January 28 held a meeting of the Academic Council of ZNU, which was summed up the activities of the university and its departments in the past 2013 and outlines the prospects for further development of the university. A report on research activities and international cooperation made by Vice-Rector for Science and Research Victor Gristchak.
Rector of ZNU, professor Mykola Frolov opened the meeting of the Scientific Council and announced the agenda. Opening the meeting, were marked achievements of the students of our university, namely - winner of the All-Ukrainian Students' Olympiad 2012/2013 academic year on the subject "Statistics" Olena Dyadyun (3rd place).
Performed with a speech before those present, professor Victor Gristchak last year named as a "scientific breakthrough" of ZNU and thanked for fruitful and coordinated work to university staff - administration, departments and scientists. He also noted that fundamental scientific researches is now a priority in the scientific and technical, social and economics, social and political spheres, which are aimed to provide sustainable development and competitiveness of Ukraine in the world.
Last year was created the Centre for Technology Transfer, agreement at accession of Zaporizhzhya National University to the National Technology Transfer Network NTTN and started working with Ukrainian-Russian inter-university network of technology transfer. To improve the efficiency of scientific work, the implementation of its results and increase the number of commercial agreements, and therefore proceeds to a special fund of the state budget, our university continues to develop cooperation with industrial enterprises, organizations and institutions. Number of signed by Faculties agreements of ZNU in 2013 increased by 60%.
Scientific researches conducted on the basis of acting in University 10 educational and research laboratories. Two of them are part of the regional educational and scientific-practical center "Ecology", which provides a wide range of paid services in the field of science. Two - in educational research and production center "Metalspetsproekt", acting on the basis of Physical and Mathematical Faculties and actively collaborates with industrial enterprises of city and region.
During the last year as a part of Scientific Research Department of ZNU began operating two new laboratories - Educational and Research Laboratory of Modern History and Modern Educational Technology, and Educational and Scientific Laboratory of Astrophysics. Activity of the last one takes place in cooperation with the Crimean Astronomical Observatory and the Institute of Astronomy in Switzerland (Zurich) and aims to participate in an international project to study solar activity «e-Callisto». 
Overall, in 2013 the university was performed 11 complex scientific and research works for which funding was carried out at the expense of the state budget, 29 commercial contracts - due to physical and legal entities, and 25 - at the expense of international funds and grants. Under the scientific supervision of associate professor Serhiy Choporov (Faculty of Mathematics) in ZNU held an implementation of scientific-research work "Mathematical modeling of complex geometric objects with usage of parallel computing technologies", which received last year a grant of the President of Ukraine for young scientists.
It should be noted that the most active both by the number conducted scientific and research works from external sources, and in terms of practical use of their research projects are Biological, Law, Physical and Economics Faculties.
In general scientific developments of scientists of ZNU in 2013 have been implemented in practice for 35 enterprises. In 2013, scientists of ZNU received 28 security documents - patents, certificates, etc..
ZNU is constantly expanding range of cooperation with national and foreign research institutions and universities. Number of agreements on international scientific cooperation in 2013 has risen to 50. Among the new partners of our university: Metropolitan University in Prague (Czech Republic), Chuvash State Pedagogical University named after I. Yakovlev (Russia), Gomel State University named after F. Skorina (Belarus), Kazakh National Pedagogical University named after Abai (Kazakhstan), etc..
Among the 26 international projects in which participated University during the last year, it is worth noting two projects of European Erasmus Mundus program, of energy efficiency technologies (project "Elektra") and Humanities (project "Humeriya"). In addition, for the first time in the history of the university, a project of the EU Seventh Framework Programme «Pyrses SemData», aimed at supporting research data management and information technology, which gives researchers of Mathematics Faculty work on probation opportunity in foreign universities and research institutions of the United Kingdom, United States, Australia, Germany, Spain, China and Chile.
Significantly increased the number of scientific publications: scientists of ZNU published 63 monographs, 187 textbooks and teaching manuals, including 40 - labeled with MES of Ukraine published 155 articles in international journals (which a half times more than in the previous year) out of 828 scientific articles in professional journals of Ukraine, 17 papers - in scientific journals included in the database Scientometrics «SCOPUS». 
In the ranking of universities in Ukraine according to indicators database «SCOPUS» our university as of October 15, 2013. ranked 58th out of a total of 155 universities represented here and is on the 15th place among 30 classical universities of Ukraine.
Scientific achievements of the University were represented in a variety of special exhibitions, in particular the XXII International Exhibition "Education and Career - 2013" (Kyiv, 11-13 April 2013) and the XXIV International Exhibition "Education and Career - Students' Day 2013" (Kyiv, 14-16 November 2013), in which our university won the Grand Prix and diploma in nomination "International cooperation in education and science" and "Best design of the official site of higher educational institution" in accordance.
During 2013 on the basis of ZNU conducted 22 international, national and regional scientific conferences.
The effectiveness of postgraduate study in ZNU is calculated at 63%. Last year was defended 34 Ph.D. dissertation (including university staff - 20) and 12 doctoral dissertation (including university staff - 12). Now 12 prepare doctoral thesis, 155 postgraduate students and 85 competitors. In addition in our university studying two postgraduate students from Jordan.
At the same time in the last year opened doctorate in specialty 08.00.11 ("Mathematical Methods, Models and Information Technologies in Economics") sent documents to the Education of Ukraine for opening doctorate in specialty 08.00.04 ("Economics and enterprises management (by economical activities)"), preparing documentation for the opening of the specialty 13.00.04 ("Theory and Methods of Professional Education").
