As has become traditional, on 26 May, Russian Entrepreneurs’ Day, Center-Invest Bank held an award ceremony for the winners of the third annual competition “Best Young Lecturer”, organised by Center-Invest Bank and the Endowment Fund for Science and Education in the Southern Federal District.

The open competition was held in the 2010-2011 academic year among all the lecturers teaching at southern Russia’s leading higher education institutions. The competition entrants were selected by the 250 students who receive Center-Invest Bank scholarships. The students assessed the following: the quality and the professionalism of teaching, the originality of teaching methods, and the use of modern technology in the academic process.

To avoid any conflicts of interests, the students could only nominate their lecturers for the award once they had successfully passed their exams. This year, each winner received a grant of RUR75,000.

The winners of the 2011 Best Young Lecturer competition are:

• Yulia Leonidovna Goncharova, PhD in Philology, reader in Scientific and Technical Translation and Professional Communication at Don State Technical University
• Victor Mikhailovich Chernyshev, PhD in Chemistry, reader in Inorganic and Organic Matter at the Southern Russian State Technical University
• Elena Yegorovna Shatalova, PhD in Technical Sciences, senior lecturer in Transportation and Traffic at the Russian State Social University
• Irina Vladimirovna Kulikova, PhD in Technical Sciences, reader in Designing Electronic Devices at Taganrog Technical Institute (Southern Federal University)
• Sergei Alexandrovich Guda, PhD in Physics and Mathematics, reader in Algebra and Discrete Mathematics at the Southern Federal University

The students attending the award ceremony pointed out that lecturers are not only respected academics; they are also mentors with knowledge to share.

During the ceremony, President and Chairman of the Board of Center-Invest Bank, Dr. Vasily Vysokov, addressed the competition winners and students and lecturers from Rostov region higher education institutions, and he delivered a lecture on the innovative development of the Rostov region.

One more pleasant surprise awaited the audience: Yuri Peskov, former head of Russia’s largest manufacturer of agricultural equipment, Rostselmash, gave a masterclass in successful management, shared the secrets of success, and left the students with some inspirational thoughts.