Moscow State University (MSU), Russia's oldest university, plans to open a space faculty in the next few days, the university's rector Victor Sadovnichy announced Monday.
“We have been discussing this for quite a while now, and soon, in a matter of days actually, we are going to open such a faculty,” Sadovnichy told the TASS news agency. The faculty will start operating next year, teaching a new generation of “space research specialists,” he added.
Russia needs qualified professionals in this field, and MSU should provide them with the necessary education, Sadovnichy said. “The Vostochny Cosmodrome needs an army of specialists to ensure it is working properly,” he said.
He added that MSU already participates in space programs — the university launched six satellites that help its students and researchers study space.
Russia's space industry needs to recruit more than 110,000 university graduates in the next decade to revive the sector's fortunes, the United Rocket and Space Corporation said in a statement last year.
The lack of young talent pursuing jobs in the space sector is one of the biggest challenges facing the industry, which has seen an increasing number of embarrassing accidents and rocket failures in the past five years.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
