MSU Nanotechnology Education and Research Center

MSU Nanotechnology Education and Research Center (ERC) was established to consolidate and coordinate efforts of MSU units aimed at research and development and education in nanotechnology and nanosystems.

ERC is an organizational form of integration and coordination of efforts of academic, scientific, innovative and implementation potential of MSU units to combine actions in education and research and development, including international activity and popularization of scientific knowledge.

ERC welcomes the participation of all the faculties, institutes, centers, laboratories and other MSU units that conduct research and provide training along the lines of ERC.

ERC activities conform to the current legislation, regulatory documents of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation and the Federal Agency for Education, the Charter of MSU, and these Statutes.

Goals and Objectives

The high quality training of young specialists and highly experienced specialists in nanosystems, nanomaterials and nanotechnology is the goal of ERC. It is achieved through integration of scientific and pedagogical potential of MSU units aimed at fundamental and applied research, commercialization of its results, development of new programs and methods that advance and combine fundamental research and training, methodical materials, international collaboration.

This goal requires accomplishment of the following objectives:

1. To carry out fundamental and applied research and development in nanosystems, nanomaterials, nanotechnology, nanometrology, standardization and certification.
2. To ensure coordination between fundamental and applied research and training at all stages, including usage of results of joint research and development in lecture courses, trial facilities for conducting trainee?s research work, laboratory work, course papers, internship and pre-degree practice.
3. To involve specialists of research institutions in delivering special courses and advising on trainee?s research work, course papers, diploma papers, internship and pre-degree practice, study placement of postgraduate students.
4. To upgrade MSU facilities for academic process, research and development in nanosystems and nanotechnology.
5. To raise the level of academic and methodical work by developing new curricula, coursebooks, manuals (in electronic format as well).
6. To train and retrain specialists for the domestic nanoindustry in close cooperation with state-owned corporations and the real sector of economy; to provide employment for graduates in science-based innovative companies, RAS institutes, research centers, science parks, technology transfer centers.
7. To collaborate effectively with other education and research centers and higher education institutions in order to develop new educational standards, organize student swaps, train bachelors according to special master?s curricula in nanosystems, nanomaterials and nanotechnology.
8. To organize international collaboration in nanoscience and nanotechnology through fulfilling contracts, participating in international conferences, organizing swaps of employees, students and young scientists with specialized foreign universities and laboratories, international research and education institutions and funds.
9. To create infrastructure for research through using equipment of ERC participants in MSU Nanotechnology Multi-Access Center.
10. To popularize scientific knowledge; to carry out pre-university educational guidance, competitions in schools and higher education institutions; to hold student and postgraduate conferences, workshops and exhibitions; to develop and implement ways of motivating promising young people for career in nanosystems, nanomaterials and nanotechnology.

Structure and Activities

ERC conducts educational and research activities, including training highly experienced specialists.

ERC incorporates MSU chairs and units of research institutes — ERC participants.

The essential principles of ERC educational activities include modernization of main curricula and introduction of new academic disciplines, improvement of academic and methodical work, innovative approach to academic process, development of methods of individual target training and introduction of innovative educational technology, including remote learning, development of new practical classes, including classes on simulation of processes in nanosystems and nanomaterials, and special interdisciplinary courses, holding conferences, school for young scientists, etc.

ERC research activities are conducted in laboratories of MSU chairs and units of research institutes — ERC participants.

ERC research activities are carried out within the frameworks of the Federal Target Program for Developing Nanoindustry Infrastructure in the Russian Federation in 2008-2010, Program for Developing Nanoindustry in the Russian Federation up to 2015, RAS Nanotechnolgy Program, Initiative of the President of the Russian Federation on Nanoindustry Development Strategy under contracts with organizations of the Federal Agency for Education, the Federal Agency for Science and Innovation, the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation and other Russian organizations; the Federal Target Program for Research and Developments according to Priority Areas of Development of the Scientific and Technological Complex of Russia, Federal Target Program for National Technological Base of Russia, Federal Target Program for Research and Academic and Teaching Staff of Russia in 2009-2013.

The main principles of organization of scientific activities are

• to combine fundamental and applied research and developments with academic process to raise the quality of training young and highly experienced specialists
• to commercialize results of research and developments, make them corresponding to the needs of the real sector of the economy
• to encourage participation of students, postgraduate students and young specialists in research.

ERC trains (and retrains) highly experienced specialists for MSU, RAS, Russian state-owned research centers, research institutes and science-based branches of the real sector of the economy.

Administration

ERC Council, members of which are approved by the order of MSU Rector, administers the activities of ERC, makes strategic decisions on research and education in nanotechnology in MSU.

The Board of Directors, members of which are approved by the order of MSU Rector, coordinates the current organizational activities.

Functions of ERC Council

• consideration and approval of coordination plans and reports of ERC
• control over fulfillment of plans of activities and proper use of ERC funds
• integration with educational and research institutions of the relevant branch, RAS and the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation
• approval of plans of specialist training and retraining, study placement of postgraduate students
• upgrading material and technical infrastructure of ERC, academic process and fundamental research
• approval of publishing program of coursebooks and manuals on nanotechnology and nanosystems.

Reporting

The Board of Directors makes an annual report and a list of ERC participants which are submitted to ERC Council on approval. Research and education developments of ERC participants intended for publication shall have the reference to the fact that they have been conducted under ERC.