Goals

The following strategic goals were defined within the cooperation in the project “Strategic Partnership”:

1. Overcoming the generational change: attracting new scientists to the cooperation.

2. Expanding the cooperation: within the universities (more institutes, more faculties); wider field of action (undergraduate and graduate student exchanges, joint doctoral programmes, exchange of scientists, research collaboration, joint degree programmes such as double master’s degrees).

3. Encouraging young scientists.

4. Combining various individual activities to achieve synergies: fostering interdisciplinary activities, creating larger research projects and joint third-party-funded projects, bringing together the major research fields of both universities.

5. Strengthening research by exploiting the respective strengths in experimental facilities (laboratories) and theoretical knowledge is in accordance with Leibniz’ motto "Theoria cum Praxi".

6. Increasing the number of excellent students at both universities.

7. Stemming the brain drain: currently more students and graduates go to Hannover than to St. Petersburg. This should be counteracted by highlighting the strengths of St. Petersburg.

8. Building up cooperation with industry and external research institutions.

9. Developing transnational cooperation with mutual strategic partners.

10. Educating highly qualified specialists in order to deepen German-Russian economic relations.

11. Offering additional language classes, intercultural trainings and cultural studies to prepare graduates for the global labour market.

12. Accentuating the importance of St. Petersburg and Hannover as research centres and, in addition to conducting joint scientific work, helping to understand and appreciate the language and culture of the partners.

13. Enhancing the international visibility of activities (studying, teaching and research), raising the profile of the strengths of LUH and SPbPU on the international education and research markets.

The development of a wide range of joint educational programs for Bachelor, Master as well as PhD students is the focus of both universities. This includes in particular the programmes taught in English.  The development of masters and PhD programmes in the priority areas of joint scientific research is of particular interest for both universities.