The Department of Solid-State Physics and Nanostructures of the Faculty of Physics of Voronezh State University is among pioneers of nanomaterials and nanostructures research in Russia. The department staff have initiated signing of two agreements with prominent educational and research centres: Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology and Belarus State University.
The partnership agreement with Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology (Jena, Germany) stipulates research collaboration and national and international joint projects. Joint research with German colleagues was launched over a year ago and resulted in joint publications in Web of Science. The research is carried out using VSU unique equipment, some German institutions research equipment, Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin BESSY II megafacilities and Wisconsin-Madison University's SRC. The agreement sets the terms of reciprocal visits, including visits of young scholars, undergraduate and postgraduate students, sharing scientific data or research information and joint publications. The agreement is good evidence of a mutual interest of VSU and Institute of Photonic Technology scientists in implementation of international joint projects of high scientific value.
Joint research with scientists from Belarus State University. has been carried out for 8 years. The collaboration results have been published in Russia, Belarus, and oversees: in France, Germany and the USA, as well as in international Web of Science magazines. Collaboration with BSU has also led to applying the results of the joint research in test experiments for modern multi-instrumental diagnostic station project of Russian and German Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin BESSY II megafacilities laboratory.
'Joint research projects and collaboration documents signing initiatives make it evident that Russian scientists' developments, including scientists from Voronezh State University, have always been in demand', – said Associate Professor at the Department of Solid-State Physics and Nanostructures Sergei Turishchev and the Head of the Department Evelina Pavlovna Domashevskaya.
'VSU international collaboration is one of the University's priorities. It is a very interesting case for me: even though Voronezh State University was not included in the 5–100 Project, we leave behind some of the programme's participants in many fields. There has been an increase in the number of publishings by the teaching staff as well as the number of foreign students. We have also been developing collaboration projects with oversees universities. In the nearest future we are planning to sign a major agreement with the University of Texas (USA). The University have been carrying out joint projects and programmes with colleagues from France, Germany, Austria and Italy, developing partnerships with China that has 3 Russian Language Centres supported by VSU. Leading international rankings have recognised our University as one of the best Universities in Russia. Our European colleagues see our university as the most actively involved in EU-Russia academic exchange and cooperation programmes. The fact that the University does not use investment from the state budget to build up international competitiveness on the educational market proves that we have successfully joined the global educational competition system and that our staff keeps up with latest trends,' commented VSU Rector Dmitri Endovitsky.
