Moldova
: Teaching Entrepreneurship to Engineering Students
in
the Former
Soviet Union
Ion
Tiginyanu
Technical
University
of
Moldova
Bethany
S. Oberst
James
Madison
University
(
USA
)
Russel
C. Jones
World
Expertise LLC (
USA
)
Abstract:
In
2003 the Technical University of Moldova successfully piloted an ambitious
entrepreneurship program for a group of its students, consisting of formal
instruction and an internship with a successful Moldovan entrepreneur.
This paper describes the genesis of the project, the successful search
for funding, the curriculum, selection of faculty, students and mentors,
evaluation, the related entrepreneurial inventory project, and the place of the
program within the framework of the new
International
Center
for Entrepreneurship in
Moldova
. The
authors present this report with reference to the challenges of teaching
entrepreneurship in a former soviet socialist republic, one which today is
struggling to find its feet in the fast moving global economy.
The paper addresses the future of the entrepreneurship project, and the
regional implications of the new
International
Center
for Entrepreneurship.
Introduction:
Entrepreneurship
education has taken on a new role in the past several years, as the
international development community has begun to realize its importance in
rebuilding and reorienting countries whose economies need to be recast, revised,
rebuilt or revitalized. While large
scale, globally financed projects are often required to rebuild a country’s
essential infrastructure, individuals must begin to believe that there is a
place for them in the new economy, and that they have the capacity and skills to
control a part of their destiny. Capacity
building requires both individual and collective initiative if it is to succeed
and result in real economic benefits. Teaching
people how to be entrepreneurial within the context of their own evolving
economies is a working link between large scale international efforts and the
destiny of the individual.
That
is the positive side of entrepreneurship education in the developing world.
The more defensive side is that under repressive political systems,
extreme poverty and highly centralized economies, many people have been educated
or trained to perform outmoded or even overtly destructive work. Scientists
whose efforts were directed to the invention of weapons of mass destruction, for
example, face difficult choices: to sell their skills to the highest bidder, or
to reorient their careers in order to survive in a new economy.
The challenge then becomes to identify those people, offer them ways to
use their expertise productively, give them the tools to earn a living in their
own country, possibly through private enterprise, and thus stem the tide of
brain-drain and prevent deflection and possible perversion of their knowledge.
Entrepreneurship education is one component of this rehabilitation,
following an entrepreneurial inventory of the type discussed later in this
paper.
The
Republic
of
Moldova
:
The
Republic
of
Moldova
is located in the
Black Sea
region of
Eastern Europe
, north of
Turkey
, east of
Romania
, sharing a border with
Ukraine
. Today
4.5 million Moldovans live in an area slightly larger than the
US
state of
Maryland
, 80 % of them with income below the poverty line, and
most of them in rural areas. The predominant language is Romanian.
The second traditionally used language is Russian.
What is now
Moldova
was part of
Bessarabia
and through the centuries was under the domination of the Russian Empire and
the
Ottoman Empire
. At the end of World War II, the
land that is today
Moldova
became the Soviet Socialist Republic of Moldova, but on
August 27, 1991
, it gained its independence from the
Soviet Union
. Since independence,
Moldova
quickly moved to reform its economy, privatizing its industries, seeking to
enter into the global markets, and achieving some success.
However,
Moldova
’s economic rebuilding was slowed considerably by the sinking of
Russia
’s economy, with which it was still closely tied, and the election in 2001 of
a Communist parliament continues to weaken
Moldova
’s prospects for attracting foreign investors.
Moldova
is a land-locked country, entirely dependent on foreign energy sources.
Its economy relies heavily on agriculture, food processing, tobacco and
wine. Currently about 43 % of its
exports go to
Russia
and another 10 % to
Ukraine
.
Moldova
has suffered from serious ethnic and political
strife. The most persistent problem,
which passes largely unperceived in the western media, is the unresolved border
issue involving the eastern portion of the country, known as Transnistria.
This land is committed to returning to a Soviet-style society and
economy, and the presence of large elements of the old Soviet army in the area
makes it a threatening reality in Moldovan politics.
Since 9/11, the world has slowly begun to take notice of the danger
inherent in the very porous international border in this strategically important
part of the world.
