On 23 March 2011, the enlarged meeting of the Scientific and Technical Council of the university was held.

During the meeting the vice-rector of the university, V.I. Grygoruk, provided information on the opening of the MERCURY International Research and Innovation Cooperation Office at National Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv. First of all, he introduced the involved staff to the public. The meeting was attended by P. A. Bech, vice-rector of the Research and Educational Work (International Relations), Professor V.F. Zaslavsky, head of the Department of International Scientific and Technical Cooperation and Innovations, Z.I. Logvin, representative of the Institute of Innovative Technology and Education under the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of Ukraine, A.A. Chukhno, member of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, deans of different research institutes and faculties of the university, and representatives of the media. In his speech Professor V.I. Grygoruk noted that especially nowadays the development of international cooperation is crucial, and one of the means of such cooperations is the collaboration within EU programs. He stated that due to the MERCURY project called “Towards Research and Entrepreneurial University Models in Russian, Ukrainian and Moldavian Higher Education (from 2009 until 2011)” the university was equipped with modern office devices and university representatives have been trained at Saarland University. According to these arrangements, the university is now provided with necessary knowledge and opportunities to work productively, according to the goals of the project.

Professor V.A. Zaslavsky, head of the Department of International Scientific and Technical Cooperation and Innovations, noted in his speech that the department has been very successful in some areas. He is pleased to hear that within the department some groups of experts have already gained experience in certain fields.

S.G. Nedilko, head of the Research Department and active executor of MERCURY, made a brief review on how the project has developed within the last two years. He reminded the audience of achievements in the field of IPP (protection of intellectual property) and technology transfer. Both areas play a crucial role within MERCURY. Moreover, he drew the audience’s attention to the website of the project, which will highlight the activities of the office in reference to the objectives of TEMPUS-MERCURY.