Nine graduate students were taught Metallurgy under cooperation of D.Serikbayev EKSTU and NAC Kazatomprom JSC on order of UMP JSC for 1,5 years (“Innovative technologies of obtaining uranium products” area) and Technical Physics (“Materials for nuclear power engineering” area, “Tantalum, niobium” and “Beryllium” directions).
All the programs of the training aimed at meeting the demand of the plant in specially trained personnel for main productions taking into account their specificity. Curricula were developed in close cooperation with specialists, while the teaching process involved participation of the teaching staff of leading universities of Russian Federation, that are basic in preparing specialists for Rosatom, such as NRNU MEPHI, Bauman MSTU, Saint-Petersburg State Institute of Technology, Tomsk Polytechnic University.
A great practical virtue of graduates’ preparation is participation of Ulba Metallurgical Plant JSC leading specialists in the training process. In addition, the material and technical base of EKSTU based on "Veritas" Center for Advanced Development was used for classes fully. Interaction of the university with partner universities of Russian Federation: Saint-Petersburg State Institute of Technology, Tomsk Polytechnic University was very important in organization of the students’ internships during which research was conducted by them, too.
Masters of Science who received an academic degree in a joint project of EKSTU and UMP JSC note the following:
- Irina Khlebnikova, Master of Science in Metallurgy (“Innovative technologies of obtaining uranium products” area), UMP employee, Research Center, Laboratory of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: "It was very interesting to study. If on some disciplines the task was to systematize the existing knowledge, on some of them we had to start from scratch. The possibility to communicate to specialists of TOP 10 Russian universities in technical sciences, such as Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Moscow Engineering and Physics Institute, St. Petersburg State Institute of Technology allowed us to gain insight and invaluable experience. In addition to obtaining theoretical knowledge, we had the opportunity to ask questions to practicing teachers on currently actual issues relating to the implementation of solutions to urgent problems in Russia and abroad".
- Alexey Alexeev, Master of Science in “Technical Physics” (“Materials for nuclear power engineering”, “Tantalum, niobium” direction), employee of UMP JSC, Tantalum production: “Entering Master’s degree studies for me was a next step on my way of personal and career development. Cooperation of EKSTU with UMP JSC gives a new impulse and new perspectives in innovative development of complex high-tech production. During studying I saw professionalism and substantive expertise of the lecturers, individual approach to the students. This helped me to prepare in a short period and successfully prove my thesis. Separately I’d love to say a few words about the communication area. On this program as young specialists so experienced professionals studied, of different positional levels, which undoubtedly created a special atmosphere and broadened the frontiers of knowledge”.
3 Ruslan Evstratchik, Master of Science in “Technical Physics” specialty (“Materials for nuclear power engineering”, “Berillium” direction) – UMP JSC employee, Berillium production: “Studying broke the “home-work-home” bonds which everyone gets with years. Lectures, exams, other educational bits and pieces did not seem a boring routine anymore. Friendly team who shared all the difficulties of studying played a big role in it. I’d love to note this separately. I believe this is a much needed practice for the plant – to gather employees of different productions together and to unite them with an overall goal”.
4. Danagul Oralkhanova, Master of Science in “Technical Physics” specialty (“Materials for nuclear power engineering”, “Tantalum, niobium” direction) entered directly after graduation from the university in 2017, not being an employee of UMP JSC: “I wished to work in a plant since I was a schoolgirl. UMP JSC scholarship gave me a push in realization of my dream. During 1,5 years we listened to lectures of professors and lecturers of our university and the best Russian universities, undertook professional practice in the plant, as well as completed internships in Tomsk city of RF. We studied not only at the university, but also directly on the plant. I think we received huge knowledge and experience. For the present I work on the plant thanks to the scholarship of UMP JSC”.