Category: Russian Universities

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Novosibirsk State University –

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Mikhail Maslov, an engineer at the Vega Observatory of the NSU Physics Department, photographed comet 240P/NEAT and a fragment that broke off from it through a telescope. The images were taken near the village of Verkh-Irmen in the Novosibirsk region on February 4, 2026.

Comet 240P/NEAT was discovered in 2002 by the American Near Earth Asteroid Tracking (NEAT) system. It is a medium-sized Jupiter-family comet with an orbital period of 7-8 years.

"During this comet's previous returns in 2010 and 2018, it exhibited brightness fluctuations—flares or, conversely, a loss of brightness—which suggests possible fragmentation or ejections of clouds of nuclear material, although no obvious fragments were observed during these returns," said Mikhail Maslov.

This time, during the comet's return, a fragment broke off from it, which was first noticed in October 2025.

"Comet fragmentation, which can be observed, is not a very frequent event, but it nevertheless occurs fairly regularly. Excluding solar comets, it occurs for observed comets approximately once every two to three years, but this is a very rough estimate," explained Mikhail Maslov.

In this image, the main comet, 240P/NEAT, is in the center, and a fragment designated 240P/NEAT B is visible as a smaller comet to the right and below the main comet. The conditions for shooting were not ideal, as there was significant light pollution.

"The fragment itself is currently approximately 30 times dimmer than the main comet. At the time of the photograph, the comet was 2.16 AU from the Sun (approximately 322 million km) and 1.73 AU from Earth (approximately 258 million km). It passed perihelion (its closest distance to the Sun) on December 19 of last year, meaning it is now moving away from the Sun," added Mikhail Maslov.

The comet and its fragment can only be observed visually through large professional telescopes, but thanks to the accumulation of light, they can also be photographed through an amateur telescope.

"The comet's brightness during the photograph was 12.5 magnitudes, and the fragment's brightness was around 16, far beyond the naked eye's visibility limit of 5-6 magnitudes. The comet is invisible even in amateur telescopes, and only the largest ones, 30-40 cm in diameter, can be seen, and even then, at the limit of their visibility under dark skies. To visually observe the fragment, professional telescopes, probably at least a meter in diameter, would be required. However, thanks to the accumulation of light, the comet and fragment can be captured in photographs through an amateur telescope," concluded Mikhail Maslov.

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Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Novosibirsk State University –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

On behalf of the Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, Valery Falkov, Deputy Minister Airat Gatiyatov visited the construction site of the second phase of the project during a working visit to Novosibirsk.new campus of NSU, which is being built within the framework of the national project "Youth and Children" – an educational and scientific centerInstitute of Medicine and Medical Technologies(UNC IMMT) and the NSU Research Center (R&D Center). Construction of these facilities is scheduled for completion this year.

Together with Novosibirsk Region Governor Andrey Travnikov and NSU Rector Dmitry Pyshny, the Deputy Minister of Education and Science inspected the facilities of the world-class campus under construction and held a meeting on the project's implementation.

The construction of NSU's new campus consists of several phases. The first phase includes the academic building.Specialized Scientific Center of Novosibirsk State UniversityThe NSU Specialized Scientific Center (SENC) recreation center and NSU dormitory complex, which accommodates 690 students, were commissioned and have been operational since September 1, 2024. One of the second-stage facilities, the classroom building, opened in late August 2025. It will be able to accommodate approximately 1,700 students at a time. The building includes four classrooms, the largest of which can accommodate 400 students, a research library, a student project center, coworking spaces, and a conference hall.

The new building of the NSU Institute of Medical and Mathematical Technologies (IMMT) will provide training facilities for over 700 students in medical fields, including new programs such as Medical Cybernetics and Industrial Pharmacy, which opened at NSU in 2025. It will house practical workshops and laboratories for molecular pharmacology, metabolomic research, medicinal chemistry, molecular virology, oncology, and other fields, as well as a simulation center for practicing the practical skills of future doctors.

The NSU Research Center building will house up to 180 university researchers—graduate students and young scientists. Promising scientific and technological areas will be developed there, including space instrumentation, photonics and sensors, biomedical and pharmaceutical technologies, synchrotron technologies, high-performance computing, and others. The Research Center will also house a pilot production facility for biotech products.

"NSU's new campus is an investment in the future of Russian science and education. It's creating an environment where education, research, and technology work together as a unified system, and where students and young scientists are provided with world-class opportunities," noted Airat Gatiyatov.

