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Month: December 2021

GSOM SPbU first Russian business school to receive ‘triple crown’

Posted on by Alina Perevizintsova

The Graduate School of Management at St Petersburg University is the first school in Russia to receive accreditation by the three most influential international associations: EQUIS, AMBA and AACSB. According to statistics, only one of 100 business schools in the world is afforded such honour.

In November 2021, the accreditation by the AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) was granted. This accreditation confirms that the business school is committed to transforming the education in view of international market demands integrating cutting edge technologies and best practices into the teaching and learning process.

Commitment to success in the global academic environment has been in the core of the School’s strategy since its foundation in 1993. The Graduate School of Management has been gradually moving towards the established goal. In 2008, the School’s progress was distinguished by the AMBA (the Association of MBAs) and in 2012 – by the EQUIS (the European Quality Improvement System). The AACSB accreditation allowed for the Graduate School of Management to receive the status of a Business School with a ‘triple crown’ accreditation.

Today, only about 100 universities out of 18,000 universities worldwide have all three accreditations. In the academic environment, a ‘triple crown’ accreditation confirms the highest standard of the education quality.

‘The Graduate School of Management at St Petersburg University is the first in Russia to receive the highest international status in the form of a “triple crown” accreditation. It establishes Russia in the map of the best business schools in the world enabling Russian business education to compete with international universities. In 2006, President of Russia Vladimir Putin set the task to create a Russian business school of a global level to train leaders capable of solving global economic problems and increasing the competitiveness of specific economic sectors as well as the country as a whole. We have successfully completed this task. The diploma of St Petersburg University becomes even more valuable both for the graduates and for the employers in Russia and beyond,’ said Sergey Ivanov, Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for Environmental Protection, Ecology and Transport, Chairman of the Advisory Board for the Graduate School of Management at St Petersburg University.

‘Acclaim of this level is a result of many years of work by the staff at the Graduate School of Management and the whole team of St Petersburg University on the development of business education. We introduce advanced approaches to education, invite the best experts and opinion leaders, implement innovative projects on the basis of the Graduate School of Management at the University. I am confident that this achievement will inspire our students and teachers to reach new academic and scientific summits and will become a new seal of excellence for employers that have always regarded St Petersburg University’s diplomas as a guarantee of excellent training,’ remarked Nikolay Kropachev, Rector of St Petersburg University, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

‘Receiving a “triple crown” accreditation by the Graduate School of Management is the highest recognition on the part of the global academic community. Sustainable implementation of the proper development strategy and active support on the part of the trustees, which enabled the Graduate School of Management at St Petersburg University to be one of the first in Russia to incorporate cutting edge digital technologies and best practices into the teaching and learning process, made this success possible. This achievement is a well-deserved result of the hard work by the whole staff of the Graduate School of Management as well as all graduates and partners of the business school,’ underscored Olga Dergunova, Deputy President and Chairman of VTB Bank Management Board, Director of the Graduate School of Management at St Petersburg University.

Future of Performing Arts Education Webinar Series

Posted on by Communications Office

What does it mean to place students at the heart of teaching and learning? How can we personalise our classes so every student engages and makes progress? Why can a broader understanding of our students help us to be more effective as educators? And what does this mean in the context of performing arts institutes?

Presented by The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, “The Future of Performing Arts Education” Webinar Series no. 7: Student-Centred Learning will be held on Dec 10, 2021 at 5pm (HKT). Join our guest speakers Dr Stephanie Burridge (Adjunct Lecturer at LASALLE College of the Arts and Singapore Management University), Dr Ellen Stabell (Head of the Centre for Excellence in Music Performance Education at the Norwegian Academy of Music; Associate Professor of Music at Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences), and Dr Sabine Hoidn (Head of the Student-Centered Learning Lab and Senior Lecturer in Management and Higher Education at the University of St. Gallen) for a dialogue on “Student-Centred Learning.

