By 2020 university will transform into a world class research university

10:48, April 1, 2015

Victor Koksharov announced key objectives of the university for the next 5 years

On March 31, press conference was held at the university press center. Victor Koksharov, the Rector of Ural Federal University, told the media about the upcoming admission campaign and about future of the leading university of the Urals.

Victor Koksharov noted that in the coming years, the university will make a special emphasis on improving the quality of educational services, the development of science, innovation infrastructure, cooperation with industry; it will also increase income from R&D and steadily move towards a research university. In addition, the top priority will be to attract foreign students and scholars – at the moment Ural Federal University has more than 1,200 international students from 60 countries and has established more than 15 laboratories and research groups led by the foreign researchers.

All this tasks correlates with the Global Competitiveness Enhancement Program "5-100". At the recent meeting of the International Council of the program UrFU roadmap was approved, there will be allocated additional funds for its implementation. Victor Koksharov said: "International Council appreciated what has been done and what we propose to do in the future. All requirements of the first phase of the program have been fulfilled and even exceeded. Today we present a large respected university and are on the verge of very serious changes. There is a very serious transformation ahead".

The transformation will primarily affect educational technologies. There will be transition to a new model of educational activity organization, in particular, widespread use of information technology and distance learning in the educational process, the development of open education and the introduction of the modular principle of creating educational programs for the implementation of students’ individual educational paths. It is planned to increase the share of individual studies and reducing the contact hours and the workload of the faculty members. In addition, the requirements to the students at all levels of admission and studies will be increased. At the same time the numbers of full-time students will be reduced from 24 000 to 20 000 people by 2020.

During the forthcoming admission campaign of Ural Federal University the future students will have a chance to apply for completely new majors, such as: "Information-analytical security systems", "Design of technical machines and systems", "Medical Biophysics", "Medical Biochemistry" "Anthropology and Ethnology", "Fundamental and Applied Linguistics." Overall, in 2015 university will accept applications for 110 bachelor and specialist programs, and 75 master programs. The number of budget places this year will be increased by 9% - up to 6603. The largest number of budget places for bachelors allocated to the following majors: "Metallurgy", "Civil Engeneering", "Electricity and Electrical Engineering", "Chemical Technology", "Technological machines and equipment", "Management".

This year for the first time the admission commission will take into account individual achievements of the applicants. So, for the certificate with distinction an entrant will receive an additional 6 points, participants of the regional stage of the All-Russian Olympiad will receive 3 points, etc. All these points will definitely be useful for applicants wishing to enter UrFU, as this year the minimum number points for the exam will raise again in comparison with recommended by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation number. The goal is to accept only the best, most talented students to the university.