Higher
education in
Moldova
consists of a mature set of colleges and
universities. The Technical
University of Moldova (http://www.utm.md),
founded in 1964 and located in the capital, Chisinau, is the only technical
university in the country. The
university enrolls 14,000 students in nine faculties, taught by around 800
teaching staff. The TUM offers undergraduate and graduate degrees, and is deeply
involved in scientific and technical research.
The TUM has administrative responsibility for a network of technical
colleges throughout the country, and thus functions somewhat as a multi-campus
educational system. The TUM is also
a leader in the Black Sea University Network, an organization of over one
hundred universities located in eleven countries clustered around the Black Sea
and dedicated to “peace strengthening, conflict prevention, early warning
institutions, governance improvement, IT and learning, economy restructuring,
joining the regional and global economic circuit, mentality change regarding
modernization, tolerance and the capacity to work in joint projects, good
neighbourliness and regional partnerships.” (http://www.bsunonline.org)
Much
of what we take for granted when we in the
US
discuss entrepreneurship education is not a given in
most parts of the world. A
supportive infrastructure of contract law, taxation, intellectual property
rights, communications systems, licensure, banking and finance, transportation,
is not necessarily everywhere in place to support small business initiatives.
And countries such as Moldova, which are emerging from decades of living
in a controlled economy, face enormous internal and external impediments when
they attempt to plunge into the often chaotic world of globalization, where both
mature and new industries in economic powerhouses such as the US, the European
Union and (formerly) Japan are now struggling to thrive in the new world
economic order. The authors of this
paper hope that by teaching Moldovan students to become entrepreneurs, they in
turn will push for the reforms needed to create a climate where entrepreneurship
is supported. And we also hope that
we can stave off some of the brain-drain which occurs when bright, young,
creative people cannot find opportunities for their talents at home and are
forced to go elsewhere. Although
many in
Moldova
aspire to see their country more closely affiliated
with the west, and play a part in the European Union as it expands, the road in
this direction is strewn with political, social and economic barriers.
This paper represents the efforts of many people to shape the future of
Moldova
toward more prosperity and integration with the west.
Dr.
Ion Tiginyanu’s encounter with US-style entrepreneurship and the search for
funding:
During
Dr. Tiginyanu’s visit to the
University
of
Michigan
in December 2000 – June 2001 (supported by the US
National Research Council under the program “Collaboration in Basic Science
and Engineering”) he realized how deeply the entrepreneurial spirit is
imbedded in the
US
society. People
discuss how to make money during flights, researchers at the university discuss
how to create a spin-off in order to commercialize an idea, students speak about
opportunities to start private businesses after graduating from the university.
His host professor during his stay in
Ann Arbor
succeeded in founding a joint venture to
commercialize some microelectronic components developed in his laboratory. “I
discovered a new mentality, a new way of thinking, a new world . . . ,” Dr.
Tiginyanu reported.
In
May, 2001, Dr. Tiginyanu met with Dr. Bethany Oberst from
James
Madison
University
, with whom he had been in close collaboration since
1998, and Dr. Russel Jones from World Expertise LLC. The three discussed the
possibility of offering a course on entrepreneurship at the Technical University
of Moldova. Later they decided to look for funds enabling them to create an
International
Center
for Entrepreneurship in
Moldova
.
The team researched several possibilities and came
to the conclusion that the most appropriate step would be to start with a pilot
project. In autumn, 2002, Dr. Tiginyanu submitted a project to the Soros
Foundation
Moldova
that was approved in December, 2002, for funding
through January, 2004. This project supported the design and implementation of a
pilot entrepreneurship course at the Technical University of Moldova to be
offered as an extra-curricular program. In the spring of 2003 another proposal
was submitted to the Eurasia Foundation which was approved in September, 2003.
This project supports the creation of the
International
Center
for Entrepreneurship in
Moldova
. The activities related to this second project
started in October, 2003. At present the Center has an office at the TUM with
several computers, a fax machine and a copier. The staff of the Center consists
of eleven specialists, including five lecturers, a course coordinator, managers,
a web-site programmer, etc.
The Soros-funded
pilot program: selection of faculty and students
The
first challenge was to identify professors with international experience, and
experienced specialists in economics to teach in the pilot program. A first good
choice was an economist, Dr. Elena Chislari, who founded the
Moldova-US
Center
for Private Initiative and whose many visits to
Western countries has given her valuable experience. Other good professors were
found at the Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova and at the Technical
University of Moldova. The idea of developing and implementing a course on
entrepreneurship for engineering students looked attractive to everybody.
