Novosibirsk State University

Address: 2 Pirogova Street, Novosibirsk, 630090
Tel: +7 (383) 330 08 61
Fax: +7 (383) 363 44 18
Website: http://www..nsu.ru

Information:

The Novosibirsk State University is a coeval and a creation of the Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences. The "Fathers of Siberian Science" believed that it was impossible to organize a scientific center without solving the problem of training young researchers. On the other hand, almost 80% of the Siberian Branch staff consists of NSU graduates. Journalists still argue whether the Siberian Branch gave birth to the University or the University built up the Siberian Branch.

In the USSR and subsequently in Russia, universities serve primarily as educational institutions, in which faculty members rarely do research and focus on training students. Research and graduate training exist in separate research institutions. The main idea of NSU founders was to combine research and education in the University by inviting scientists from the nearby research institutions in Akademgorodok as part-time university faculty. This allowed students to gain laboratory experience in addition to regular coursework. Additionally, it allowed students to undertake the writing of theses.

This idea propelled NSU toward becoming arguably one of the best Russian universities. However, this design also led to a number of disadvantages. In official ratings of Russian universities NSU is not near the top. This may be attributed to the fact that the ratings do not consider part-time staff and only account for volumes of the university library, while NSU students also have access to a number of institute libraries as well as the large Academy of Sciences Library which is located across the street from the main University building. Another disadvantage is that NSU trains researchers mainly for the Academy of Sciences; therefore, non-science majors are underrepresented in the University. To attempt to correct this imbalance, Law, Medicine, Foreign Languages, and a few other departments were added recently. However, in conditions of post-perestroika financial crisis in Russian higher education, this innovation has received a great deal of criticism. Critics say that new departments drain money from the science departments from which NSU draws its reputation.

Category: Russia