Aleksandr Zhilkin Will Head ASU Board of Overseers

At the first meeting, which took place on January 22, the participants discussed goals and objectives for the Board and further plans of its work and learnt about current activities of Astrakhan State University.

The Board of Overseers was created at the end of last year to facilitate decision-making in the university’s development, attract extra finances for ensuring its activities and for control over their application.

The meeting started with appointment for the top positions of the Board. Upon a unanimous consent, Aleksandr Zhilkin, the Senior Vice-President for the Caspian region of Eurasia-Management LLC and ex-Governor of Astrakhan region, was elected chair of the Board. Vladimir Kulagin, the Director-General of the ELKO Managing Company, was elected Deputy Chair, while Prof. Aleksandr Lunev, Doctor of Economic Sciences who is the President of ASU, will be the Executive Secretary of the Board. The Board of Overseers will consist of 29 people — representatives of businesses, heads of leading corporations of Astrakhan region, former staff members and students of the university.

ASU Rector Konstantin Markelov addressed the overseers with a report on the programme of development of Astrakhan State University until 2024 and the progress of its implementation. The programme was developed in accordance with best practices of Russian and foreign educational institutions and with regard to the need for training highly skilled HR. The plan was approved at large expert platforms. Its top-priority activities are promotion of scientific research, usage of modern technology in the study process and strengthening of interregional and international cooperation.

Aleksandr Zhilkin stressed that the Board of overseers had been established exactly for rendering help to the university. He called the meeting participants for paying special attention to research projects of ASU scientists and supporting them in every way.

The Board members were also told about the promising project of establishment of the Caspian Scientific & Educational Centre and the ASU Endowment Fund.

At the end of the meeting, Aleksandr Zhilkin suggested that the Board chose the most important tracks of the university’s development and created respective working groups, consisting of both Board members and their colleagues who would be interested in it, until the next meeting.

In his turn, Konstantin Markelov invited the guests to attend all events of the university that will be of interest to them in order to learn more about its capacities.