Students enrolled in advanced courses in the Faculty of Computers,
Informatics and Microelectronics were asked to express interest in participating
in the pilot program, which would be taken as an “overload,” in addition to
their regular courses. A special test was administered to properly select the
initial class of thirty-one students from among the seventy-two who wanted to
take part. It was important to investigate student abilities such as
intellectual level and organizational and leadership abilities.
University grades were not a significant consideration: preference was
given to English-speaking students, those who looked convincing when describing
their plans for future private business. (A couple of students already proved to
be directors of a café-internet founded in the neighborhood of Chisinau.)
The
selection of internship sites
From
the first, internships were designed to be an integral part of the pilot
program. The internship constituted the final stage of the educational process,
following the formal instructional program organized for the spring of 2003. The
objectives of the internship were to permit students to synthesize the benefits
of the entrepreneurial program, to evaluate their new knowledge and skills, and
to create the foundation for the development of their own business.
For
placement sites both large and small enterprises were chosen. The managers of
many SMEs were contacted and those who agreed to personally supervise the work
of students during the internship were selected. At the end of their
internships, the students prepared a report. Some students even succeeded in
drafting a business plan for themselves during the internship.
The Center arranged the placement of students with
these successful Moldovan entrepreneurs. The students worked for a minimum of
twenty hours per week in the position of manager (under a supervisor’s
control) for a period of two months. Prior to the intern’s arrival, the
supervisor was trained how to engage the students in work assignments that were
not only productive for the company, but also important for student learning.
In July – August, 2003, ten students were distributed among enterprises
including TOPAZ, Ferex S.R.L., InformInstrument S.R.L. and Red S.R.L.
The Curriculum
All
students followed the same curriculum in the spring semester:
·
How
to set up a private enterprise.
The module outlines the main legal forms private businesses can adopt, and
the entrepreneurial advantages and disadvantages of each form. It constitutes a
basic guide to starting a business in
Moldova
: foundation
documents and acts, registration of the enterprise and other proceedings
inherent to the process.
·
Legal
basis for small and medium business.
The
students examine the laws relevant to small and medium-sized businesses.
Emphasis is placed on the advantages offered by present legislation and the
responsibilities of managers.
·
Fiscal
policy, types of taxes, their calculation.
This module thoroughly analyses fiscal policy of the Republic
of Moldova. It examines the types of taxes and their calculation, as well as
methods for the optimization of fiscal payments.
·
Account balance. The cash flow and
accounting of incomes and expenses.
Students learn about balance sheets, how to
write and interpret them. They examine the cashflow statements and profit and
loss accounts as a means of developing financial planning skills. Special
attention is paid to the advantages offered by these financial instruments and
their practical use.
·
Financial
indicators. Budget and cost calculation.
Financial
indicators help to better understand the outcomes and the financial position of
an enterprise: they show the way assets are being used. This module is intended
to develop a student’s ability to realistically assess the objectives set up
by an entreprise. Cost calculation enables entrepreneurs to set adequate prices,
it explains the reasons for high costs, offers premises for their reduction. It
gives useful information on how to improve the efficiency of a firm.
·
Notions about the account evidence.
This module offers basic information regarding the
necessity of accounting. It defines accounting, types of accounts, rules and
forms of book-keeping.
·
Human
resource management.
As the personnel
of an enterprise represents its most active and dynamic asset, this module
offers valuable strategies, theories and principles for the efficient motivation
of employees.
·
Basics
of marketing.
This
part of the curriculum provides students with the fundamental definitions and
principles of marketing. Emphasis is
placed on formulating a vision oriented toward serving customer needs and
studying competitors, opportunities and threats of the market. It offers
strategies for efficient product placement and the development of the marketing
mix.
·
Notions about the management in
transition.
Management
in a transition economy is characterised by a series of specific factors which
differ considerable from those in relatively stable economies.
The module highlights these phenomena and their impact on the development
of small and medium enterprises.
·
Business Plan.
The
business plan module represents the synthesis of the knowledge and abilities
acquired in the program. This module invites the participants to develop a
business plan for a future enterprise, starting with the objectives and the
resources needed to achieve them in a well-defined period.
