Nadezda Gordeeva

Since 8 February 2021, students, faculty and staff at Perm State University can get a free vaccination against the coronavirus infection COVID-19. May international students get vaccination at PSU? Let’s make it clear:

Vaccinations against COVID-19 are provided under the Obligatory Health Insurance policy. International students at PSU (so as with other higher institutions of Russia) have the Voluntary Health Insurance, provided by insurance companies locally and nationally. The list of services provided under such policies is determined by the policy of a particular insurance company, and the specific conditions of the VHI policy. Under VHI policies, PSU international students regularly receive medical care at medical institutions in the city of Perm. Accordingly, they may get vaccinated on their own.

It is important that the decision on free/budgetary vaccination of foreign citizens/international students is made by the responsible executive authorities locally, Perm krai, in particular. PSU international students are welcome to inform about their wish/need for vaccination against COVID-19 to PSU International Department at international@psu.ru.

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Olga Ustinova, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, PSU, comments about the necessity and principles of the vaccine:

“Vaccine prophylaxis is currently the only real way to influence the spread of infectious diseases. Having started since the 19th century, vaccination allowed mankind to defeat or take control of infections such as diphtheria, measles, whooping cough and many others. Currently, the pandemic has caused enormous social and economic damage to the entire global population. The influence upon its spread and further dynamics is possible only through vaccination. Therefore, it is simply impossible to overestimate the importance of that measure,”

states Olga Ustinova.

Who has to refrain from vaccination? And, who’s advised to take?

Those who have confirmed COVID-19, severe allergic reactions, malignant neoplasms, acute infectious and non-infectious diseases, exacerbation of chronic diseases, pregnancy or breastfeeding, as well as those under age of 18 – are not recommended to take the injection.

“The indication for vaccine prophylaxis is, first of all, the absence of antibodies to the virus in the human body today. First of all, people who have not had a coronavirus infection should be vaccinated. It should be borne in mind that modern existing vaccines are designed for a certain age group – from 18 to 75 years old,”

comments Olga Ustinova.

Perm State University reminds that when visiting the campus, employees, teachers, students and guests of the University must undergo thermometry and observe the mask regime.

The Center for Educational and Scientific Exchange, PSU, has announced new opportunities for PSU faculties and their partners – concerning collaborations with international and Russian-based scholars.

Online seminars and lectures will be recorded and published on the Center’s website. The Center will also provide assistance on making necessary agreements and events’ video recording.

Please, notice that according to the existing fiscal rules, fees paid to the invited scientist may be made exclusively through an account in a Russian bank.

Feel free to send your applications for online lectures engaging invited scientists by e-mail vkenner@yandex.ru

The Center for Educational and Scientific Exchange, PSU, provides assistance with:
• organization of visits by international and Russian scholars to the University;
• organization of short-term internships for the University scholars;
• support of existing international relations, informing foreign partners about the activities at the University;
• coordination and assistance of international activities by PSU faculties, departments and divisions.

Among visiting scholars by the Center for Educational and Scientific Exchanges are world-top specialists from a variety of countries working in modern fundamental and applied science. Tutorial materials are integrated into the educational process in a number of undergraduate and graduate disciplines at the Faculty of Physics.

Since 2012, several visits have been set within the International Research Groups (MIL) Program, implemented by the Ministry of Education and Science of Perm Krai. The Program provides financial support for joint research groups of Russian and international scholars in physics, chemistry, biotechnology and interdisciplinary research.

On 11 February 2021, the world celebrates the 6th International Day of Women and Girls in Science. The celebration starts at the United Nations Headquarters virtually. In 2021, the venue addresses the theme “Women Scientists at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19”, gathering experts in the fields related to the pandemic from different parts of the world.

“Here at Perm State University, we are proud to have 214 (44.58 per cent) female students from various parts of the world, including the Caucasus and Central Asia, the Greater Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. Our University aims at providing most comprehensive education, which will be applicable in any part of the world,”

comments Vadim N. Gataulin, Head of PSU International Department.

At present, less than 30 per cent of researchers worldwide are women. According to UNESCO data (2014 – 2016), only around 30 per cent of all female students select STEM-related fields in higher education. Globally, female students’ enrolment is particularly low in ICT (3 per cent), natural science, mathematics and statistics (5 per cent) and in engineering, manufacturing and construction (8 per cent).

“In all their cultural and language diversity, we appreciate our students as individuals, and are proud to have all gender as our young scholars. On this particular day, we wish our female students inspiration and most success in their academic career,”

Mikhail V. Grabevnik, Head of Academic Mobility Office, PSU, shares.

According to the UN The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has clearly demonstrated the critical role of women researchers in different stages of the fight against COVID-19, from advancing the knowledge on the virus to developing technics for testing and finally the vaccine against the virus. Diversity in research expands the pool of required researchers, bringing in fresh perspectives, talent and creativity.

At the same time, the COVID-19 pandemic also had a significant negative impact on woman scientists, particularly affecting those at early-career stages, and thus contributing to widening the existing gender gap in science, and revealing the gender disparities in the scientific system, which need to be addressed by new policies, initiatives and mechanisms to support woman and girls in science.

In this framework, this year’s celebration of the Day will address the theme “Women Scientists at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19”, and gather experts working in fields related to the pandemic from different parts of the world.

Since 2015, the International Day of Women and Girls in Science raises acute issues, contributing to women’s excellence in science, reminding the international community that science and gender equality are essential at addressing major global challenges.

For further info and celebration schedule, please, see:

UN 11 February – 2021 Theme: Women Scientists at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19
6th International Day of Women & Girls in Science Assembly
UNESCO on International Day of Women and Girls in Science

Looking for jobs? Willing to become an ambassador of a high-end brand? Feel the vibe of joining the united team of professionals, performing world class sales? Galileosky is your place to be!