Details & Registration: https://bit.ly/30lpXmw (Conducted in English)
Video and podcast recordings of the first five sessions are available on the series’ website and the Academy’s YouTube channel, check them out: https://bit.ly/3vrsSpp / https://bit.ly/3plC91f

Scientists Develop Model Standard of Grid

Posted on by Tomsk Polytechnic University

Scientists of Tomsk Polytechnic University have created a concept of all-mode verification of calculations of modes and processes in smart grids, which is based on information from a model standard. Within the concept, they formed accuracy classes of mathematical models of modern devices of flexible alternating current transmission systems (FACTS) and high-voltage, direct current (HVDC) electric power transmission systems, as well as renewable sources of energy. It was required for complete and reliable solutions to practical tasks in power engineering.

Solving the problem of all-mode verification of information obtained in the result of numeral calculations contributes to increasing an accident rate, the most essential reliability and efficiency indexes of grid operation.

“According to the statistics of system accidents in the global power engineering, about half of these accidents are related to the use of ill-founded calculation data obtained using conventional methods of modelling. The situation is becoming worse because of the modern tendencies to complication of grids due to the introduction of renewable generation, FACTS and HVDC devices, as well as the change and complication of operation modes and processes in grids,”

explains Alexey Suvorov, Associate Professor of the TPU Division of Power and Electrical Engineering.

The scientists proposed to use the model standard of a grid to increase the completeness and reliability of calculations. A freely configurable developed multimodular complex for real-time simulation of grids of any dimensions and topology is used as the model standard. The complex was created due to a hybrid approach to modelling complicated dynamical systems, which was proposed and being developed at TPU.

The developed concept of verification based on the hybrid model standard is unique and does not possess any alternatives in the global energy industry. Using the concept, the scientists already formed the accuracy classes of mathematical models of modern devices of FACTS and HVDC, as well as renewable sources of energy. The research work was conducted within the grant of the Russian Science Foundation.

Chinese Culture University Promotes Sustainable Development of the National Park

Posted on by Chinese Culture University

Situated in the Gateway community of Yangmingshan National Park, Chinese Culture University enjoys the beauty of the mountain and is glad to promote the sustainable development of the national park. To integrate the university’s social responsibility into practical approaches, the Department of Tourism Management works closely with Yangmingshan National Park in a range of projects led by Professor Jane-Fuh Lu. These projects, which engage with tourism management and environment protection, involve calculating the number of tourists in the park, setting infrared sensors to monitor trial traffic, and evaluating the environmental impact of the restrooms on the habitat of the amphibians in the park. In addition, the university works in collaboration with Kinmen National Park to evaluate the land use of the Lake Cih area. The professors and students of the university visited the wildlife habitats and investigated the wildlife resources. The results will be adopted for land use planning. Moreover, the department has worked with Taroko National Park to resolve the conflicts between tourists and Taiwanese macaque with workable measures that can reconcile human activities and animal needs.

Lingnan University’s world-class research strengths

Posted on by Editorial Team

As a leading liberal arts university in Asia, Lingnan University offers a wide range of research postgraduate (RPg) programmes across the humanities, social sciences and business studies. Lingnan provides its students and researchers with generous support and they conduct research and projects with high social relevance and impact.

The research work conducted at Lingnan was classified as “World Leading” and “Internationally Excellent” in the latest Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) conducted by the University Grants Committee of Hong Kong. The RAE uses international benchmarks to identify the relative strengths of the city’s public universities. Over 50% of Lingnan’s submitted research outputs were rated either world leading or internationally excellent. In the fields of Accountancy, Sociology and Anthropology, Social Work and Social Policy, and Philosophy, Lingnan was placed first or second, in terms of the percentage of “World Leading” research work. While, for reach and significance, 56 percent of the university’s research was assessed to have achieved “Considerable or Outstanding Impact”.

