A New Milestone in Cooperation Between SPbPU and TU Graz
Since 2013 Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University and the Graz University of Technology (Technische Universität Graz; TU Graz) have been strategic partners. Moreover, interaction between the Russian and Austrian universities traces back to 1985 when TU Graz became the first Austrian university to sign a contract with a higher educational institution of the USSR - the Leningrad Polytechnic Institute named after M.I. Kalinin (SPbPU name before 1990). Since then there is an active cooperation between the Polytechnic University and TU Graz: joint projects, joint research and implementation of joint educational programs.
In 2018 our universities celebrate the fifth anniversary of our strategic partnership. Special events dedicated to this anniversary took place in TU Graz on May 18. A delegation of the Polytechnic University with SPbPU Rector, the Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, A.I. RUDSKOY visited TU Graz. Also the delegation included SPbPU Vice Rector for International Relations SPbPU D.G. ARSENIEV, SPbPU Academic Secretary V.P. ZHIVULIN and a number of leading faculty and researchers of the university.
After the official meeting of Andrey RUDSKOY with TU Graz Rector Prof. Harald KAINZ there was a round table "Achievements and Prospects of the Strategic Partnership between SPbPU and TU Graz". Together with the administration of the two universities the representatives of faculty and research groups joined the meeting. The purpose of the round table was to summarize and discuss the results of the five-year strategic partnership and make plans for the near future.
After welcome and opening speeches made by TU Graz and SPbPU rectors the meeting started with the report on cooperation and development prospects in the field of mechanics and management. It was made by Prof. V.А. POLYANSKY, SPbPU Higher School of Cyber Physical Systems and Control, and TU Graz representatives Prof. SOMMITSCH and Prof. HAAS. The results of joint research in the field of materials studies and modeling, preparing samples and conducting tests were presented. Both research groups have joint publications.
Mutually beneficial relationships are built between SPbPU Institute of Computer Science and Technology and TU Graz Institute of Health Care Engineering under the guidance of Prof. Christian BAUMGARTEN. The groups worked early on preparing a joint application for a project within the framework of HORIZON2020 in the field of development of an information and telecommunication system for personalized medical care. The prospects of cooperation in the near future in the field of Life Science, including the issues of biological processes visualization, condition monitoring, personalized medical care and other aspects of cooperation in the field of Medical Engineering were presented by M.V. BOLSUNOVSKAYA, Associate Professor of the Department “Computer systems and software technologies’.
SPbPU Professor Issa TOGO and TU Graz Professor Helmut KNOBLAUCH emphasized the importance of cooperation in the field of hydraulic engineering and water management. It is planned to conduct joint research, carry out graduate students training, organize internships and develop a double degree program in the field of “Civil Engineering”.
Great attention was paid to the report on wide interaction in the field of information technologies, presented by the Associate Professor of the Department “Intelligent Computer Technologies” V.G. PACK and TU Graz Professor N. SHCHERBAKOV. There is an active cooperation in this field: over the previous year 3 joint publications were prepared, visiting professors program is very active, joint educational programs are being implemented, joint educational materials are being prepared and joint online courses are being developed in the field of “Internet-based Information Systems”, “Mobile WEB-Applications”. In 2018-2019, it is planned to launch a double degree program. The groups are also discussing a joint student project “Student Start-up Projects Portal” and the creation of a joint educational portal “E-University: IT-Learning Environment”.
A brilliant example of the educational partnership development in the field of construction engineering technologies was presented by SPbPU Associate Professor M.A. ROMANOVICH and TU Graz Professor Angelika VALAVANOGLOU. Within the framework of the partnership a series of joint student seminars “Computer Based Construction Management” (CBCM-seminar) is being implemented.
At the end of the round table, the students of SPbPU Department “Construction of unique buildings and structures” Anastasia SAVCHUK and Arthur KUZMINYKH presented the projects that were recognized as the best ones in the framework of the CBCM-seminar.
Summing up the results of the round table TU Graz Rector Harald KAINZ underlined the significant results of five-year partnership: “Our universities are very similar. We know that for really many years there have been really strong ties between research groups and today we can see their results. It is especially important that students are actively involved in research. Students projects presented today demonstrate a high level of ongoing work”.
SPbPU Rector A.I. RUDSKOY emphasized that in addition to five-year strategic partnership universities have been linked by over 30 years of friendship. “This is a whole generation of scientists and professors who work together successfully. Our friends are here today in this hall and we very productively discussed everything that has already been done over the years and everything we have to do together in the future. "
Russian and Austrian partners emphasized the importance to develop student academic exchanges and students participation in short-term educational programs. During the special ceremony the concept of the International Polytechnic Summer School was presented to the participants and SPbPU Rector awarded five best TU Graz students selected in the course of a competition with scholarships for participation in Summer School-2018.
The key event of the day was the special ceremony of signing an Agreement on Strategic Partnership. On behalf of Graz city administration guests were welcomed by the representative of the City Council, Dr. Günter RIEGLER and the Chairman of TU Graz University Council Prof. Karin SCHAUPP. The renewed contract was signed by SPbPU Rector A.I. RUDSKY and TU Graz Rector Harald KAINZ.
To commemorate the five-year partnership anniversary rectors exchanged memorable signs. Handing a commemorative medal to Harald KAINZ, Andrey RUDSKOY underlined the following: “Partnership always involves cooperation on both sides and our successes would be impossible without an active participation of TU Graz administration and support of many initiatives and undertakings provided personally by the Rector, Professor Harald Kainz. We can feel this friendly attitude and support at all levels for many years - this is especially important in terms of complicated situation in the world. ‘