superconductive – сверхпроводниковый; a finished model – готовая разработка; venerable – маститый;

deterioration – износ;

a friction pair – пара трения;

reference terminal (station) technology – технология опорных станций; cargo shipload lots – судовые партии грузов;

an outcome – результат;

a collection of scientific papers – сборник научных трудов; actual and topical – текущий и актуальный.

Questions to the text:

1 How large is the scientific staff of the RSTU?

2 What scientific centers and laboratories are there in the University? 3 What are the main scientific problems studied at the University?

4 What scientific school of the University is the most famous?

5 Are the developments of the University scientists implemented?

Pedagogical and social work in the Rostov State Transport University

Pedagogical and social work in the Rostov State Transport University is aimed at the upbringing and development of students` personality on the basis of universal human values, helping them in self-determination, moral, civil and professional selfactualization. On the base of the Humanities department the Centre of sociological and psychological research has been established, which is engaged in studying students` motivation, psychological features and social characteristics.

The central focus of pedagogical work is the formation of student activists` groups, training leaders, developing students` self-government. Regular meetings are held by the Rector, pro-rectors, leading scientists of the University with different categories of students for discussing the organization of the educational process, improving living conditions, arranging cultural and leisure activities. The deans and curators carry out purposeful work with the students in different areas of their activities.

The cooperation with the Rostov eparchy is maintained. Students participate in the construction of the cathedral in honor of St. Ioann Kronshtradsky, adjacent to the University. The University took the Barsukovskaya general school (suffered from the flood in 2002) in the Stavropol region under their patronage.

Systematic work aimed at keeping and developing the best traditions of the railway industry is carried out: students` groups of conductors and assistant drivers are organized every year. There is a labour exchange for students in the RSTU. More than 2000 students annually receive advice on their employment. Students` newspapers «Studenchesky muraveynik» and «Documentoved» are issued in the University. A number of students take part in editing the newspapers «Gudok» and «Magistral».

The festivals «My hostel is my home», «Self-government day» have become traditional in the campus. The University hostels are the best ones in Rostov-on-Don.

37

The Culture Palace of the RSTU is the central place of cultural work among the students, where a number of societies and clubs have been organized. The festivals of students` creativity «Spring» and «Autumn», festival programs dedicated to Mother`s Day, Students` Day, Motherland Defenders` Day, Victory Day are held there.

A healthy lifestyle is facilitated by the staff of the Sports complex and the Department of physical education. Sports days for students and the faculty, the University competitions are held annually.

The main task for the teaching staff is to train well-qualified specialists competitive on the labour market, patriots of Russia capable of maintaining the traditions of railymen. Educational, pedagogical and social activities are inseparable in achieving this goal. And the whole 80-year history of our University has proved it.

Vocabulary:

to aim – нацеливать; upbringing – воспитание;

self-determination – самоопределение; self-actualization – самовыражение, самореализация; self-government – самоуправление;

to issue – выпускать;

to edit – готовить к печати; редактировать; eparchy – епархия;

adjacent – расположенный рядом, прилежащий; to take under patronage – взять шефство;

a conductor – проводник;

an assistant driver – помощник машиниста; labour exchange – биржа труда;

to facilitate – здесь – способствовать; competitive – конкурентоспособный.

Questions to the text:

1 What is the aim of pedagogical and social work in the Rostov State Transport University?

2 Who carries out pedagogical and social work with the students? 3 What outside contacts does the University maintain?

4 What festivals and competitions are held in the University?

5 Which way is the professional self-actualization of students achieved?

RAILWAY UNIVERSITIES OF RUSSIA

From the history of the Moscow State University of Railway Engineering

The Moscow State University of Railway Engineering is one of the oldest higher educational institutions in our country. Its activities were closely connected with the development of railway transport. Its history dates back to 1896 when on

38

the command of His Imperial Majesty Nicholas II the Moscow Engineering school was founded.

In August 1896, the first 204 young men who were going to become railway specialists took entrance examinations. Only 60 of them passed the exams successfully and became students.

In the early days of its existence the Moscow Engineering School and its hostel were situated on the upper floors of a building in Tverskaya Street, in the centre of Moscow. The ground floor of that building was occupied by Eliseev's food store so well-known in Moscow. In 1898, a special building for the School was constructed in Bakhmetievskaya Street later renamed after Academician V.N. Obrastsov.

The course of theoretical study at the Engineering School lasted three years. Then the theoretical course was followed by two-year practical training on the construction sites.

Prominent Russian scientists delivered lectures to the students at the Moscow Engineering School. Among them, for example, Academician V. N. Obrastsov who is famous as an outstanding teacher and scientist in the field of railway design and construction, Academician E.O. Paton who is well-known for his scientific papers on bridge building and welding, professor N E. Zhukovsky, a great Russian scientist who delivered lectures on hydromechanics at the School for a long time. Later, V.I. Lenin called him the father of the Russian aviation.