First-class faculty

In the latest QS World University Rankings 2022, Lingnan was ranked 33rd globally in “International Faculty”. Over 180 of the academic staff at Lingnan boast PhDs, and other advanced degrees, from some of the world’s most prestigious universities, including Chicago, Columbia, Cornell, Harvard, Oxford, Peking, Pennsylvania, Princeton, Stanford, UC Berkeley, UCL, UCLA, and Yale. Building on the diverse range of research interests of these faculty, the university has a strong commitment to developing successful interdisciplinary research, as well as forging international partnerships and collaborative ties. Lingnan also ensures that, alongside the contribution they make to academia, its research projects effectively inform teaching and knowledge transfer.

Programme of studies

Lingnan offers 25 MPhil and PhD programmes across the arts, business, social sciences and science, disciplines. The University takes a student-centred learning approach, which ensures close and supportive thesis supervision, while also encourages intellectual creativity.

Because of the University’s external partnerships, the options available to postgraduate students extend beyond Lingnan itself. These options include the Double PhD Degree Programme in Economics with the Mainland’s Wuhan University, and the PhD Programmes with Joint Supervision with Shenzhen University, which lies just across the border, for research areas related to International Relations and Development Studies.

Learning activities and support

To give students researchers more global exposure and the opportunity to exchange ideas with other academics, Lingnan organises and takes part in, international conferences on topics ranging from the development of higher education in a post pandemic world, to urban governance. The University also hosts seminars for the sharing of research findings and the exploration of new opportunities for collaboration.

Furthermore, other experiential learning activities, such as sponsored field trips and overseas research visits, are open to all RPg students, regardless of their programme and background. In the QS Asia University Rankings 2021, Lingnan was ranked top for “Inbound Exchange Students” and “Outbound Exchange Students”.

For application details, please go to https://ln.edu.hk/rpg/

Premier business school GISMA partners with global IT leader TCS

Posted on by Global University Systems

Premier business school GISMA University of Applied Sciences announces partnership with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), a leading global IT services, consulting, and business solutions organization.

The partnership primarily involves a range of collaborative activities including jointly organised events, conferences, seminars and lectures. These events will address topics of interest to both GISMA and TCS and share insights, skills, knowledge and networking opportunities.

GISMA is also named as one of the academic partners for TCS Sustainathon Europe which will be held in February 2022. The Sustainathon provides a platform for students and young professionals to collaborate with private companies, non-profit companies and organisations, government agencies and academic institutions, to solve MIMO (Most Ignored, but Most Obvious) challenges. Issues regarding pharmaceutical waste, microplastics, and the deteriorating environment will all be addressed.

The collaboration additionally sees the exchange of educational materials, publications, and pioneering research as well as a close relationship between GISMA students and TCS employees. This partnership will also comprise of academic support to TCS employees to update their skills at GISMA and enable students to intern with TCS via Pace Internship program. Further strategic collaborations are to be expected, complementing both parties through efforts to drive growth and market visibility.

On Monday 15 November, GISMA Business School President, Professor Dr Stefan Stein, was joined by the TCS Pace Europe team, including Nilesh Patil, Director and Lalit Karwa, Head Consulting Partner, at the school’s brand-new campus in Potsdam. The two guests were given a tour of the flagship campus, followed by a speech delivered by Professor Stein on the need for collaboration between business and education. GISMA and TCS formalised the partnership with signing of collaboration agreement at TCS Pace PortTM Amsterdam later in the week where they were joined by Bhuwan Agrawal, Regional Head Central Europe at TCS. TCS Pace Port is a research centre designed to help customers navigate their growth and transformation journey. The GISMA guests were given a tour of the PACE Port facility In his speech to the audience in Amsterdam, Mr. Agrawal acknowledged the immense possibilities both TCS and GISMA could gain from this partnership.

Professor Stein commented on the new partnership: “We are very proud to work with TCS and build a trusting relationship. Our goal at GISMA is to educate the next generation of leaders. We want to open the doors for our students to acquire future-oriented skills through an innovative and creative learning environment, supported by highly qualified staff. This partnership is a significant step towards that goal.”

