Russia
Russia
ITMO University (Information Technologies, Mechanics and Optics University; Russian: Университет ИТМО) is a state-supported university in Saint Petersburg and is one of Russia's National Research Universities. ITMO University is one of 15 Russian universities that were selected to participate in Russian Academic Excellence Project 5-100 by the government of the Russian Federation to improve their international standing among the world's research and educational centers.
Research priorities of ITMO University are concentrated in information and photonic technologies. The university consists of four main schools, 14 faculties, and a number of institutes and research centers. As of 2020, the total number of students was over 12,500, with 2,450 being foreign nationals. In 2014, the university employed 1,163 instructors, including over 800 PhDs. Many of its staff members and researchers have received government awards and designations of "honored science worker," the highest in Russia.
Vladimir Vasilyev has been the university's Rector since 1996.
The university's birthday is considered to be 26 March 1900, when a Mechanics, Optics and Watchmaking Department was opened in the Prince Nicholas Vocational School. At the time it was the only school in the Russian Empire that prepared specialists in these areas. The first year, some 65 applications were received for 30 places. Eighteen students were admitted to Watchmaking and 18 to Mechanics and Optics sections.
In 1917 the Mechanics, Optics and Watchmaking Department became its own entity–Petrograd Technical College for Mechanics, Optics and Watchmaking. Norbert Boleslavovich Zavodsky became its headmaster. In 1920, most of its classes were transformed into Petrograd College for Fine Mechanics and Optics (later–Leningrad). The municipalities allocated a building for it in Demidov Pereulok (Pereulok Grivtzova). The colleges' manufacturing facilities made a variety of complex optical and fine mechanics products. The first in USSR group of instrument engineers graduated here in 1931.
In 1930, the college was transformed into Leningrad Training Center, and in 1933, Leningrad Institute of Fine Mechanics and Optics (LIFMO) became a separate college. Its first research laboratory was established in the Department of Optical Glass Technologies. Thanks to research here the USSR could get away from importing expensive foreign abrasives.
In 1937, LITMO opened the first in the USSR laboratory for calculating machinery that was later transformed into the Department of Mathematical and Computing Devices. By the autumn of 1939 it became one of the institute's top departments and focused on developing electromechanical computing devices and control devices. By 1940, it had over 1,400 students and employed 27 professors as well as 80 associated professors and PhDs.
With the beginning of the Second World War, 189 students and 85 staff members went to the front lines, while over 450 joined the People's Militia. Classes continued and only at the end of 1942 the students and instructors were evacuated to the town of Cherapanovo by Novosibirsk.
During the Siege of Leningrad, LIFMO continued to operate a military repair facility for the Leningrad front. It fabricated test and measurement instruments for army and navy units. During the Siege, the facility developed improved optical sights, fixed artillery binoculars, gun panoramas, anti-aircraft sighting telescopes, periscopes, machined "cups" for anti-aircraft shells and parts for land and sea mines.
After the Siege was lifted, the re-evacuation document was signed on August 10, 1944. The students and instructors returned to the city, and classes started again that October.
The university has a multi-level system of higher education: bachelor–4 years, specialist–5 years, master–2 years, post-graduate–3–4 years.
Since 2013/14 ITMO is partnering with universities in Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Finland, France, among others, to participate in "double degree" international educational programs. ITMO graduates of these programs receive a second degree from a partner university.
The university collaborates with large St. Petersburg companies, including Elektropribor, LOMO, Mendeleev Institute for Metrology. The university supports a variety of scholarships: President of the Russian Federation, The Government of the Russian Federation, the Government of St. Petersburg, special scholarships in math, physics, IT, Research Council scholarship, name scholarship by LOMO and other companies. Students and staff carry out research and project activities on their own and as part of programs funded by the state and international contracts, federal and industry targeted programs. The university organizes and hosts competitions, congresses (for example, the annual "Young Scientists Congress"), forums, research conferences, including international ("Sensorica," "Fundamental Problems of Optics," etc.). In 2013, the university was one of the venues for the Russian National Student Forum.