The
International Workshop on Entrepreneurship Education
In order to
recognize the accomplishments of the students who successfully completed the
pilot program, to attract favorable public opinion to the new
International
Center
, and to set the tone for future activities, on
September 10, 2003
, an international workshop on entrepreneurship was organized at the Technical
University of Moldova. The workshop was attended by advanced students from
across the several institutions of higher education in
Moldova
, and Moldovan faculty members from across the country. In addition, attendees
included productive research and development people interested in bringing their
ideas to market quickly. Finally, the entrepreneurs who had served as mentors to
the students attended as well.
The program began
with the distribution of a certificate of completion to each of the students by
Mrs. Mariana Alecsandri of the Higher Education Support Program of the Soros
Foundation
Moldova
, assisted by Dr. Russel C. Jones from the
United States
.
The program
included the following speakers and topics:
-
Comments
by Mr. Vasile Mamaliga, Vice
Minister of the Economy, Republic of
Moldova
.
-
“The
Entrepreneurship
Center
at the
Technical
University
of
Moldova
,” Prof. Ion Tiginyanu, Vice Rector of the
Technical
University
of
Moldova
.
-
“
Capacity
Building
: the role of engineers
in re-emerging economies,” “The Role of Universities in Preparing
Entrepreneurs and Promoting Entrepreneurship,” and “Megatrends: major
trends in international engineering education,” Dr. Bethany Oberst,
James Madison University, USA, and
Dr. Russel Jones, World Expertise LLC,
USA
.
-
“Students and
Business: Reality and Problems,” Mrs. Batiuschina Tatiana, USID.
-
“Informational
support for small business in
Moldova
.” Professor Victor Sontea,
Technical
University
of
Moldova
.
-
“Entrepreneurial
Education in
Moldova
,” Dr. Elena Chislari, Academy of Economic Studies of
Moldova
.
-
“Entrepreneurial Education in Germany,” Dipl.-Biol. Karin Wedde-Mühlhausen, Internationales Büro
des Bundesministeriums für Bildung und Forschung beim DLR, Germany.
-
“Possibilities
offered by the DAAD to foreign students,” Nicole Stirnberg, DAAD,
Germany
.
-
“Participation
of students in entrepreneurial activity,” Roman Nicu, Student of
the Technical University Darmstadt, Germany.
-
“Entrepreneurial
education for students,” Osovschi Mariana, Student of the Technical
University of Moldova.
Program feedback and modification
When
asked for feedback, most students said that the entrepreneurship course and
their subsequent internship were very useful. Some of them recommended that the
course be enlarged. Also, it seems that the internships at small companies were
more successful since the students observed flexibility, orientation to
innovations, etc. All students found attendance at the closing International
Workshop on Entrepreneurship Education very useful. They learned about how
entrepreneurship is promoted in other countries, in particular in the
US
and
Germany
, obtained information about opportunities to do
business in
Moldova
and abroad, etc.
The pilot program was a good experience for
professors, as well. Some of them, in particular, took note of the reactions of
students during the 1st semester and modified the content of lectures
for the 2nd semester. Some professors concluded that the course
should be added into the regular university curriculum. This issue will be
discussed soon at the Council of Administration of the
Technical
University
in connection with the creation of a new
faculty related to economics and business. And
finally, the faculty attended the International Workshop on Entrepreneurship
Education and found it useful. Some of them noted the importance of the
contribution of foreign specialists.
The entrepreneurs themselves gained useful
experience from serving as mentors, although some of them mentioned that
July-August is not the best time for internships. The managers of small
enterprises expressed their interest in hiring some students after their
graduation from the university. During the workshop a useful exchange of
opinions between faculty and entrepreneurs took place.
Improvements and
developments which came from this pilot program include the following:
-
Student
internships will be expanded to SMEs from
Germany
.
-
New
sources of financial support will be sought.
-
Three
new modules will be added to the program in the spring semester of 2004:
Managing a small enterprise; Quality management; and Intellectual property.
-
The
program will be expanded to include participation of students and teaching
staff from the following faculties: Faculty of Computers, Informatics and
Microelectronics, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Urban Planning
and Architecture, Faculty of Textile Industry, and Faculty of
Radio-Electronics and Telecommunications.
-
To
ensure a better selection of students certain questionnaires and tests have
been designed to allow the faculty to determine the intellectual level,
temperament and individual characteristics of applicants, as well as their
organizational and leadership abilities. Priority will be given to socially
active applicants, oriented to self-achievement and success.