With offices in 46 countries, TCS partners with some of the world’s largest businesses to provide IT-enabled solutions that simplify and accelerate their digital transformations. Bhuwan Agrawal, Regional Head Central Europe at TCS, says: “We are very happy to partner with an innovative, international educational institution such as GISMA. TCS continues to train its employees, allowing them every opportunity to update their skills and build a meaningful future through innovation, technology and collective knowledge.”

Novel Light-Based Method Shows the Changing Face of Bioactive Molecules

Posted on by Tokyo University of Science

Using a photocatalyst, scientists have identified the factors behind racemization process of chiral sulfoxides

Chiral sulfoxides, molecules that contain sulfur centers that cannot be superimposed on their mirror images, have wide applications in the chemical industry. This ‘chirality’ of the molecules can make them extremely selective during reactions, which makes them valuable, especially in the pharmaceutical industry. But sulfoxides are famously stable, making their conversion into the desired mirror image challenging. Now, scientists from Tokyo University of Science have developed a new method to convert sulfoxides using light.

The first place you need to look to understand “chirality” are your hands – identical structures that cannot be successfully superimposed over one another. Like our hands, many molecules also exhibit chirality. Different forms of chiral molecules (like the right and left hand) are called enantiomers. Chirality is of particular importance in biology because it endows biological reactions with a high specificity. The reactions that one enantiomer take part in may not necessarily be ones that the other can interact in. This makes enantiomers, and the production of enantiomers, highly desirable to the pharmaceutical industry.

In a solution, enantiomers convert automatically into their mirror-image version by a process called “racemization.” Manipulating the racemization reaction helps produce the desired enantiomer as a product. But some molecules, such as sulfoxides, undergo racemization very slowly. Recently, a team of scientists from Japan—including Professor Hideyo Takahashi, Assistant Professor Kosho Makino, Ms. Kumi Tozawa, and Ms. Yuki Tanaka from Tokyo University of Science—has developed a method to achieve the rapid racemization of chiral sulfoxides, an important group of bioactive compounds and intermediates in chemical reactions. This study has been published in the Journal of Organic Chemistry.

One of the challenges in the racemization of chiral sulfoxides is the requirement of very high temperature (about 200°C) to invert the sulfur-centered pyramid-shaped structure of sulfoxides. But previous research had shown that the racemization of chiral sulfoxides by using light, i.e., photoirradiation, was also possible. This was achieved using a “photosensitizer,” a molecule that donated an electron to the reactants when irradiated with light, thus decreasing the energy required to achieve the reaction. “By conducting the reaction in the presence of a photosensitizer, we were able to achieve the racemization of chiral sulfoxide in much more moderate conditions,” says Prof. Takahashi.

For their work, the team photoirradiated several sulfoxides in the presence of the photosensitizing molecule 2,4,6-triphenylpyrylium tetrafluoroborate (TPT+) and found that effective racemization of a number of different sulfoxides occurred very quickly. Finally, they investigated the kinetics of these reactions and hypothesized a reaction mechanism by which they occurred.

Interestingly, the researchers noticed that not all sulfoxides were racemized by TPT. Certain functional groups such as dimethylamino, pyrrolidyl, and anisyloxy on the sulfoxide hindered the racemization process. To find out why, they assessed the electrochemical potentials (a measure of reactivity) of these functional groups by “cyclic voltammetry.” They saw that these functional groups had lower electrochemical potentials than sulfoxide, implying that they reacted ahead of the sulfoxides, thereby preventing their racemization. “It is our belief that determining electrochemical potentials via cyclic voltammetry will help determine the reactive nature of a photochemical reaction, which will save valuable experimentation and research time,” says Prof. Takahashi.

The study emerges as a distinguished addition to research on manipulating the chirality of molecules. As per Prof. Takahashi, “Our photosensitization-based rapid racemization technology can be used for dynamic asymmetric-induced reactions for obtaining the desired enantiomers.”

Indeed, such research is sure to advance the field of chiral active pharmaceuticals and functional materials!

