Сибирский федеральный университет

According to Eugene Vaganov, the rector of SibFU and RAS Academician, the primary role of the Council is an expertise assessment of all aspects of enhancing international competitiveness of the university.

"Establishing of the International Advisory Council is a commitment inscribed in the road map. Such councils have been established in all universities included in the 5top100 Project. However, apart from the formal aspect, the Council is important for us as an independent examination of what we do on the Russian and international markets: how well do we manage the university, what have we chosen as our priorities, how successfully is the educational process organized, whether we meet global trends or not — explained Eugene. — The Council is completely independent. No one or nothing can affect its recommendations".

The Council monitors and determines the progress of the University in the field of internationalization and provides feedback and recommendations for the Supervisory Council (Administrative Board) to change the positioning and enhance international reputation of the University, and to develop its international cooperation in the coming years.

Malcolm Hughes, the regents’ professor at Arizona State University, was elected the chair of the Сouncil at the first meeting. Malcolm is a member of the American Geophysical Union and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

"Siberian Federal University has a good chance to take its own place at the global educational and scientific arena. Such cases are known. For example, my own university looked quite provincial 50 years ago because of its remoteness from the center. Collaboration with business, availability of the government support and cohesive team of like-minded people are able to bring the University to the leaders ", — said Mr. Hughes.

Director of the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) of the European Centre for Research and Education in Environmental Geosciences (CEREGE, France) Joel Guillot supported his colleague: "Choosing the scientific positioning SibFU relied on environmental issues, study of taiga and climate change. This is a good choice, a good topic for further research and development at the international level, the more so as the university is actually located in the center of a giant forestland. Also the research group headed by Professor Vaganov is actively working in this field  — the potential of Krasnoyarsk is really high for the implementation of global projects».

Director of the Institute of Dendrology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, researcher and professor in the Forest Sciences, University of Minnesota (USA) Jacek Oleksyn first visited Krasnoyarsk in 2006: "I can compare. This comparison clearly shows what a focused effort has been made here. Today's view of the university speaks for itself  — it is one of the leading research institutions in this part of the world. Throughout my academic career I have met many people from Russia, graduates of SibFU in particular, and they have proven themselves well abroad".

Aleksandr Uss, Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, President of SibFU attended the meeting: "We need an objective and impartial view from the outside. We do not want to hear only compliments — it is important to know what will move us forward. Not being satisfied with the present is a prerequisite for moving forward. We have positive expectations about this visit in terms of the goals that we need to reach since SibFU is in the group of universities intending to be known on the international level and claiming leadership".

On the first day, the members of the Council were presented the SibFU roadmap and the results of the first six months of 2016, as well as the development concept of engineering and economic education at SibFU. On the second day, the leaders of the priority research areas of the University presented their projects:

• "The development of biomedical filed in SibFU";
• "Production of biochemical elements necessary for a human in aquatic ecosystems";
• "Perspective materials for innovative application in Nanophotonics, Biophotonics, Nanobiomedicine";
• "Dendroecological and dendroclimatic monitoring of forests in Northern Eurasia";
• "Development of technology for the production of aluminium using the 'inert' anodes and low temperature electrolytes".

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