Construction and installation work has been fully completed at the NSU IMMT USC building, including laying walls and partitions, installing the roof, stained-glass windows, and the façade. Interior finishing is well underway: ceilings and walls are complete, electrical wiring and outlets are being installed, elevator installation is complete, and door installation has begun. Commissioning of internal utility systems, such as fire alarms, has also begun. Partial deliveries of equipment and furniture have begun.

Interior finishing work is also underway at the NSU Research Center, and preparations have begun for the installation of cleanrooms. The technical readiness of the NSU Research Center and the NSU Institute of Mathematics and Mechanics (IMMT) Research Center buildings is 73.5% and 84.5%, respectively.

At the direction of President Vladimir Putin, a network of modern campuses is being created in Russia. By 2030, the country is expected to have a constellation of 25 campuses. The Government of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Education and Science are leading this effort. Funding for the project is provided by federal and regional budgets, as well as extra-budgetary sources.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Novosibirsk State University –

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From April 15 to 21, 2026, Novosibirsk State University will host the International Scientific Student Conference (ISSC-2026)—one of the largest scientific events for undergraduate, graduate, and school students.

As usual, the conference will begin with general registration and a formal opening. The program includes an interactive platform, popular science lectures by renowned scientists, and informal networking. Throughout the week, participants will enjoy section sessions, roundtable discussions, open seminars, master classes, tours of NSU and Akademgorodok, and other events.

In 2026, the MNSK program was significantly expanded. Key innovations include:

An expanded medical program—for the first time, separate sections for "Experimental Medicine" and "Clinical Medicine" have been created, with subsections on internal medicine, pediatrics, surgery, obstetrics, and gynecology. A new focus in the "Scientific Engineering" section—the oil and gas program is now presented in the format "Digital Approaches in Oil and Gas Engineering." New legal programs for schoolchildren include the "Economics and Law" subsection within the "Socio-Economic Sciences" section and the "Jurisprudence" subsection within the Humanities section.

The International Scientific and Cultural Society (ISSC) remains a platform for interdisciplinary dialogue, exchange of ideas, and introduction to the scientific community.

Particular attention is traditionally paid to the humanities and natural sciences.

"The Journalism section typically has three to four subsections: "Media Presentation of Sociocultural Phenomena," "Modern Media Technologies," "Media Languages and Discourses," and "History of Journalism." Participants come from Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk, Moscow, Tomsk, and other cities," notes Natalya Simonova, secretary of the Journalism section.

According to her, the topics of the papers cover a wide range of research: from the representation of social issues and identities to the analysis of the language and style of Russian media, media concepts and media images, including audiovisual formats, as well as issues in the history of journalism and its understanding in modern media. In 2026, the section hopes to expand its scope and geographic participation, including through a remote format.

The Mathematics section also offers wide opportunities for young researchers.

"The 12 subsections of the Mathematics section provide undergraduate and graduate students with the opportunity to present their work in both classical theoretical disciplines and applied fields, but all presentations remain based on a solid mathematical foundation," explains Tatyana Tikhonova, section secretary.

Traditionally, section submissions are accepted in LaTeX format, which helps participants prepare for publication in leading scientific journals. The "Theoretical Cybernetics" and "Mathematical Modeling" subsections have been the most popular for many years—after selection, over 35 papers are submitted, so the sessions are held in several stages.

"Over the past two years, interest in the 'Monte Carlo Methods and Related Topics' subsection has grown significantly. Schoolchildren actively participate in its work, conducting undergraduate-level research," notes Tatyana Tikhonova.

The subsections "Algebra and Mathematical Logic," "Geometry and Analysis," and "Differential Equations" traditionally feature strict selection—attention is paid not only to the content but also to the style of presentation and the formatting of formulas. The subsection "Mathematical Economics" is particularly noteworthy, as participants receive assistance in refining their abstracts and refining their research papers.

For the third time, the Mathematics section will feature an English-language subsection, Problems and Prospects for the Development of the Scientific and Technological Space, where students learn to present their research in English and receive expert evaluation.

"Students from Russian and international universities, including the HSE, Tomsk, Altai, Irkutsk, St. Petersburg, Siberian, and Urgench universities, among others, regularly participate in the section's work," adds the section secretary.

