International activity of ZNTU

On April 22-23, 2015, the International Conference and Reporting and Election Congress of the Black Sea Universities Network (BSUN) took place at the University of Belgrade (Serbia). Representatives of 12 BSUN member countries took part in the congress.

The President of BSUN (2010-2015), Academician, Rector of the Polytechnic University of Tirana (Albania), Academician J. Kachani, gave a report.

Professors G. Rahimova (Baku State University, Azerbaijan), V. Kizimov (University of National and World Economy, Bulgaria), G. Zidania (Ilia State University, Georgia), G. Angelopoulos (University of Patras, Greece) made a discussion and proposals for the further development of inter-university cooperation. O. Barnashov (Peoples’ Friendship University, Russia), A. Agademir (Technical University, Bursa, Turkey), K. Kovalova (Vinnytsia National Agrarian University), S. Belikov (Zaporizhsky National Technical University).

A discussion was held regarding the Tasks of the Black Sea University Network (BSUN) in accordance with the tasks of cooperation of the Black Sea states.

President of the Black Sea Universities Network (BSUN) for 2015-2016 was elected the rector of Belgrade University, prof. Volodymyra Bumgarashevich.

Professor Giga Zidania, Rector of Ilia State University (Tbilisi, Georgia) was elected to the Presidential «troika» of the future President of BSUN.

According to Romania’s voting plan, the International Conference «Interuniversity Cooperation in the Black Sea Region: The Best Practice of University Management for High Achievements in Education and Scientific Research» was held in the organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) (October 22-23, 2015, Bucharest, Romania).

Representatives of universities from Albania, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Romania, Russia and Ukraine, representatives of the Romanian Ministry of Education and Scientific Research, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, local authorities, representatives of business circles took part in the conference.

The conference program included a visit to the Center in Machureli for a working meeting with the team working on the implementation of the Ultralight Infrastructure project and to the Center for Advanced Studies of the Green Macrosystem in River-Sea Interaction.

During the two-day debate, topics of common interest to universities in the region and developing university management to meet society’s demands, the necessary administration of university infrastructure, attracting highly qualified professors and sources of assets and funds to achieve high standards in education were discussed. The similarity of problematic issues of universities in the region was noted.

Participants expressed support for appealing to the governments, statesmen and influential people of the region for their contribution to the creation of fundamentally new approaches in the Black Sea region with the initiation of dialogue and the development of contacts.

It was agreed that without such a fundamental shift in the relations of the countries of the region, it is impossible to ensure the cooperation of academic communities.

A regional cooperation project on the topic «green campus» should be initiated, which is aimed at developing the foundations of the implementation of the principles of sustainable development and green economy in the administration of elements of university campuses.

The participants analyzed the results of the BSUN pilot project on the development of innovative clusters (Medgreen Cluster) and agreed to start implementing the possibility of replicating the model in other BSEC (Black Sea Economic Cooperation) member countries, namely in Georgia under the coordination of Ilia State University, in Bulgaria under the coordination of Veliko Tarnovo University, in Serbia under the coordination of the University of Belgrade, in Moldova under the coordination of the Technical University, in Ukraine under the coordination of the University Vinnytsia.

BSUN will sign an agreement with the National Research and Development Institute for Biological Sciences, dedicated to cooperation in the implementation of the «DANUBIUS» project – the creation of an International Research Center for River-Sea Macrosystems.

The participants expressed their support for the proposal of the representative of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation, K. Malimon, to organize a similar meeting during the Russian presidency of the BSEC, which begins on January 1, 2016.

As the next event BSUN in cooperation with the European Parliament was to organize on November 30, 2015 at the headquarters of the European Parliament in Brussels the international seminar «Innovation strategy of the EU and the Black Sea region – effective results and expectations of members of the innovation ecosystem from EU member states and neighboring countries of the region regarding the EU strategy »Innovation Union«.