-
The
course will end with a graduation exam.
The
Eurasia
Foundation-funded
International
Center
for Entrepreneurship of
Moldova
The
ultimate goal of the projects supported financially by the Soros Foundation
Moldova
and the Eurasia Foundation is the creation an
International
Center
for Entrepreneurship in the
Republic
of
Moldova
and the development of an entrepreneurial spirit in
Moldovan society. With Eurasia Foundation support, plans call for introducing an
elective course entitled “Organization and administration of the private
business” into the curriculum at the Technical University of Moldova and its
affiliated technical colleges throughout the country; the organization of
managerial internships; and the creation of opportunities for cooperation with
partners from the European Union, the United States, and other countries.
The new course, “Organization and administration of the private
business,” will prepare graduates to organize and maintain a private business.
The curriculum will be built around the topics used in the pilot program,
but will be offered only to fifth (final) year students. Participants will both
assimilate knowledge and acquire the practical skills necessary to administer a
business, learn the juridical aspects specific to small and medium sized
businesses, develop skills in accounting and financial evidence, become skilled
in management and the efficient administration of a business, and be capable of
conducting marketing studies and developing business plans.
The course will be an elective within the regular offerings of the
Technical University of Moldova.
In addition to designing this new course,
programs and activities to be run under the umbrella of the
International
Center
for Entrepreneurship include the following:
-
to offer training
courses for graduate students of the
Technical
University
, in order to facilitate their involvement in SME development;
-
to organize
two-month internships for graduates;
-
to identify active
researchers and entrepreneurs in
Moldova
and to create a data base accessible via the Internet (see below);
-
to organize an
International Workshop by inviting specialists from the United States and
the European Union, graduates and their professors and supervisors from SMEs,
as well as representatives of various Moldovan institutions.
The
International
Center
for Entrepreneurship has several dimensions:
-
to serve
established and potential entrepreneurs by providing them with access to the
most up-to-date information to help keep their products competitive in the
world markets;
-
to serve to
develop Moldovan faculty expertise in entrepreneurship, so that future
generations of students will be appropriately educated;
-
to serve Moldovan
students by offering instruction and experience in business practices that
complement their engineering studies;
-
to serve Moldovan
researchers by connecting them with potential markets in
Moldova
and around the world, and helping them obtain funds for business development
and expansion;
-
to serve the City
of
Chisinau
and regional centers by partnering with them in technology transfer;
The Technical University of Moldova has
administrative responsibility for a network of technical colleges across
Moldova
. Thus, it has easy access to large and diverse groups of faculty, researchers
and students in both large and small communities, and can ensure their
integration into the activities of the
International
Entrepreneurship
Center
and give them a voice in articulating the programming needed by various
regions.
There is an additional important issue related to the regional impact of
the new
International
Center
for Entrepreneurship. The National Secretariat of the Moldovan branch of the
Black Sea University Network is located at the Technical University of Moldova.
On October 22-24, 2003, the TUM, in
close collaboration with the Black Sea University Network and International
Center for Black Sea Studies, organized an international workshop “Challenges
for Integration in Education, Science and Technology Transfer in the Black Sea
Region in the Context of Globalization” attended by about 200 participants
from most countries of the region. It was noted at this workshop that the
now-established project on entrepreneurship at the Technical University of
Moldova may serve as a pilot for similar future efforts in other countries of
the
Black Sea
region such as
Ukraine
,
Russia
,
Georgia
,
Armenia
,
Azerbaijan
, etc. Via the BSUN information infrastructure, the administration of the
International
Center
for Entrepreneurship will make available to representatives of those countries
the outcomes of its activities and disseminate information and expertise.
Recently
the Association for Research and Innovations “Pro-Europe” was created. One
of the goals of this association is to promote the creation of joint ventures in
Moldova
, therefore the Association will supervise and support
the
International
Center
on Entrepreneurship. Among the priorities of the
Association is the promotion of the European integration of the
Republic
of
Moldova
.
The
entrepreneurial inventory
One
of major purposes of the
International
Entrepreneurship
Center
is the identification of active researchers and
entrepreneurs in
Moldova
and the elaboration of a data base accessible via
Internet. Under the former
Soviet-directed economy, many Moldovan scientists, engineers and researcher
worked in state-directed industries which collapsed in 1991. Many emigrated, but
others remain in
Moldova
, unemployed or under-employed, and are potential
targets for exploitation by groups which want their expertise in weaponry,
guidance systems, and such. The
entrepreneurial inventory is designed to offer these people an alternative to
exploitation.