Reference
Titles of original papers: Rapid photoracemization of chiral alkyl aryl sulfoxides
Journal: Journal of Organic Chemistry
DOI: https://doi.org//10.1021/acs.joc.1c02320

HKAPA Professor Yiu Song-lam first Chinese judge invited for the Concours international d’exécution musicale de Genève

Posted on by Communications Office

Professor Yiu Song-lam, Head of Woodwind, Brass and Percussion of the School of Music served as one of the judges of the Concours international d’exécution musicale de Genève – CIEM in Geneva in late October. It is exceptionally meaningful for Professor Yiu as he is the first Chinese judge invited for this renowned international music competition.

Born in Hong Kong, Professor Yiu is a distinguished oboist who has worked in the music industry as performer, educator and entrepreneur. He has been a faculty member at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts since 1996. A graduate of the HKAPA of 1989, Professor Yiu was awarded the Hong Kong Jockey Club Scholarship to study at the Queensland Conservatorium in Australia, the Royal Academy of Music in London, the Rotterdam Conservatorium in Holland and also at the Köln Musikhochschule in Germany, where he received the Diplom der Künstlerischen Abschlußprüfung with distinction in 1994.

After his return from Europe, Professor Yiu founded and remains Artistic Director of Hong Kong Wind Kamerata, a group renowned for their high-quality performances and innovative programmes under his leadership. In addition, Professor Yiu has been artist-in-residence at the Education University of Hong Kong, the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Radio Television Hong Kong. He is a founding board member of the Asian Double Reed Association and is highly regarded for his contributions in developing the double reed network regionally and internationally. Professor Yiu has served as a member of the Advisory Committee of the Academy’s School of Music from 2011 to 2018. He is professionally engaged as advisor, assessor, committee and panel member, and external examiner for a number of advisories and institutions.

Professor Yiu has worked extensively as soloist with numerous orchestras worldwide, including Goldberg Ensemble (UK), Conjunto Hemiola (Spain), Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, Hong Kong Sinfonietta, Macau Orchestra, Korea Daejeon Philharmonic Orchestra, Euro-Asian Philharmonic Orchestra, Ulsan University Wind Ensemble, Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra, Vietnam Saigon Philharmonic Orchestra, and has been invited to perform with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields under the baton of Sir Neville Marriner and with the London Virtuosi on their Spain tour.

A highly active chamber musician, Professor Yiu is frequently invited to perform at prestigious music festivals around the world, and has collaborated with distinguished artists such as Benjamin Schmid, Christopher Warren-Green, Peter Damm, Pierre Yves Artaud, André Cazalet, Carlo Colombo, Christian Schmitt, Guy Touvron, Philippe Cuper, Michel Arrignon and Florent Héau. Professor Yiu is also an avid promoter of contemporary music and has premiered numerous works by local and overseas composers for the International Society for Contemporary Music and other occasions.

Professor Yiu receives regular invitations to give masterclasses at numerous institutions worldwide and adjudicate at international competitions. He has also served as an adjudicator for the Muri International Oboe Competition in Switzerland, the IDRS Fernard Gillet-Hugo Fox International Oboe Competition, IDRS International Young Artist Oboe Competition and the Concours International Musique de Chambre in Lyon, France.

His students have won major prizes in many international competitions and have been appointed major positions at renowned orchestras across Europe and Asia. Professor Yiu has been Visiting Professor of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music since 2016 and was elected Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM) by the Royal Academy of Music for his significant contributions to the music profession.

TPU Students from Africa Speak at Russia-Africa Forum on Nuclear Education

Posted on by Tomsk Polytechnic University

Students of the TPU School of Nuclear Science and Engineering became participants of the II Youth Forum “Russia-Africa: Nuclear Education for Sustainable Development”, which was held at the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University).

The Forum was arranged by the Rosatom State Corporation and RUDN University within the agreement signed at the Russia-Africa Summit in Sochi in 2019. The event was dedicated to searching for new forms of cooperation in the sustainable development of African countries via the promotion of nuclear education, which allows implementing the potential of youth in high-tech areas of science and technology in resident countries.

