Vladimir Putin now knows all about satellites
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin paid a visit to the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MFTI) at Dolgoprudny, outside Moscow, yesterday. There he inspected several laboratories and a student hostel, and chaired a meeting on higher education. But his most important discovery was that there were such people on Earth as MFTI students, and the Prime Minister hugely enjoyed his conversation with them.
"Higher education establishments in Russia are developing dynamically. Schools are getting better and better equipment," Mr Putin hit the ground running. He followed up with a ten-minute story about the Government's efforts to support fee-paying students. He added that the authorities might consider ways to help them pay off their student loans.
"In addition, the number of budgeted places at Master's degree courses will be increased to 35,000 and postgraduate courses to 3,500," Mr Putin said.
This measure is known to have been prompted by serious fears about unemployment among student graduates.
"How did you like our hostel?" came the first question from student Vadim Kovalyov.
"It's modern and of good quality. I had a look at a double room. But then I was told it was going to accommodate three students. I noticed the third bed later."
"And what are you doing?" Mr Putin turned to student Ivan Kalinin, sitting next to Education Minister Andrei Fursenko.
"I am a member of a student design office which is developing small satellites. In addition, I am interested in the theory of transport and traffic flows."
"Oh yes, we are getting a lot of trouble from these flows," Mr Putin said. "Which do you like best, the space or roads?
"Both my parents were space engineers, and I want to be one too," the student told Mr Putin. "As for the roads, it's important to help people."
"What problems do our satellites have?" Mr Putin grew serious as he looked at Mr Kalinin.
"They are too heavy. And we don't have enough of them. Besides, making their life longer extends their usefulness," Mr Kalinin replied. "But it all hinges on electronics, on structured materials."
"By the way, weren't you the person who engineered the collision between an American and a Russian satellite?" Mr Putin stunned the student with his question.
"No!" Mr Kalinin was flabbergasted.
Student Anton Borisenko was the most insistent. He complained that the office that financed his research was closing down. Mr Putin launched into a long and patient lecture on "special federal high-tech programmes in Russia".
Mr Borisenko listened to the end, and then, with naïve simplicity, again asked the Prime Minister as if nothing had happened: "But still, what am I to do? Many of my projects just cannot find sponsors."
"If you believe you could find sponsors before, then you are mistaken," Mr Putin replied sternly. "Difficulties have existed and will always exist."
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Profile of MFTI
The Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology was established in 1951 on the basis of the Physics and Technology Faculty of Moscow State University. The Institute trains professionals for many fields in science and technology. Nobel-prize winning researchers Pyotr Kapitsa, Nikolai Semyonov and Lev Landau were its founders and permanent members. Many leading Russian academics are current MFTI professors.
Among them are 80 full and associate members of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The Institute uses an original "FizTech" system of training specialists for work at the cutting edge of applied and theoretical physics. The MFTI is sometimes described as a Russian MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, one of the most respected institutes in the world). All students at the MFTI are given a deferment from army service. Instruction is full time. Students admitted within the established quota pay no fees. Entrants need not only to sit for and pass examinations, but also to be interviewed in commissions set up by the departments and including leading academics. And there is more: unlike in many other universities, school high achievers with gold and silver medals take entrance exams on general grounds.
FEDERAL ISSUE NO.2
Alexander Latyshev
