grant competition from the President of the Russian Federation aimed at state financial support of young Russian scientists, candidates and doctors of sciences: Associate Professor of the Department of Dynamic Modelling and Biomedical Engineering Yekaterina Borovkova, Associate Professor of the Department of Radiotechnology and Electrodynamics Mikhail Slepchenkov, Associate Professor of the Department of Medical Physics Andrei Fomin, and Associate Professor of the Department of Open Systems Physics Maksim Zhuravlyov.

At the meeting of the Academic Council, Head of Priority Projects and Programmes Elena Yelina delivered the report on the University Development Programme drawn up for the Priority 2030 competition of Russian universities. On May 13, 2021, there was issued the Resolution of the Russian Government On Measures of Implementing the Priority 2030 Programme of Strategic Academic Leadership. On June 24, the Minister of Science and Higher Education Valerii Falkov launched the Programme which will last for ten years.

Elena Yelina commented that the Programme would be assessed, according to the ambition criterion in the following areas: an increase in the share of extra-budgetary income at the university, an increase in money received by the university from scientific achievements, innovations, implemented technological solutions per one academic staff member; the emphasis is on further education –both advanced training and professional retraining, with the student population growth and the amount of money earned being important here.

Another sign of the programme ambitiousness is the university team work in consortia – established and officially formed partnerships, which include scientific and industrial organisations as well as innovative enterprises. Another ambition indicator is the share of the teaching staff under 39, and this share is expected to grow by 2030. Today, the university surpasses the average number ​​in Russia in this indicator: the average share for universities is 10%, in TOP 5-100 universities – 21%, in SSU – 25%. The contest is attended by universities, industry, and for the first time – arts universities. The programme assumes two competitive stages and two possible ways of development of the university determined by the university at application.

The programme was unanimously recommended for applying for the Priority 2030 contest.