News in Press-centre

Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU) and the University of Melbourne (Australia) announced the creation of the Russian-Australian Center for Arctic and Antarctic Research. The universities have consolidated the new area of joint research activities by signing a memorandum of understanding.

According to Alexander Becker, Director of the FEFU School of Engineering, launching of the Center was initiated by the Australian university, and the hydrodynamic ocean modeling was defined as the priority area of partnership.

"The University of Melbourne is now actively developing the new research area of Antarctic exploration, but none of the Australian universities has the necessary ice-related competencies," said Alexander Becker. "FEFU researchers have indisputable authority in this sphere, and that is why they have become the main partners for Australian colleagues."

Along with research to be done, the universities are planning to organize joint expeditions and conferences, to apply for research grants, exchange faculty, young scholars and students, and to launch a joint Master's program. Australian students will become regular participants to the Ice Mechanics Schools in FEFU: for the first time Melbourne University representatives will arrive at Russky Island to explore the natural properties of sea ice in February 2017.

It should be added that in 2016 Far Eastern Federal University created the Polar Research Center in partnership with the leading engineering university in China—Harbin Polytechnic University. New international contacts reinforce the Arctic Project, which is implemented in FEFU within the Competitiveness Enhancement Program (5top100 Project). Its main objective is to create the center of excellence in Arctic technologies of the World Ocean resources development, which is able to perform the full range of engineering services, and to provide scientific support for projects on the shelf of the Arctic and sub-Arctic seas.