On November 30, 2015, the rector of ZNTU S.B. Belikov, at the invitation of the International Executive Committee of the Black Sea Universities Network (BSUN), as part of the delegation of this international organization, took part in the seminar »Innovation strategy of the EU and the Black Sea region: effective results and expectations of the member states of the innovation ecosystem from the EU and the border countries of the Black Sea region in accordance with the EU strategy «Innovation Union».

The event was held in the European Parliament (Brussels, Belgium) with the participation of representatives of Albania, Armenia, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, Austria, Germany, the Czech Republic, Belgium and participants from various organizations located in Brussels.

Member of the European Parliament, Vice-President of the European People’s Party Marin Marinescu (Romania) made a welcome speech on the occasion of the goal and expectations from the organizers. It was emphasized that the seminar was aimed at increasing the contribution of the Black Sea institutions to the EU initiatives and programs that provide innovation as the basis of sustainable development in the region.

Ambassador? Permanent Representative of Romania to the EU, Luminia Odabescu, emphasized the priorities of Romania’s presidency in the BSEU, as aimed at improving cooperation in the region. In this context, all discussions aimed at innovation can be considered as the most important. Among them are special actions carried out by working groups, including BSUN members. Romania is included in the development of large research infrastructures as part of the ESFRI – Network and Project of Superlight Infrastructures as such, which ensure the development of scientific research in the field of interaction between electromagnetic radiation and materials, as well as DANUBUS ? of the project, which is aimed at supporting the research of large ecosystems on the network of rivers and seas.

Vasilis Maragos, the acting director of the Eastern Partnership program, gave an assessment of the cooperation of the organizations of the Black Sea region.

Carlos Moedas, European Commissioner for Science and Technology, emphasized the importance of the Black Sea region for participation in the EU’s partnership policy and expressed the European Commission’s interest in the development of these programs as components of major EU initiatives. In this sense, it was emphasized the need to obtain relevant information on the Good Ecological Status of seawater and coastal areas, as well as available resources and the influence of various factors on the sustainable development of the region. At the same time, European Commissioner Moedas emphasized the importance of approaches aimed at the effective needs of the main actors in the field of innovation carried out by research organizations, universities, inventors and innovation organizations.

In this context, European Commissioner Moedas presented several new initiatives as joint achievements of the Commission for Science and Innovation and the Commission for Regional Development. The contribution to the harmonization of the Commission’s actions in the direction of innovation support was emphasized, and in this connection, the need to create a European Innovation Council was emphasized.

From BSUN Prof. Eden Mamut presented the amalgamation of various projects initiated by member universities for inclusion in the European Marine Research Platform for scientific research in the adjacent waters of the Black Sea. The organization (MED GREEN CLUSTER), specialized in eco-technologies and alternative energy sources, initiated by BSUN and today has certain achievements, can be replicated in other countries such as Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Albania.

Professor Mamut expressed some wishes to the European Commission, namely:

– the need for the development of European technological programs for the Black Sea region;

– regarding the European Institute of Innovation and Technology before the opening of local centers in member countries located in Eastern Europe, including the Black Sea region;

– regarding the components of the Horizon 2020 Program for international cooperation with a high possibility of providing financing to the Black Sea region;

– to assess the possibility of developing aid programs at the level of the European Commission for the consolidation of innovative clusters and models of interaction with the region as such that can be implemented in other countries of the region.

The following took part in the exchange of opinions and development of proposals:

– Jorak Kachani, rector of the Polytechnic University of Tirana (Albania), president of BSUN (2012-2015);

– Hyga Zedania, rector of Ilia Tbilisi State University (Georgia);

– Viorel Bostan, rector of the Technical University of Moldova (Chisinau);

– Serhii Belikov, rector of the Zaporizhzhia National Technical University (Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine);

– Mustafa Hatipoglu, Aviation and Defense Cluster (Turkey);

– Alfred Mayer, Regional Raw Materials Innovation Center for Eastern and Southeastern Europe (Austria);

– Bert de Kolvenaier, Center for Nutritive Cells and Hydrogen Compounds (Belgium);

– Ursula Gettret, BIOPRO-Baden-Wurttemberg GmbH (Germany).