KFU students will be interns in Tatneft, and the university will invest in oil company in Latin America

KFU chemists are in the top of the subject rankings for the first time

The Kazan Federal University has significantly improved its position in the independent ranking by the British Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). It became the occasion for the press conference in IA Tatar-Inform with the top management of the Kazan University. Rector of the Kazan Federal University Ilshat Gafurov told that the university was evaluated by subject rating in eight directions: Linguistics, which received the world rank 101-151, Archaeology, with which the Kazan University was included in the 151-200 group, Information Sciences and Journalism (151-200), the English Language and Literature, Education (251-300). In the direction of Economy, the university was placed in the 301-350 group, Physics and Astronomy — 351-400, and in the direction of Chemistry — 401-450 in the world ranking.

''I would like to highlight that in Chemistry direction the university has been included in QS ranking for the first time,'' said Ilshat Gafurov, starting a press conference.

The head of the KFU recalled that in the last few years the university ''has been criticised for the fact that they forgot about the socio-economic units and were engaged only in natural sciences.''

''We forgot about none of the directions in the university, we carried out optimisation measures as Humanities existed in all attached to us universities. Therefore, I believe that our promotion in the ranking is natural, it is the indicator of the last 4-5 years of the work on each of the blocks,'' he said.

Rector of the Kazan Federal University told about the reasons for the lack in the subject ranking of an important for the university field such as medicine

Hope for medical graduates

At the press conference, the rector of Kazan Federal University told about the reasons for the lack in the subject ranking of an important for the university field such as medicine.

''There is no secret here: the reason is the format of the rating. We have no graduates in this direction yet. But in the rankings, the significant contribution is made by the rating of the employer. Our students now on the fourth year, we can talk about it in three years, but in these areas we have been investing a lot. Dynamics in these areas is now much higher than in peer-reviewed universities, besides the university makes the most on scientific research in this field,'' he explained.

Vice-rector for the economic and strategic development of the Kazan Federal University Marat Safiullin told about the work of the university clinic, where, according to him, there are ''recent developments'' focused.

''The training of employees to use the global best practices creates a basis for further breakthroughs, the results of which are visible in scientometric indicators. The percentage of citation has significantly increased, this means that they read us, they refer to us. Since 2010, this figure has risen more than three and a half times. Now the strategy of the university involves orientation to publications in scientific journals Q1. It is the most authoritative magazines,'' said Safiullin.

Ilshat Gafurov: ''The Institute is closely integrated with the company Tatneft and we will be able to move the internship of students into the company. I think we could cope with this site.''

Internship on the basis of Tatneft

The issue of transfer of Almetyevsk State Oil Institute to the Kazan Federal University was raised at the press conference. According to Gafurov, it is expected that an agreement will be concluded with the Republic, Tatneft, the federal centre and the university, ''which will cover all issues related to the transition''.

''I think that such union will bring us benefit, since the Institute is closely integrated with the company Tatneft and we will be able to move the internship of students into the company. I think we could cope with this site,'' he said.

KFU will not buy its own oil company

Gafurov noted that the Kazan Federal University will not purchase its own oil company: the university will be included in the authorised capital of one of these companies in Latin America.

''When we talk about technology transfer, this does not mean that we will buy an oil company that we own. We can participate in the capital, we have begun this work this afternoon. We are working on this issue, but, in any case, the company will not be a part of the university,'' said Gafurov.

According to the rector, approximately 45% of the available funds of the university it makes itself. The KFU budget is about 10 billion rubles, and the university ''is trying to come to the model, when it makes the main current costs by itself: salaries, scholarships, utilities and taxes.''

''Last year, we paid approximately 1.9 billion rubles of taxes at different levels. More than 500 million rubles were paid to the budget of the Republic and about 150 million rubles — to the local budget.''

According to Gafurov, 2016 became extremely rich in the number of admitted to the University foreign students

Plus 4.000 foreign students

According to Gafurov, 2016 became extremely rich in the number of admitted to the University foreign students.

''At the end of last year, a large number of foreigners has become students of our university: more than 4.000 people. We never had such number! This shows the demand for our educational programs, the university, and that after graduation they get enough knowledge to compete for high-paying jobs.''

Gafurov announced quite ambitious plans in terms of getting in the top 100 best universities in the world by 2020. He noted that since the establishment of the KFU as the federal university the university has become ''virtually a new school'' for the world ranking systems.

''Previous merits are not indexated. We work a lot and I think we have a chance that by 2020 we will be in the top 100 best universities in the world,'' he said.