KFU reports about its annual progress in Priority 2030
The annual meeting at the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Russia was held from 12 to 15 March.
Kazan University representatives spoke about its new technological leadership model involving industrial partners – which were included in the delegation this time. The team comprised Rector Lenar Safin, Vice-Rector for Digital Transformation and Innovation Dmitry Pashin, Managing Director for Development and Innovation of SIBUR Darya Borisova, General Director of Izvarino Pharma Orest Ibragimov, and General Constructor of Minsk Tractor Plant Sergey Kovalchuk.
The Rector mentioned KFU’s three priority areas – biotechnology and pharmaceutics, oil and gas technology, and new materials and chemistry. The areas were chosen based on existing infrastructure and earlier developments.
In particular, over 40 various products in petroleum science are currently used by local and international companies for enhanced oil extraction, prospecting, and other areas.
In pharmaceutics, KFU has partnered with Izvarino Pharma as an outsourced R&D center for new pharmaceutical substances. The University now has the right to produce targeted biotechnology medications for personalized care – nine new substances are planned for production in 2025.
Automation of business processes is being developed together with Minsk Tractor Plant. The two sides cooperation in smart agriculture and robotic farming.
As for SIBUR, cooperation is concentrated on the production of heterogeneous catalysts for oil chemistry. A new low tonnage chemistry plant was recently launched as part of this partnership. Last year saw an output of 24 metric tons of catalysts, with plans to increase this number to 50 tons this year. KFU and the company also work on joint master’s, PhD, and continuing education programs. SIBUR employees are already engaged in teaching at the University.
Darya Borisova noted that her company aims for a long-term partnership, “Government support tools for fundamental science in the industry are very important. Another key issue is successful commercialization of R&D and targeted educational programs. KFU is a driver of such approach.”
General Director of Izvarino Pharma opined, “The joint projects have also received over 1 billion rubles of investment. We are currently setting up equipment and engineering systems and getting ready to license the first production line. By the end of this year, we are going to have a homemade active pharmacological substance for transplantology.”
Overall, 101 universities pitched their reports in the four days of the meeting.
Minister Valery Falkov presented the Priority 2030’s architecture, KPIs, and criteria – with the changes made this year.
After evaluation, subsidies are to be allocated according to each of the participants’ performance.