CRDF and the Ministry of Ukraine for Education and Science
(MES) launched a new
initiative in Ukrainian higher education institutions,
the Cooperation in Research and Education in Science and Technology
(
CREST) program. The goal of CREST is to reinvigorate scientific
research and higher education in Ukraine, focusing on strengthening
the research capabilities of Ukrainian universities to meet economic and technological needs, and to train the next generation of
young Ukrainian scientists.
The concept for the CREST initiative has been developed through several international
workshops and consultations in 2005 and 2006, in which the Ukrainian academic, scientific, and policymaking communities identified
the integration of research and education at universities as a key step needed for Ukraine’s transition to a knowledge-based economy.
In May 2007, CRDF and MES announced the award of a pilot CREST center grant to
the
National Mining University
(NMU)
in Dnipropetrovsk. This pilot center will demonstrate the concept of a university-based multidisciplinary research and education
center of excellence in Ukraine. The pilot CREST center at NMU will carry out the program: “Geotechnical Systems Stability:
Processes, Phenomena, Risks,” involving research on geological structures, mineral and energy resources, and environmental
rehabilitation and remediation of mining areas. The project will include:
- Innovative educational programs that link coursework with current research, providing new opportunities for students and junior
scientists;
- State-of-the-art research equipment to attract and retain high-quality faculty;
- Implementation of collaborations to link the center with the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, other universities,
local and national industry, and international partners.
