During the meeting, issues of scientific cooperation in the framework of the European research center XFEL - X-ray laser on free electrons, which is going to start working in 2017 in Hamburg, were discussed.
“Though Technical University of Freiberg is quite small, it has been engaged in research in perspective materials, including photonics materials, for a long time. Our employees are already working with colleagues from this university on creation of joint laboratories and educational programs,” Ekaterina Tulugurova, the chief of the International Educational Programs Office of the ITMO University Institute of International Development and Partnership, commented on the meeting.
Some 12 countries are involved in the international project on the laser setup construction, but core funding is carried out by Germany and Russia.
Vladimir Nikiforov, the pro-rector on the ITMO University scientific work, called the XFEL European Research Center project a highly promising one. Scientific cooperation between higher education institutions was initiated by Alexey Romanov, the head of the ITMO University Advanced Led Materials and Devices International Laboratory, and Sergey Molodtsov, Professor from the Technical University of Freiberg. In parallel, universities discussed the prospects of creation a joint Master Degree program in the materials science.