Tomsk Polytechnic University became a coordinator of the thematic section “Nuclear Medicine Today and Tomorrow”. The students from African countries studying the program of Nuclear Science and Technology at TPU were speakers representing the university with their online reports.

“The section work was dedicated to practice-oriented training of Russian and international staff in nuclear medicine within the programs of sustainable development. Among the presented reports, for instance, there were development and production of radiopharmaceutical of the next generation, digital technology in medicine, advancement of methods and technology in radiation therapy and diagnostics,” says Vera Verkhoturova, Deputy Director of the TPU School of Nuclear Science and Engineering and Head of International Nuclear Education Programs.

Irina Svyato, Adviser to Director General of Rusatom Healthcare JSC and Mr Vincent Humbulani, Head of the Department of Radiation Therapy at the Academic Hospital of the University of Pretoria (South Africa) were moderators of the section.

The future of many countries and peoples lies behind the Forum topic. Forum participants can make a significant contribution to their prosperity. The Forum is dedicated to the search for new forms of cooperation in the sustainable development of African countries. First of all, it is search for news forms via promotion of nuclear education. It regards promising areas in higher education, training of highly qualified staff in nuclear technology for countries of the African continent.  It is required to focus on how not to lose the tempo in conditions of the pandemic and decreased mobility,” Vladimir Filippov, President of RUDN University and Academician of the Russian Academy of Education, addressed the Forum participants.

KNU Research Team, Developing Nanostructured Piezoelectric Material Without Using Lead

Posted on by Kyungpook National University ‏‏‎ ‎

Professor Kwi-il Park, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Kyungpook National University developed a non-lead piezoelectric material with a core-shell nanostructure in collaboration with Professor Chang Kyu Jeong’s team and Dr. Sung Beom Cho of the Korea Institute of Ceramic and Technology and proved a piezoelectric effect that is more than doubled compared to existing non-lead piezoelectric materials. The results of the study were published in the online edition of “Nano Energy, Impact Factor: 17.881), a renowned journal in the field of nanomaterials and energy, on August 31. The first authors are Yeon-Gyu Kim, a master’s student at Kyungpook National University, and Hyunseung Kim, a master’s student at Jeonbuk National University.

The piezoelectric effect refers to a phenomenon in which electrical changes occur when a substance is deformed. Piezoelectric materials are essential components for most electronic products and are applied to various fields such as sensors, actuators, and energy-generating elements.

Currently, lead titanate zirconate (PZT) is used as a piezoelectric material, but due to restrictions on lead use, which is part of international environmental regulation policies, it is urgent to develop a new non-lead piezoelectric material that can replace lead titanate. Accordingly, non-lead-based piezoelectric materials such as barium titanate (BaTiO3) are attracting attention, but they have not reached the level of practical use due to their lower piezoelectric characteristics than lead-based piezoelectric materials.

Professor Park’s team developed a core-shell nanoparticle structure consisting of barium titanate inside (core) and strontium titanate (SrTiO3) outside (shell). It has been proven that the substitution effect (a phenomenon in which an electrical change occurs inside the material when a strain is applied) can be induced and piezoelectric properties can be improved by continuously changing the concentration of elements from strontium titanate to barium titanate throughout the nanoparticles without a clear boundary between the core and shell.

The core-shell nanoparticles developed by the research team showed a piezoelectric constant (proportional constant between the voltage applied to piezoelectric materials and the resulting deformation) of 49.6 picometers per volt (pm·V-1) more than doubled compared to existing barium titanate nanoparticles. This is the highest figure among all piezoelectric nanoparticles reported to date. In addition, the experimental results were theoretically verified by structurally dynamically calculating the change in strain inside the piezoelectric material through computer simulation.

Professor Kwi-il Park confirmed the possibility of an application technology by manufacturing energy-generating elements using the developed piezoelectric materials. This study is of great significance in that it investigated the correlation between the internal structure of the material and the improvement of the piezoelectric effect based on experimental and theoretical results and presented a new direction for implementing high-performance non-lead piezoelectric materials, he said.