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Ural State University of Railway Transport
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USURT – SERBIA: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, ACADEMIC AND SCIENTIFIC COOPERATION FOR THE FUTURE

08.07.2021

On July 5, USURT was visited by a delegation of the Ministry of Innovation and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia, comprising Nebojša Bojović, the Advisor to the Minister of Innovation and Technological Development, Dean of the Transport Faculty of the University of Belgrade and Lazar Popović, the Adviser to the Minister. 

During the visit, the guests got acquainted with the educational and scientific activities of USURT, and the parties also discussed issues on expanding and developing bilateral cooperation.

Today, Russia and Serbia traditionally maintain an active dialogue covering a wide range of issues of bilateral cooperation, including education based on modern technologies. USURT has sufficient scientific and innovative potential, is ready to share knowledge, experience and achievements in the construction of modern infrastructure, the creation of "smart transport" using IT technologies, robotics, artificial intelligence.

With regard to the potential partnership with Serbian colleagues, Alexander Galkin, the Rector of USURT, noted possible areas of cooperation related to the implementation of joint projects, support for the academic mobility of students and scientists in joint scientific developments, participation in scientific conferences and much more. He said that on the basis of the University there is a regional branch of the Russian Academy of Transport, which unites scientists from two federal districts. USURT is at the stage of opening the Institute of Transport Engineering at the University, which can also be a promising area of ​cooperation.

- Today our meeting is not a coincidence of dates: July 3 marked 140 years of creation of state railways in the Republic of Serbia, - Alexander Galkin addressed the foreign guests. - Another parallel: Nikola Tesla, the famous Serbian scientist, who invented an asynchronous AC motor as a student, asked his teacher what he thought about creating such an engine. In response, the professor gave him and the students a whole lecture that this was impossible. Now we know it's possible. This invention of the Serbian scientist is now essential for use as a traction asynchronous drive and is very promising. There are also many prospects for communication between our countries.

In addition to specialties and directions of railway transport, USURT has directions such as management and economics, digital transport and logistics, new specialties aimed at mechanical engineering - mechatronics, information protection in transport, construction specialties - transport and civil engineering. The development of information technologies is a priority in the University.

Nebojša Bojović spoke about the University of Belgrade, where he is the Dean of the Faculty of Transport, expressed interest in exchanging students and teachers, organizing joint courses and seminars, conducting joint scientific research:

- Belgrade University participates in 12 international projects related to Russia. We hope that today's meeting will be an occasion for another cooperation - not only academic, but also scientific. And strong ties will be established between our universities.

The delegation visited modern laboratories and classrooms of USURT, where practical classes, master classes and lectures are held, new prospects for innovative developments are opened. Guests met with interest with the laboratory "Train station dispatcher and railway station duty officer" of the transportation process management department. FabLab, a laboratory equipped with the latest technology, which is the only one in the Ural region and unique in its kind, aroused great interest. In the laboratory students design and create racing cars.

The Mechatronics department, which is actively participating in the WorldSkills movement, was pleasantly surprised by the guests, at which the standards of the international CDIO initiative are being introduced into the training process, providing for the comprehensive training of new generation engineers in modern scientific fields of production.

Guests also got acquainted with the modern multimedia capabilities of the University, visiting educational audiences equipped with interactive equipment.

At the end of the meeting, the Rector invited Serbian colleagues, taking into account the current pandemic and the experience of USURT with the German University in Wildau, to conduct training courses for Serbian students in the upcoming new academic year via videoconference and then go to the face-to-face format when the situation normalizes. A list of educational programs for Serbian students will be discussed in the near future. The initial step could be to hold a student conference.

In response, Nebojša Bojović expressed a desire to establish cooperation between universities scientists in order to create joint scientific projects.

This meeting will continue. In October, the Rector of USURT, as part of an intergovernmental delegation, will visit Belgrade to sign a memorandum of understanding and cooperation.


Elena Krasulina

Photo: Milena Prokofieva