Competitions of Student Projects as an Important Component in Policy of Implementation of the Triple Helix Concept in Russia

Abstract

Saint-Petersburg’s government in recent years implements many projects that work on the intersection of science, education and business in cooperation with the city administration. One of the projects implemented by youth in the STU was a competition of student projects, entitled "Laboratory of my dreams." At this competition student teams were able to show that the expert committee as they see a modern laboratory for teaching and research, which is fully equipped to perform complex and interesting problems. The prize was an obtaining of financing for the purchase of equipment required for laboratory, which is purchased by sources of the Ministry of Education and Science by the Program of National Research University SPbSPU and by city’s sources. Projects submitted to the competition were different, but all have been aimed at creating important laboratory facilities for educational, scientific problems with the possibility of business applications. Noticeable part of the project was focused on solving environmental problems and environmental protection. One of the winners presented a project about the environment and improvement the efficiency of energy systems working with the processed products - "Efficiency research of the energy complex with direct using converter hydrogen (containing CH4 2 ÷ 7%) obtained from biogas of municipal solid waste (MSW) by methods of thermodynamics and electrochemical kinetics ". After the purchase of equipment, theoretical and experimental results will be the basis for radically new solutions and for the progress of perspective ways of producing fuel and electricity using energy-saving and energy-efficient technologies. All of these results may be very attractive to create new educational programs, international researches and innovative projects.