Were created two new specialized Scientific Councils: with philological sciences, specialty 10.02.01 ("Ukrainian language") and 10.02.04 ("Germanic languages") and Economic Sciences - specialty 08.00.04 ("Economics and Management of Enterprises"). Passed re-registration Specialized Scientific Council of Philosophy and expanded the activities of the Special Council of Historical Sciences by specialty 07.00.06 ("Historiography, source and special historical disciplines"). In the MES of Ukraine out of registration the opening of the Specialized Scientific Council of Pedagogical Sciences - specialty 13.00.04 ("Theory and Methods of Professional Education").
Among the achievements of our university and two major grants that were received last year, the Faculty of Journalism at the development of educational laboratory of digital terrestrial television. In turn, the Faculty of Economics in collaboration with the University of Economics in Katowice (Poland) and other European universities received grants Vyshegrad Fund at the International Congress of Young Economists in Sunny Beach (Bulgaria). From ZNU, members of Congress were 5 students and 2 teachers.
On increase the effectiveness of international scientific cooperation also indicates academic mobility indicators which in 2013 amounted to 234 persons for students and 70 - for teachers. Thus, in 2013 double degree diploma programs at the University du Maine prepared 8 students of ZNU. In September 2013 during the visit of the delegation to ZNU partner universities du Maine (France) has extended the term of the agreement on the implementation of double degree diploma programs and discussed the prospects of scientific cooperation in the fields of natural sciences, exact and social sciences. Faculty of Economics, in turn, established double degree diploma program with University of Economics in Katowice (Poland).
In 2013, in ZNU studied 48 foreign citizens from Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Moldova and other CIS countries - Morocco, Tunisia, Iraq and others. In turn, long-term foreign training in universities and research institutions throughout the U.S., France, Italy, Germany, UK, Canada, Spain passed the 12 professors of ZNU. And teacher of the Faculty of Biology Volodymyr Sarabyeyev received a grant from the University of Valencia for the publication of a monograph on parasitology. 
During the year, the research part of SCSP conducted 297 scientific events including 5th University Scientific Conference of Students and Young Scientists "Young Science-2013" (9-11 April 2013). ZNU 67 students were participants of the second phase of the All-Ukrainian Students' Olympiad, 7 of which took prizes. In the second stage of All-Ukrainian competition of student scientific works, 24 ZNU students have won.
In 2013 our university was made basic higher educational institution on All-Ukrainian Students' Research Contest and All-Ukrainian Students' Olympiad.
Our university visited 85 foreign guests participated in international conferences, lectures, seminars, round tables and more. Among them - scientists from many countries, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassadors of Finland, the UK, Poland, Germany, General Consuls and attache of the Embassy of France, Bulgaria, USA.
The results of the fruitful activity ZNU scholars in 2013 were awarded with state awards and titles: Dean of the Faculty of Social Pedagogics and Psychology, associate professor Olha Ponomarenko awarded the honorary title "Honored Educational Worker of Ukraine"; Head of the Department of Theory and Methodology of Physical Education and Sport Anatoliy Konokh was awarded the Ministry of Ukraine for Family, Youth and Sports "Honorary Worker of Physical Culture and Sports", the state award "Leader of Education and Science of Ukraine", noted Dean of the Faculty of Economics, professor Alla Cherep; Order of 2nd degree "For merits before Zaporizhzhya region" awarded Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Administration, professor Maksym Lepsky and Head of the Department of Social Philosophy and Management, professor Vitaliy Volovyk; Order of 3rd degree "For merits before Zaporizhzhya region" awarded Vice-Rector for Science and Research Victor Gristchak, Head of the Department of History of Ukraine, professor Serhiy Lyakh and Head of the Department of Political Sciences, associate professor Tetyana Nikolayeva; Medal of the Executive Committee of Zaporizhzhya City Council "For contribution to the development of Zaporizhzhia City" awarded Dean of the Faculty of Physical Education, professor Mykola Malikov. Other honorary awards, certificates and appreciation received Heads of Departments and teachers of ZNU.
At the same time professor Victor Gristchak made a number of remarks and pointed out several shortcomings in relation to the execution of orders related to intensify scientific and practical activities of Faculties and Departments.
At the end of the report Rector of ZNU Mykola Frolov has put a number of questions and made suggestions to address current operational issues. It was about the need for printed literature published by the University for the educational process and scientific activities. Another pressing issue is to increase the number of Ph.D. dissertations and increased activity of researchers on the publication of ZNU scientists articles in the foreign professional journals. This problem has assured the Rector, will soon be considered and addressed to postgraduates and applicants can get expert assistance in the preparation of articles for publication.
In order to internationalization standards of education and research activities, as well as improving language competence of students during 2013 in ZNU on a regular basis worked 8 foreign experts from the United States, Bulgaria, France and Germany. The university has provided for residence and employment of foreign experts. However, in order to increase their number of departments and faculties should initiate this question.
Rector of ZNU Mykola Frolov also stressed the need to expand scientific electronic database through collaboration with other international databases, including Russian scientific citation index "RINTS".
Participants of the meeting of the Scientific Council were able to examine and inspect the exhibition "The scientific potential of ZNU", which was prepared by Scientific Library of ZNU.
Olena Khlystun
