As part of the event held by the Student Science Center, leading staff members and young scientists spoke about the university’s scientific labs, international research centers and, above all, the ways students can take part in their work. Heads of various educational programs explained how students can participate in both fundamental scientific research and commercial projects carried out for ITMO’s corporate customers and partners. Learn more about the event here.
Scientific career
The doors of scientific laboratories are open to all students. Everyone can join research not only in their own field but also in one of ITMO’s many interdisciplinary projects.
Also, you can start your own project and even get funding for it. It is possible to win a grant for practice-oriented discoveries in both competitions held by your School or the university-wide ones. And the Student Science Center can help you with filling out applications for external competitions and grants. In 2020, for example, 177 ITMO students and young scientists received funds from St. Petersburg’s government.
Your path in science is impossible without publications and participation in conferences. Therefore, from the first year of their Master's programs, students have the opportunity to make reports at many faculty and university events. The largest one is the annual Congress of Young Scientists. In 2020, it brought together more than 2,000 participants from 60 Russian cities. Information about all current competitions, olympiads, and conferences can be found on ISU and on the Student Science Center’s official VK page, as well as on research.itmo.ru.
Collections of young scientists’ research papers and proceedings of the congress, as well as catalogs of scientific research works of Master’s and Bachelor’s students are published after the event. Moreover, students' scientific articles regularly appear in leading international journals, which allows them to acquire academic experience and reputation in the scientific community even before their graduation.
Developing entrepreneurship and innovation
ITMO University is not only a research and development center but also a technological and entrepreneurial one. Therefore, it pays special attention to the development of business skills, as well as support of innovative projects and startups. Most of the faculties carry out projects together with large industrial customers. And students can get experience in innovations right during their studies.
For proactive students who already have their own ideas, there is ITMO Preaccelerator. There, you will not only learn the basics of marketing, prototyping, custdev, and business strategy but also have the chance to go through all stages of commercial product development and even will find your first investors.
Students can also visit ITMO’s Technopark with its residents engaged in big data, AR/VR technologies, microelectronics, neurocomputers, telecommunication, IT, robotics, bioinformatics, pharmaceuticals, and medicine. Many of these companies are founded by university graduates and are ready to help current students in testing their business ideas and products, give expert reviews, as well as offer internships or international acceleration programs implemented jointly with Technopark partners.
FabLab will help you create a prototype of your product. For this, there are 3D printers, laser engravers, milling machines, and other high-tech equipment necessary for work, and the lab’s staff are always ready to help you solve any problem.
ITMO University also has the Interuniversity Entrepreneurship Club, the ITMO Case Club, the School of Techno Brokers, student project clubs, and many other opportunities for implementing your ideas.
ITMO.Mentors, teaching and science promotion
The ITMO.Mentors project allows Master’s students to try their hand at teaching, after completing a theoretical course on the basics of pedagogy, mastering modern educational advances, learning the specifics of disciplines, and passing practical tasks.
Mentors participate in the organization of classes and methodological work, consult other students, help with exams and seminars, and so on. This is a great opportunity to improve your teaching skills, find a job right at the place of your studies, and get additional bonuses.
The Science Communication Center is for those who are into science and would like to develop in this field. Its professors not only regularly arrange meetings with the most prominent scientists, experts, and educators, but can also help you prepare a scientific presentation, find partners and collaborators, and take part in citizen science and scientific communication projects.
International opportunities
ITMO works closely with over 90 partner universities in Europe, Asia, North and South America and all of them are ready to welcome new exchange students. Not to mention summer and winter schools, internships, conferences, olympiads, and other short-term academic mobility programs – here the choice of universities is even greater.
Both semester exchanges and short-term programs are co-financed by ITMO University through competitions. You can keep track of the events on ISU, and find all the details in our latest article or on this website.
You can improve your language skills (not only English, but also German, French, Spanish, and Swedish) at the Foreign Language Training Center. At the Center, you can take a test to get the official certificate confirming your language proficiency level, which is a mandatory requirement for participating both in semester exchange and other international events.
In the Academic Writing Lab, you will find professors who conduct consultations and workshops in academic English and help students write scientific papers for international journals and prepare presentations for international conferences.
ITMO also has the Buddy System club that helps international students, as well as the English Speaking Club, the Study Abroad at Home program, and many other opportunities for improving your English.