A team of employees and advanced students
from the TUM are working on identifying and locating active entrepreneurs and
researchers to create a database of names, areas of expertise and contact
coordinates. Unlike the more familiar academic inventory, this inventory will
focus on those interested in marketing results coming from their research. The
approximate size of the inventory will ultimately be around 9000 names, the
number frequently used to describe the size of the existing research community
in
Moldova
. The inventory will also include Moldovans who are working elsewhere in the
world, but who are willing to help encourage economic development in their home
country. The Moldovan Supreme Council for Research and Technological Development
has expressed willingness to collaborate with the Center on this project.
Computer resources are available for the project at both the Supreme Council and
the
Technical
University
. The database will be available to appropriate users in industry, government,
education, etc., around the world starting in February, 2004. In order to
achieve maximum international outreach from this database, the information is
being created, and will be maintained, in English and Romanian.
Project
administration
The
Project Director and the managers of the activities described in this paper all
have experience in international projects:
The Project Director, Prof. Dr.Sc. Ion Tiginyanu, has worked for two years
at the Technical University in Darmstadt (Germany) collaborating with several
microelectronic companies from Europe, and for six months at the University of
Michigan (USA) where he learned about the foundation of small enterprises by US
scientific researchers. He has been
responsible for an international project in the field of nanotechnologies
financed by the NATO Scientific Division (1997-2000), three projects financed by
the Federal Ministry of Education and Research of Germany and the Research
Council of Germany (1999-2003), and two INTAS projects. Now he is the president
of the Commission of Experts on International Collaboration at the Supreme
Council for Research and Technological Development of the
Republic
of
Moldova
.
Prof.
Dr. Victor Sontea, Dean of the Faculty of Computers, Informatics and
Microelectronics at the Technical University of Moldova, is responsible for the
elaboration of the entrepreneurial inventory. He has been vice manager of the
TEMPUS/Tacis JEP-10230 on the implementation of Master’s studies at the
Technical University of Moldova, designed the pilot modules on “enterprise
management” and “the business plan,” and he has served as the manager of a
joint research project in Romania.
Mr.
Rafael Ciloci, doctor in economic sciences and lecturer at the Technical
University of Moldova, is responsible for the management of the entrepreneurship
course. He has participated in the TACIS Program (“Promotion of Higher
Economic Education in the
Republic
of
Moldova
”) and has done research at the Economic University
of Athens (
Greece
). He has been responsible, in the frame of the
TEMPUS/Tacis JEP-10230, for the creation of the “marketing” and
“management methods” modules. He designed the marketing module for the MBA
at the
Technical
University
, financed by the TACIS program.
The
project team worked in close collaboration with Dr. Bethany Oberst, James
Madison Distinguished Professor and former Executive Director of the Office of
International Programs at James Madison University (USA) and frequent consultant
to the Technical University of Moldova, and Dr. Russel C. Jones, a civil
engineer, former President of the University of Delaware (USA), current
President of the Standing Committee on Capacity Building of the World Federation
of Engineering Organizations.
The
following additional specialists contributed to the organization, design and
implementation of the entrepreneurship course: Dr. Elena Chislari, Ph.D. in
Economics at the Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova (ASEM) and Director of
the
Moldova-US
Center
for Private Initiative, Dr. Marina Coban, Ph.D. in
Economics (ASEM), Dr. Svetlana Gorobievschi, Ph.D. in Economics (T.U.M.).
Summary
and conclusions:
With
vital support from the Soros Foundation Moldova and the Eurasia Foundation, the
International Center for Entrepreneurship at the Technical University of Moldova
has succeeded in establishing a viable education program for university
students, is making progress toward institutionalizing entrepreneurship
education as a regular part of the TUM curriculum, has created productive ties
with local industries and successful Moldovan entrepreneurs, and is taking steps
to reinvigorate scientists, engineers and researchers whose livelihood was
destroyed in the political and economic aftermath of the breakdown of the Soviet
Union. In its comprehensive design
and strategic collaborations, the Center can serve as a model for other
universities which seek to identify their role in their country’s economic
growth and recovery.