Sergei Baryshnikov: “We can fight out storms”
Sergei Baryshnikov, Rector of Admiral Makarov State University of Maritime and Inland Shipping, celebrates his 60th anniversary at work. In his interview with IAA PortNews he tells about the development of the country’s largest industry-focused institution.
- Mr. Baryshnikov, let us first of all congratulate you and wish you sound health!
- Thank you so much! I am honored to take congratulations today being a Rector of a famous educational institution.
- What do you think about the outcome of establishing Admiral Makarov University through merger of two higher educational institutions which took place three years ago. What challenges do you still face today?
- Yes, three years have really passed since the merger of two famous educational institutions - State University of Waterway Communications and Admiral Makarov Academy. Today, the new ship, Admiral Makarov University, continues her course steadily.
Of course, there were certain difficulties in the merger. It should be noted that those years were marked by a so-called ‘demographic hole’ and the process of optimization was launched in the entire system of state education. We had to undertake considerable staff optimization. We tried to do it carefully without influencing the key principles of the institutions. The process touched some 1,500 positions but it raised no conflicts.
The University now consists of four institutions: Maritime Academy, Institute of International Transport Management, Water Transport Institute and Institute of Supplementary Vocational Education.
A big problem for us and other industry-focused educational institutions of the country presents the absence of state-funded places for so called non-major specializations like hydraulic engineers. We have addressed the Ministry of Education and were proposed to work out the standards for training hydraulic engineers. The work performed was highly appraised by Rosmorrechflot and we hope the Ministry of Education and Science will not drag the approval.
- Could you, please, tell about practical training at tall ship Mir this year
- I would remind that tall ship Mir was handed over to FSUE Rosmorport about a year ago. This decision was caused by the necessity to shift the burden of costly technical maintenance of the ship to Rosmorport. This has relieved our financial burden which is especially important amid the current situation.
It was not an easy year in terms of team work. …Now, as the first collaborative navigation is over, I can say that the new form of cooperation has brought positive results satisfying all the parties.
This year, the training onboard the tall ship Mir was arranged for cadets of Makarov University, Moscow State Academy of Water Transport and members of young seamen's club ‘Yunga’ (Saint-Petersburg).
We always introduce a patriotic aspect into the training programme. This year marked by the 70th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War was dedicated to the Polar convoys. It was a challenging voyage, the weather was cold but the cadets could bear that.
- Do other companies, except for Rosmorport, help in organisation of practical training?
- We are especially grateful to Sovcomflot and its CEO Sergei Frank for support and sponsorship. Upon completion of their practical training onboard the Mir the cadets obtain their first document and can be further trained at commercial ships. Having worked for the required period of 12 months young people even take established positions allowing them to earn money. We encourage that. Their ambitions show that this profession was chosen deliberately and they are going to stay in the industry.
- Are new training ships to be built?
- With our support a design for a new training ship has been developed by CNIIMF. The ship will have a lot of features required for a training ship: spacious engine-room, a broader bridge structure, additional space for accommodation of cadets, classrooms. I consider it to be a promising project in view of our work on development of distant education technologies. During the voyages we will be able to arrange a comprehensive education process.
- Is there an interest in seafaring among the young people?
- When coming to our university, the applicants ask where they will work and how much they will earn upon graduation. That means they are planning to stay in the industry.
- Are there many citizens of Saint-Petersburg among your students and cadets?
- Not many, some 30%, and this share is decreasing from year to year.
Our enrolment covers the entire North-West region of Russia, many school leavers come from remote villages, there are foreigners: from the Baltic states, Ukraine, and non-CIS countries, mostly from the northern Africa, and Central Asia. We have several hundreds of foreign students and cadets and we are going to expand this practice.
- How do you see the future of Admiral Makarov State University of Maritime and Inland Shipping?
- We feel confident about our future, we work hard and teach our student work hard, help other educational institutions, Rosmorrechflot, create educational programmes and work on students’ books. We are aware of the challenges but we see the solutions. We are more concerned about the ‘calm sea’ as we know how to fight out storms.
Makarov University is a flagship of education!!!
Interviewed by Nadezhda Malysheva