The university has participated in student and instructor exchange programs financed by organizations, including the DAAD. ITMO is a member of the Association of European Universities. It also collaborates with foreign universities, including UCLA and ITESM.
ITMO University is one of two St. Petersburg universities–members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. SCO University offers involved learning where students work based on individual plans, learn about life in a different country and thus add to their education at their "home" university. At graduation, SCO University students receive a regular diploma and a special certificate.
The university is part of the Association of Technical Universities of Russia and China, founded in 2011, and participates in joint educational programs with the leading universities in China. This non-commercial organization unites technical universities of both countries and facilities student and instructor exchange. It was originally established at Harbin Institute of Technology and Bauman Technical University in Moscow.
Several times ITMO University students won "Yandex. Algorithm" programming championship, organized by one of Russia's internet companies. It's not a student competition per se but open to participants over 17. In 2013, it welcomed over 3,000 programmers from 84 countries and several large companies, including Google, Facebook and Vkontakte. That same year ITMO students took gold and silver, and in 2014–gold again, followed by another gold in 2015.
Institute of Design & Urban Studies
Institute of Translational Medicine
Since 1996, the Rector of the university is the Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation, Chairman of the Council of Rectors of St. Petersburg (2004), vice-president of the Russian Union of Rectors (2006), corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Education, corresponding member Russian Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor Vladimir Vasilyev.
ITMO University collaborates on research and innovations projects with several large Russian companies, including LOMO, D.I. Mendeleyev Institute for Metrology (VNIIM), Techpribor, Elektropribor, etc. The university signed an agreement to create the Northwestern Center for Technology Transfer to become one of 12 nano-centers around Russia. Originally it was supposed to be in the town of Gatchina. In 2015 it was opened in St. Petersburg on Malookhtenskii Prospect. Another joint project with Rusnano is "Innograd of Science and Technologies." It was expected to open by 2019 in the satellite city Yuzhny. Rusnano was investing 690 million rubles in its equipment. Construction was scheduled to begin in 2015 in the town of Pushkin, near St. Petersburg.
In 2012, a "Skolkovo" communications center was supposed to open on the campus of the former Institute of Refrigeration and Biotechnologies of ITMO, but the plans were altered. That same year the university signed a memorandum with RSV Venture Partners Foundation to establish a $6 million fund for IT startups. In 2013, Internet Initiatives Development Fund offered ITMO University to collaborate in opening regional accelerators to support commercially promising internet startups.
University's list of international partners over the years includes General Motors Corp., PPG, Samsung Electro-Mechanics, Nokia and others.
Students and staff members of over 80 departments participate in research. Many of them are working in "small innovative enterprises," or startups, located at ITMO Technopark on Birzhevaya Liniya, offering access to high-tech equipment.
As part of the Project 5–100, Technopark opened a coworking space called FabLab in 2015, which also offered facilities and resources, including a 3D printer, a laser engraver, a milling machine, etc. The equipment is offered free of charge to the ITMO University specialists and students.
In 2009, the university was granted the status of National Research University. It implies carrying out research in areas considered key to the development of Russia's economy, including IT, photonics, optoinformatics, and urban science.
As part of the Project 5–100, the university created international research centers to carry out joint research between scientists at ITMO and their peers at foreign research and education centers. By 2014 the university had established 49 such entities with co-heads from the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, China, etc.
In order to strengthen governmental support for the development of science and innovations in higher education and to improve the quality of higher education, on April 9, 2010, the Government of the Russian Federation instituted monetary grants that were made available on a competitive basis to support of scientific research projects implemented by the world's scientists at Russian institutions of higher learning. From some 507 applications, 39 were awarded funding, including two from ITMO University. In 2013 ITMO University won two more mega-grants from the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia Federation.
In 2017, the university initiated the ITMO Highpark project, which entails the creation of a research, education, and innovation center with the university's second campus as its core. The future campus will be situated in the south of St. Petersburg, in the vicinity of Pulkovo Airport. The university administration's proposal was supported by the Governor of St. Petersburg and the Russian Government. On October 13, 2017, the Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed the corresponding executive order; on October 17, he made an official announcement of the project's launch at the Open Innovations forum.
