Sergei Psakhie: “The Tomsk consortium is an example of collaboration and integration of the region’s intellectual resources.”

Such is the opinion of Prof. Sergei Psakhie, physicist and director of the Institute of Strength Physics and Materials Science in the Siberian branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS).

Speaking at yesterday’s joint session of the Council of the Tomsk Regional Duma and permanent committee for higher education, science and innovation, Psakhie emphasized that he was speaking at the request of the Aleksandr Aseyev, chairman of the Siberian branch of the RAS. He noted that at meetings of the presidium of the branch, the Tomsk consortium was mentioned as an example of collaboration and integration of the region’s intellectual resources.

“The consortium attracts not only young scientists and students, but also whole institutes, for the solution of members’ problems. Aleksandr Aseyev very often says that we envy Tomsk for establishing successful cooperation between universities, scientific organizations, government and business,” Psakhie said.

As an example he spoke about the amount of financing for joint projects by TPU and the Institute of Strength Physics and Materials Science, which in 2014 reached 400 million rubles.

“One institute alone would never raise such a sum. When we united with TPU in order to carry out certain projects our capabilities greatly expanded both in terms of personnel and organization. I believe that this sum of 400 million rubles will increase by 50-100% in the next one-and-a-half years.”

According to Prof. Psakhie, thanks to the consortium members’ realization of a project to build small space vehicles, Tomsk Region is now on the ‘space map’ of Russia and three Tomsk universities – TPU, TSU and TUSUR – have already joined the project.

“The creation of joint laboratories by consortium members allows us to win large grants, create joint plans for work with foreign scientists and to attract staff. All these tasks are part of the region’s priority project INOTOMSK – to attract the best overseas and domestic scientists, and to develop our science for the benefit of our region and country,” Psakhie emphasized.

He also voiced his opinion that the consortium is a unique organization for Russia, which also needs to be marketed abroad.

The Tomsk Consortium of Universities and Scientific Organizations, was established on 4 April 2012 by seven universities, 10 academic institutes and the Tomsk Scientific Center of the Siberian branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.