Some graduates from the Moscow Engineering School became well-known scientists. Academician I.G. Alexandrov was one of the first graduates from the Moscow Engineering School. He worked in the field of railway electrification and was a member of the GOELRO Commission. It was I.G. Alexandrov who designed the Dneproges.

In 1913 for great achievements in training railway specialists the Moscow Engineering School was turned into the Moscow Railway Transport Institute. It changed its names several times (in 1924, 1931, 1933, 1993) and gained its status of the University in 1993.

Questions to the text:

1 Who initiated the foundation of the Moscow Engineering school?

2 Where was the Moscow Engineering school situated in its early days? 3 What was the course of study like?

4What famous names are connected with the Moscow State University of Railway Engineering ?

5 When did the University get its status?

The History of the Irkutsk State University of Railway Engineering

34 years ago the Institute of Railway Transport Engineers was built due to the construction of the Baikal-Amur Mainline, according to the order of the Transport Ministry of the USSR on July 18, 1975. The great construction that gathered representatives of all the republics of the vast country – the USSR – needed qualified staff.

39

Undoubtedly, the establishment of a higher educational institution is not an easy task. The issue of railway staff training arose simultaneously with the TransSiberian Mainline construction. The Trans-Siberian Mainline reached Irkutsk in 1903, and in some years a school for railway workers was founded. In the mid-1930s the higher education institutes appeared in Irkutsk, which specialized in railway staff training. These were branches of the Khabarovsk and the Novosibirsk Universities of Railway Transport Engineers.

In other words, the prehistory of the Irkutsk State University of Railway Engineering took shape in staff teamwork, which solved questions of staff training with higher technical education. That's why it is considered that the history of the University's foundation and development started from the exploitation of the Trans-Siberian Mainline, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2005.

In the first year there were only two departments at the Institute of the Railway Transport Engineers and the number of students was about 500, but after the establishment of 4 new departments in 1981 the number of students reached 5000.

The Institute was expanding, and in 2000 it gained the official status of the Irkutsk State University of Railway Engineering. This fact means the recognition of its scientific development's level and complexity of resolved tasks.

Over 30 years of practice more than 15,000 specialists graduated from the University with higher vocational education.

Almost 80 percent of the engineering corps at East-Siberian railway are ISURE graduates. Among them there are prominent leaders of the railway and transport industry, businessmen and politicians.

Questions to the text:

1 What was the reason for the establishment of the Irkutsk State University of Railway Engineering?

2What developments of the educational system did the Trans-Siberian Mainline construction entail?

3 When was the construction of the most important Siberian mainlines started?

4What was the Irkutsk State University of Railway Engineering like in its early days?

5 What is the main sphere of professional activity of the University graduates?

40

General overview of the Omsk State Transport University

The Omsk State Transport University (OSTU) is one of the oldest educational institutions in Siberia. The fact of its establishment is connected to the beginning of the great Trans-Siberian Railway construction which created the need in qualified railway transportation specialists.

The University’s history started in the nineties of the 19th-century. It was in 1896 when the Tomsk Technologic Institute (TTI) was established by the decree of the Emperor Nicholas II. In 1900 the training of locomotive and car engineers began.

In 1961 the institute was moved to Omsk and in 1997 it acquired the university

status.

The present day OSTU is a multi-discipline institute of higher education providing training in a wide range of higher professional education syllabuses: engineering, industrial production, transport and communication, economics, management and others with a 4-year program for bachelor’s degree, a 5-year program – for specialists, a 6-year program – for master’s degree.

High quality theoretical schooling and professional training of its graduates is provided by qualified faculty members, material resources, favorable conditions for students dwelling, nutrition, sports and recreation as well as scientific researches for production and transport enterprises conducted at the University.

Its graduates work as regional railways heads, major industrial and transport enterprises directors, bank managers both in Russia and abroad.

Currently there are 6 departments: the Department of Mechanics, the Department of Automation, Telecommunications and Information Technologies, the Department of Heat-and-Power Engineering, the Department of Electromechanics, the Department of Management and Economy, the Medical Department.

OSTU trains 13,000 specialists in different majors and specialties.

Thanks to the financial support rendered by the Ministry of Railway Transportation of the Russian Federation and West-Siberian Railway Division it became possible to carry out fundamental modernization of the University laboratories from 2000 to 2008 as well as teachers professional development at the best railway enterprises and in the field of information technologies.

The University library (800,000 copies) is the methodical center of the university libraries of Omsk. The library has the electronic catalog and uses up-to-date information technologies.

The University is the leading academic, scientific and industrial complex with sophisticated experimental and pilot production facilities where practical challenges of railway transport are met.

The major scientific challenges of the University researchers are the rolling stock efficiency and reliability increase, rolling stock units and components restoration and repair enhancement, railway traffic safety increase, energy and resource-sav- ing technologies and equipment, the improvement in the supply systems of electric railways, effective automation, telemechanics and communication devices maintenance and diagnostic technologies development.

OSTU has its branch in Taiga of Kemerovo region.

41