ITMO University's second campus, along with a Techno Valley and a Business Park, will be situated on an area of 87 hectares. The second campus, which will include an academic building, three research centers, a student club, a sports facility, dormitories, and a science museum, will cover an area of 41 hectares, with the total area of all interior spaces being approximately 100,000 sq.m. The campus will be home to ITMO's Master's and doctoral programs that are focused on applied research and its commercialization. The university's buildings in central St. Petersburg will remain in use by Bachelor's programs and Master's programs focused on fundamental science.
The Techno Valley is described as "a site for objects of scientific, innovative, and production infrastructure established by businesses and startups". Its total area will equal 16 hectares. In the future, it is planned to become an Innovative Research and Technology Center (IRTC), which will offer tax concessions to businesses.
The Business Park will be the site of a National Center for Urban Studies, a Data Processing Center, a business incubator, and various other objects of business and cultural infrastructure. The total area allocated for the Business Park is 4 hectares.
By 2024, 3,600 students are expected to study at ITMO Highpark; the campus is said to provide 12,000 jobs and host 5 innovative production facilities and approximately 50 international laboratories.
The project's scientific area of focus is in applied research and fields such as intelligent technologies, cyberphysical systems, photonics, quantum technologies, and biochemistry. The resident businesses' areas of activity will aim to develop the markets of urban studies, safe/smart cities, the exploration of new territories, extreme environments and virtual worlds, and creative industries.
ITMO Highpark's cost is estimated to be more than 41 billion rubles; of that amount, 53% is said to be invested from the federal budget, 12% from the city's budget, and 35% provided by private investors.
Along with training aids, ITMO University produces a variety of publications. To celebrate the university's 100 anniversary in 2000 it launched two series of books: "National Research University ITMO: Years and People," and monographs "Outstanding People of ITMO University."
The official newspaper "ITMO University" has been in print since 1931. Launched as "New Talent," it has changed its name several times over the eras: "For Precise Instrumentation," "Instrument Builder," "New Talent for Instrumentation." In 1956 it was halted due to budget cuts and reemerged in 1994 as "Technical University ITMO" but was not produced on a regular basis. In 2013, it came out twice a year. Since 2015 it became a monthly, with the exception of summer months, and offers an extended version online.
Scientific journals
"Proceedings of Higher Educational Institutions. Instrumentation." The journal was among the scientific publications launched by the Ministry of Higher Education in 1957. The first issue "Proceedings of USSR Universities–Instrumentation" came out in January 1958. In 1991, some 3,000 copies of 12 issues were published annually and delivered by subscription. In 1992 the circulation dropped sharply and by 1997 only 9 issues were published annually. Since 2015 it's back to 12 issues a year.
"Scientific and Technical Gazette of IT, Mechanics and Optics." Originally launched in 1936, it was reestablished in 2001. It 2011 it got its current name. It comes out 6 times a year and is indexed.
"Nanosystems: Physics, Chemistry, Math." 6 issues a year. Indexed.
"Optical Journal." Launched in 1931. 12 issues a year. Indexed.
"Scientific Journal of NRU ITMO." Series "Refrigeration technology and air conditioning." Electronic edition comes out twice a year. Launched in 2007. Since 2013 titled "The Journal of the Institute of Refrigeration and Biotechnology".
"Scientific Journal of NRU ITMO." Series "Processes and Food Processing Equipment." Electronic edition comes out four times a year. Launched in 2006 as a collection of papers, it became a scientific periodical in 2008. Before 2013 it was titled "The Journal of the Institute of Refrigeration and Biotechnology." Indexed.
"Scientific Journal of NRU ITMO." Series "Economics and Eco Management." Electronic edition comes out four times a year. Launched in 2007. Before 2013 it was titled "The Journal of the Institute of Refrigeration and Biotechnology." Indexed.
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Улс: Russia