Galileosky, a manufacturer of advanced GPS tracking hardware, founded in 2008 by Perm State University alumni. From a small University start-up back in the days, the company has now built the extensive dealers network throughout 50 countries all over the World.

As an International Sales Manager, you will be responsible for promoting superb Galileosky technologies over the dedicated region, evangelizing product portfolio and adding new sales partners into fast growing community of Galileosky fans.

The company is looking for an open-minded and energetic team member who will become a game-changer on the telematics markets of Middle East, Europe, Africa, South-East Asia and Latin America.

Find more about the job vacancy here:

Galileosky in Youtube

Today on 8 February, Perm State University celebrates the Russian Science Day. PSU congratulates students and faculty staff, international fellow scholars and partners from other universities, wishing you all creative inspiration, successful research, discoveries and worldwide recognition!

In 2020, Perm State National Research University has improved its position in the Russian University Ranking (RUR), moving up five positions to the Bronze League. With assistance by Clarivate Analytics, RUR annually evaluates global and Russian universities.

More than 250 citizens from 23 countries continue their studies at PSU since the start of the new academic year 2020-2021. The geography of international students is wide: the Caucasus and Central Asia, the Greater Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.

The most popular faculties among PSU international students are Philology, Modern Foreign Languages and Literature, Chemistry, Biology, History and Political Sciences. From 8 February, 2021, the University re-opens in an off-line format, gradually, in accordance with the anti-COVID safety measures.

The Russian Science Day, initiated by the Russian Academy of Sciences in 1724, was officially re-established by the first Russian President Boris Yeltsin in 1999. The holiday aims to strengthen public awareness, drawing attention to the challenges faced by science and raising support for the academic endeavour.

Russia is an amazing country with a long history, traditions, rich and diverse culture. Russian education is considered one of the best, globally. Every year, thousands of international applicants enter Russian universities. Preparatory departments and short-term Russian language courses help to adapt to living in a new country. In Russia, students are eligible to receive state support through scholarships and discounts on tuition. Learn about the study opportunities here: https://studyinrussia.ru/en/

A Perm State University biologist has performed as an expert on a rare case – regarding the unconventional exotic decease of little Eva. Eva’s mother has been trying to figure out her daughter’s sickness since mid-January.

The recollections of their trip to Zanzibar will last sorely longer, as Natalia Pashina had to take her daughter to intensive hospital care. On their arrival back to Perm from the exotic island, little Eva suddenly felt unwell, suffering from a high temperature.

The tests that Natalia decided to do in private medical labs showed that the girl could have contracted African trypanosomiasis, known as the sleeping sickness. The dangerous illness occurs after an infected tsetse fly, the insects carrying parasites.

“Sleeping sickness is a deadly disease. If neglected and left untreated, it will lead to fatal consequences. Nor it is easy to cure. Only a highly qualified doctor dealing with tropical diseases may establish a diagnosis upon that,”

says Andrei Krasheninnikov, Associate Professor, Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Aquatic Ecology, PSU, in his comment to the NTV television company.

African trypanosomiasis treatment and prevention are complex, and require high expertise with assistance by scientists. Many techniques have reduced tsetse populations, with earlier, crude methods recently replaced by methods that are cheaper, more directed, and ecologically better, to name land clearing, pesticide campaigns and wild animals slaughter control.

Among the most environmentally friendly control tactics, invented by scientists, is the sterile insect technique. Ionizing radiation is used to sterilize male flies, produced in labs. The sterile males are then released systematically in tsetse-infested areas, where they mate with wild females, which do not produce offspring. As a result, this technique can eventually eradicate populations of wild flies.

The Faculty of Biology at Perm State University prepares specialists in biology and environmental science, as well as biotechnology, genetics, microbiology, ichthyology and immunology. The scholars of the Faculty were the first in Russia to study the influence of HIV and Hepatitis C virus on activation of immune resistance attenuation of immune system cells, as well as the role of systematic inflammation within this process and its consequences.

Starting from 8 February, Perm State University opens its doors and warmly welcomes 1st and 4th year bachelor course undergraduates, 1st and 5th -year specialty students, as well as all graduate students and college ones. The order announcing the return to off-line study format has been signed by Dr. Dmitry Krasilnikov, Acting Rector, PSU.

Part-time students shall continue their academic year in a distance format.

“The decision goes along our agreement with PSU Student Union. It is now especially important for final year students to get ready for their theses, while freshmen still need integration into the University community. I am asking students from other courses to treat this decision wisely. Not does it depend on our personal preferences, but rather on the external environment,”

Dr. Dmitry Krasilnikov has noted.

Those workshops requiring the use of lab equipment and dedicated software will be conducted on campus, off-line.

“Most of PSU staff and students have adapted to the online format. Undergraduates and students studying arts/social sciences find it convenient. Yet, for a number of specialties, the distance format introduces its own limitations and sometimes reduces the level of acquired knowledge,”

says Alexandra Umnova, Сhairman of Student Union, PSU.

“The University has chosen a gradual transition to the usual format of studies according to the overall COVID situation in the region. We have been looking forward to that, since other universities subordinate to the Ministry of Science and Higher Education have already announced the off-line return,”

adds Alexandra Umnova.

Two categories of teaching staff – 65+ and those with chronic diseases will continue teaching online, incorporating e-learning technologies.

Earlier, Valery Falkov, Head of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation signed an order returning Russian universities to full-time teaching format.

When attending Perm State University campus, wearing masks, using sanitizers and keeping social distance are strongly required.