Yuri Altudov: The anniversary became an occasion to discuss issues important for the university and the region
The 90th anniversary of the founding of the first organization of higher education in Kabardino-Balkaria is a significant date for the educational, scientific and cultural community of the republic, the entire society of the region.
Confirmation of the wide popularity of the Kabardino-Balkarian State University named after H.M. Berbekov in the educational, scientific, social space of the country were congratulatory addresses received from the heads of federal and regional government bodies, local governments, from heads and teams of organizations of education, science, culture and other fields of activity, from public associations, outstanding scientists, figures art. Vyacheslav Volodin, Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, noted:
“The University is rightfully considered one of the leading universities in the South of Russia… Innovative methods and curricula are widely used, fundamental research is carried out, thanks to which the university is known outside of our country and plays a leading role in the development economy of the region».
Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the North Caucasus Federal District Yuri Chaika emphasized that «the university makes a great contribution to the formation of the personnel potential of Kabardino-Balkaria and other regions of the country» and expressed confidence that the workforce would continue to maintain the high authority of the university in the system of Russian higher education. Boris Gryzlov, Chairman of the Supreme Council of the United Russia party, focused on the fact that “the university demonstrates a high level of center of expertise, realizes the opportunities of the active youth of the region — its intellectual potential, makes full use of the possibilities of its own communication platform, where ideas and projects are formed, in demand at the regional and federal levels. KBSU was also congratulated by the Secretary of State — Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation P.A. Kucherenko, Director of the Federal Accreditation Agency L.S. Izmailova, Chairman of the KBR Parliament T.B. Egorova, deputies of the People’s Council of the Lugansk People’s Republic — Rector of the Lugansk State Pedagogical University (partner of KBSU) Zh.V. Marfina and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Leningrad State Pedagogical University P.A. Pilavov, other officials.
Active participation in the process of import substitution
The anniversary became an occasion for discussing with the leadership of the region issues important for the university and the republic, adjusting the university’s strategy, identifying new vectors for its development in educational, scientific and social aspects. It is a great honor for us to participate in the solemn meeting and other events on October 12, 2022 of the Head of the KBR Kazbek Kokov. The conversation about the prospects of the university, its potential and increasing the contribution to the socio-economic development of the region was during the inspection of the objects of the property complex of KBSU, which includes more than 80 buildings and structures, as well as at the opening of the center of progressive materials and technologies, equipped with the most modern equipment. In this direction, the university is one of the leaders in the country, as scientists under the leadership of Vice-Rector for Research Svetlana Hashirova managed to build a complete scientific and technological cycle for several years — from the synthesis of new, unparalleled materials for 3D printing to the development and synthesis of polymers different types and composite materials. Specialists have developed and apply manufacturing technologies for various products using all existing 3D printing methods, including printing with living cells in the bioprinting laboratory.
«Your activities are always relevant, and especially in the light of today and the obvious need for import substitution. The future of our country depends on your work,” — Kazbek Valeryevich gave such a high assessment of the activities of KBSU in the field of advanced materials and technologies.
The university staff and students are grateful to everyone who congratulated the Kabardino-Balkarian State University named after H.M. Berbekov on his 90th birthday, attended the celebrations.
Promising directions of development
One of the largest universities in the North Caucasus Federal District approached the anniversary with worthy results achieved in the field of education, science, as well as in the field of interaction between the university and society: KBSU is in the Top 100 of the national ranking of Russian universities. The vector of prospects is aimed at the embodiment of the «triune composition» of secondary vocational, higher and continuing education; effective use of human potential; advantages of the region for its transformation into a territory of sustainable development. As an active participant in the development of the concept of sustainable development of the region, the university implements monitoring studies in the main areas of formation of the urban environment and rural areas. Thanks to the active participation of university staff in regional expert and collegiate structures, in 2019 the university became a platform for organizing and holding the First North Caucasus Sustainable Development Forum, which brought together representatives of authorities, universities, public organizations from all over the country (more than 300 people) and became the trigger for the forum program in the federal districts of the Russian Federation. One of the goals of higher education is employment — i.e. obtaining or creating a job with a high level of wages. Up to 80 percent of KBSU graduates are employed during the first year following the year of graduation, which indicates a high level of education at the university, young professionals have the necessary professional and cross-professional competencies, and the demand for trained personnel both in Kabardino-Balkaria and beyond. outside — in the subjects of the Russian Federation and abroad. In the field of science, KBSU develops various areas, including particle astrophysics. Research is carried out jointly with the Baksan Neutrino Observatory of the Institute for Nuclear Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (Dubna).
Within the framework of the scientific direction «New Materials and Additive Technologies», the university has formed a center of excellence in the field of creating advanced polymers and composites for additive technologies, on the basis of which the first domestic sample of a 3D printer for laser sintering of superstructural polymer powders has been developed. KBSU carries out scientific and technical projects in the interests of state corporations Roskosmos, Rosatom and is a national leader in the following areas of research: obtaining domestic superstructural polymers (polyetherketones, polyethersulfones, polyetherimides, polyphenylene sulfide), as well as composites based on them; additive manufacturing of products from superstructural polymers and composites for the aerospace industry, military-industrial enterprises and medicine.
On the basis of the university, a mirror engineering center of the NTI platform «New Production Technologies» was created. We also include the Hermitage-Caucasus cultural and educational center being formed jointly with the State Hermitage, which will become an educational, cultural and research platform, a center for training personnel in the field of archeology, restoration and local history, the implementation of archaeological and historical projects, a point attraction of tourists. The Center for Medicine of the Future is a direction the university is developing due to the fact that Kabardino-Balkaria is a region with a wide range of balneological resources. Among the tasks of the strategic project «Water well-being and green economy» is the creation of digital models of the hydrogeological architecture of the region in order to preserve mountain and river ecosystems, biological diversity, reproduction of the flora and fauna of the Central Caucasus.
The Elbrus educational and scientific complex with a modern infrastructure has the potential for development as a point of attraction for the scientific community of Russia and other countries (holding forums, conferences, symposiums, scientific schools), as well as students and schoolchildren (passing training practices, participating in summer and winter schools) . Fulfilling the third, social mission of a modern university, KBSU expands the scope of the “Center for Support and Renewal of Competences for the Development of the Economy of Kabardino-Balkaria and the North Caucasus Macroregion” and is a leader in the NCFD in the field of continuing education. On this line, the university annually implements projects with the participation of more than 10 thousand residents of various subjects of the Russian Federation of all federal districts. An interregional center for personnel training, advanced training and retraining of all categories of workers, including in the field of digital and financial literacy, medical tourism, rehabilitation and balneology, is being actively formed.
The contribution of the university to the achievement of the national goals of the Russian Federation is ensured through participation in regional events of the national projects «Education», «Science and Universities», «Health», «Demography», «Digital Economy», «Culture», «Ecology» and others. In the coming years, the University strives to become an active participant in all national projects implemented on the territory of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic. The activities of the university in the next decade as part of the implementation of the program of strategic academic leadership «Priority 2030» will be aimed at helping to increase the contribution of the university to the achievement of the national development goals of the Russian Federation, the balanced spatial development of the country, and ensuring the availability of high-quality higher and secondary vocational education.