The 2026 International Scientific Conference (ISC) is not only about scientific reports, but also about lively dialogue, professional connections, and the first step into a larger scientific community.

Follow the news, choose a section, and join the community of young researchers!

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Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Novosibirsk State University –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

On February 5, Novosibirsk State University hosted a lecture and meeting with translators of Chinese literature, timed to coincide with the premiere of the Old House Theatre's production of Chinese writer Liu Zhenyun's novel "One Day Like Three Autumns." The speakers included translators and scholars of Chinese literature—Oksana Rodionova, Associate Professor of the Faculty of Asian Studies at St. Petersburg State University, Alexey Rodionov, First Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Asian Studies at St. Petersburg State University, and Natalia Dmitrieva, press secretary of the Old House Theatre—who addressed NSU students majoring in Asian studies and faculty.

The event provided a rare opportunity for students to experience contemporary Chinese literature firsthand through live interaction with the translators of the work that formed the basis of the theatrical production.

Opening the meeting, the director Confucius Institute of NSU Yulia Azarenko noted the particular value of such events for regional universities:

"We have a truly extraordinary event today—a lecture and meeting with translators of Chinese literature. For us, located far from Moscow and St. Petersburg—traditional centers of Oriental studies—this is especially important. An academic environment is essential for development, and this time, the Old House Theatre helped us create one here in Novosibirsk. We are meeting in connection with the premiere of a play staged by a Chinese director based on a contemporary work of Chinese literature."

Elena Voytishek, Head of the NSU Department of Oriental Studies, also delivered a welcoming speech, emphasizing the importance of reading and direct contact with books for humanities students:

"Our librarians always say, 'Orientalists are people who read.' Despite the digital age, humanities students need to feel a book—turn the pages, experience them tactilely. Today, we have the opportunity to experience the great culture of China through literature and through those who could be called 'carriers of meaning between civilizations'—translators. It's especially valuable that we have here both first-year students, just beginning their acquaintance with Eastern culture, and seniors who already have firsthand experience immersing themselves in it."

Alexey Rodionov noted the growing interest in Chinese literature in Russia and its significance in the contemporary cultural context:

"Oksana Petrovna and I are deeply honored to be at NSU today. I highly recommend taking this opportunity to see the performance at the Old House—it's a national cultural event with significant international implications. Orientalists are in demand today more than ever: Eastern culture has long been underrepresented in the public sphere, but that's changing."

According to him, official statistics from the Russian Book Union clearly demonstrate this process:

"In the nearly 300 years of literary ties between Russia and China, Chinese literature has never even made it into the top ten most translated literatures. But in 2021, it took 9th place for the first time, 8th in 2022, and 6th in 2024. There's reason to believe this trend will continue. Students majoring in Asian studies today truly have broad prospects, and our task is to prepare them well for this."

Oksana Rodionova's main lecture focused on the work of Liu Zhenyun, his biography, the historical context of his life, the characteristics of his artistic style, and the worlds presented in his works. Excerpts from the novel were also read during the presentation.

"Liu Zhenyun is one of the ten most famous contemporary Chinese writers. Six of his novels have been translated into Russian to date, and he is a favorite among Russian readers," said Oksana Rodionova. "Even in the 1980s, when China was beginning to actively absorb elements of Western culture, he remained true to himself: he wrote in simple language about the most important things."

According to the translator, it is precisely this simplicity that makes Liu Zhenyun's works particularly profound:

"There are no clearly good or bad characters in his books. Reading his texts, a person begins a dialogue with themselves, checks their internal coordinates, reflects on what is "good" and "bad." These books make you laugh, cry, and ultimately become kinder. Literature that teaches us to be human will always be relevant."

Natalia Dmitrieva, press secretary for the Stary Dom Theatre, spoke about how a literary work was transformed into a theatrical production. According to her, a year ago, the theatre invited Chinese director Ding Yiteng to conduct a series of master classes for the actors:

He is a young, incredibly energetic director who works at the intersection of contemporary theater and Peking opera. He calls himself "the grandson of Stanislavsky and Confucius." Our actors underwent intensive training in the traditions of Peking opera, where every movement has its precise emotional meaning. The immersion was total, and the director noted that the actors were in excellent psychophysical condition—a crucial aspect for the stage.

The lecture and meeting at NSU demonstrated how a literary text can exist in several dimensions simultaneously—literary, translational, and theatrical—and became an important event for students studying the language, culture, and literature of China.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.