On October 19-20, the BSUN (Black Sea Universities Network) - the network of universities of the Black Sea countries - was held on the basis of the Technical University of Moldova (TUM) in Chisinau, as well as the seminar “Intergovernmental joint measures for the processing of satellite data and the development of space technology”. The meeting was held with the participation of universities of Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Turkey, Ukraine, Romania, and Moldova.
The National Technical University of Ukraine “Igor Sikorsky Kiev Polytechnic Institute” was represented at the meeting by the Vice Rector for International Relations, Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine Serhiy Sidorenko. The report “Projects in the Space Program of the “Igor Sikorsky Kiev Polytechnic Institute” was presented from the university.
Sergey Sidorenko told the correspondent of "KP" about the BSUN network, participation in its activities of our university and a seminar on the basis of the Technical University of Moldova.
- BSUN is a network of universities of the countries of the Black Sea region - unites 110 universities from 12 countries. It was established in 1997 with the aim of developing cooperation and mutual exchange in the educational, scientific, cultural spheres of universities and other institutions of the member states of the Organization of Black Sea Economic Cooperation. “Igor Sikorsky Kiev Polytechnic Institute”is a member of this network since 2007. Moreover, in 2008-2010 the rector of our university was the president, and then, from 2010 to 2012 - a member of the governing body of the network - the “Presidential Three”. In 2010, we held a congress of rectors of higher education in the region, which identified the orientations for its future activities.
In recent years, Kyiv Polytechnic at BSUN continues to be one of the key players, since it implements many pilot projects that are important not only for Ukraine but also for the whole region. For example, we have been the initiators of making universities in the Black Sea region play a much larger role in shaping sustainable development policies in their countries. Today “Igor Sikorsky Kiev Polytechnic Institute” can share experience in the following topics: innovative platform of the research university, guarantee of the quality of higher technical education, international accreditation of specialties, deepening of internationalization of the university, construction of a system of management of the international sphere of the university on a new basis.
In addition, it should be noted that Ukrainian universities are the most represented among universities of the network - it includes 24 Ukrainian universities!
- Tell us more about the seminar in Chisinau.
- The executive body of BSUN has identified strategic priorities for work in the following areas: co-operation on joint training programs; internationalization of BSUN member universities; development and management of large educational and research infrastructures; comprehensive measures for the study of the border areas; models for cooperation between universities and industry; best practices in university management.
This time the organizers of the event invited us to submit the projects of the Kyiv Polytechnic Space Program, which has been done (using the opportunity, I would like to express the appreciation of the Department of Science and Innovation for the materials provided for the preparation of the presentation). Frankly speaking, we really did not know what to do, and so the participants of the meeting expressed a great interest.
However, scientists from the Technical University of Moldova are not only involved in space technology, but also created a separate special National Space Technology Center, which allocated almost 800 square meters of space. The Center is headed by Academician Ion Bostan (who, incidentally, worked fruitfully with Kiev Polytechnic at the time when he worked as the rector of TUM). The center has developed a satellite of the “micro” class called “Republic of Moldova”, but the launches have not yet been completed.
I want to point out that we are trying to revitalize our interaction with BSUN and given that the countries whose universities are members of the network are either members of the European Union or those included in the Eastern Partnership program. And, consequently, intensifying our activity in the bi-lateral cooperation with the scientists of the universities of these countries will give us new opportunities for winning the European Union grant programs. Therefore, the deputy of international cooperation among the urgent tasks envisages further intensification of work with BSUN.
- Maybe you have new useful contacts with colleagues from the Technical University of Moldova?
- We have new contacts with the COST Association (European Cooperation in Science and Technology), which, according to its European program, helps the scientists of the member countries of this organization (including the Black Sea region) to receive grants, to promote scientific activity, in particular young scientists. We agreed that, despite the fact that today “Igor Sikorsky Kiev Polytechnic Institute” is not a national representative of Ukraine in the organization COST, the association's leadership will provide advice, some help, so that our scholars can individually apply for grants through this European program.
A few words about the interesting things that were seen at the Technical University of Moldova. In the technology museum of the open air, active, which receives information from satellites and radio telescopes of other countries in the round-the-clock mode radar is displayed. This radar transmits data to the Center for Space Research TUM. It is processed and returned to customers in a clear and generalized form. The university has an observatory, which enables physicians and astronomers to conduct astronomical research directly on campus.
The horses made of car parts cannot be mentioned - a composition that demonstrates creative engineering thinking.
TUM has an interesting experience in attracting a large amount of European Union grants. For example: one of the bodies of biological orientation is a 5-storey building, built on the grant of the European Union of 3 million $ and equipped with state-of-the-art equipment. We will think how to apply this experience at our university. I think that The National Technical University of Ukraine “Igor Sikorsky Kiev Polytechnic Institute” may offer large projects under the weighty grant support of the European Union.