The University summarised scholarly achievements in 2016

In December, the meeting of the Research and Development Board (RDB) of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv was held, during which the participants of the meeting listened to and discussed the annual reports on the research work of the faculties and research departments of the University.

During the final session, the participants of the Research and Development Board approved the Ruling “On the results of research activities of the University in 2016” and outlined the main tasks for the research activities of the University for the following year. The RDB decision states that in 2016 Lviv University demonstrated significant achievements in research work and increased its capacity in priority research of science and technology.

In particular, this year the funding for the state budget research topics was increased: basic and applied projects – from 6,441 thousand UAH in 2015 to 8,983 thousand UAH in 2016, special topics – from 890 thousand UAH to 1,507 thousand UAH, support of the scientific objects of national heritage of Ukraine – from 268 thousand UAH to 1,116 thousand UAH. In addition, the University received 21 grants in the amount of 3,337 thousand UAH from other sources of financing. The volume of economic topics amounts to 117 thousand UAH.

Active work of the researchers from Ivan Franko National University of Lviv and the intensification of numerous research works on current topics of modern science allowed improving the quantity and quality of research publications. In particular, in 2016, the researchers from the University published 95 monographs, 21 textbooks, 118 manuals, 3,896 articles, among them there are 229 publications that have impact factor, 452 – in other foreign editions and 28 issues of “Visnyk of Lviv University “and other periodicals.

The defence of theses is another positive indicator of the University activities. In 2016, research and teaching staff as well as doctoral students and post-graduate students of the University defended 14 doctoral and 137 candidate theses.

Active work of university researchers resulted in more than 20 employees of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv being awarded with honorary titles, state awards, prizes of the President of Ukraine and other awards of the highest level in 2016.

Numerous conferences that took place during the year at the University made a significant contribution to the development of science and building the capacity for its practical application. This year, 84 conferences, 32 of them – international, were organised and held at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv. Moreover, the University researchers delivered 506 oral and poster presentations at international conferences and seminars abroad.

The most effective elaborations by the researchers of Lviv University were protected by 24 patents for inventions and utility models. Most patents were received by the researchers of the Faculty of Chemistry – 12, the Faculty of Electronics and Computer Technologies – 9, the Faculty of Biology – 4.

Numerous student conferences, olympiads, seminars and competitions were a good incentive for young researchers to implement their potential in research work in future. In particular, the second stage of All-Ukrainian Student Olympiad in Mathematics (discipline and speciality), Chemistry (speciality), Programming (Western Ukraine) and the second round of All-Ukrainian Competition of Student Research Works in Sociolinguistics and Translation (specialities) were held at the University.

The II stage of All-Ukrainian Student Olympiad was attended by 116 students, 27 of them won awards. 30 students were the winners of the II round of All-Ukrainian Competition of Student Research Works in Nature Studies, Technical Studies and Humanities.

Two teams of students of the Faculty of Applied Mathematics and Informatics took the second place in the XI Open International Programming Olympiad named after S.O. Lebedev – V.M. Hlushkov «KPI-Open». The team of students of the Faculty of Applied Mathematics and Informatics won the first place in the semi-final and won the bronze medal in the final of the World Team Programming Championship.

Overall, this year, 1,023 students delivered scholarly reports during conferences, and they prepared 314 scholarly articles and presented 739 abstracts at conferences.

This year, the researchers of the University successfully completed the implementation of a number of research projects, as a result of which, in particular: technologies for alloying of massive, thin film and nanostructured materials based on compounds of AgxPbmSb2-xTe2+m have been used in Lviv State Jewellery Factory; materials based on zinc oxide proved to be effective elements of devices for heat removal from heat-producing working elements of electronic devices, such as processors, chipsets, video cards of computers, when designing high-power semiconductor laser devices as a basis for making non-linear optical converters and other functional devices at SPE “Karat”; State ScientificResearch Control Institute of Veterinary Medicinal Products and Feed Additives expressed interest in the elaborated device for simultaneous registration of light scattering particles in two channels and plans to conduct testing and technical trial of the device in 2017; the software GIS product provided quick access to accurate, detailed and structured information about soil resources of Ukraine, which is unparalleled in the country and meets international requirements; the ecological network of transboundary nature reserve fund of Western Ukraine was optimised within the framework of the UNESCO “Man and Biosphere” Programme.

Among the main achievements of the researchers of the University, the Research and Development Board noted the high level of research work and significant achievements of the employees of the Faculties of Geography, Chemistry and Physics (Natural Sciences), and the Faculties of Philosophy, History and Law (Humanities). The researchers of the Faculties of Geography, Philology and Economics achieved much success in the publication of monographs, while the researchers of the Faculties of Chemistry, Culture and Arts, Foreign Languages and Geography published their monographs abroad.

A considerable number of textbooks was published by the researchers of the Faculties of Economics, Philology and Law, while manuals were published by the researchers of the Faculties of Philosophy, Economics and Financial Management and Business. A lot of articles were published in journals with impact factor by the researchers of the Faculties of Physics, Chemistry, Electronics and Computer Technologies, and Mechanics and Mathematics.

An important achievement of the passing year is also patent-licensing activity and successful implementation of economic agreements. The most active were the researchers of the Faculties of Chemistry, Electronics and Computer Technologies, Biology and Geography.

The researchers of the Faculties of Chemistry, Biology, Electronics and Computer Technologies were most active in using extra budget funds for research work.

The employees of the Botanical Gardens and Observatory made a significant contribution to the research and educational activity, while the staff of the Faculty of Culture and Arts – to cultural and educational activity of the University.

The Research and Development Board paid particular attention to the high level of student research work at the Faculties of Chemistry, Geography, History, Economics and Journalism.

A significant number of awards in All-Ukrainian Student Olympiad and All-Ukrainian Competition of Student Research Works was won by the students of the Faculties of Law, Economics, Chemistry, and Applied Mathematics and Informatics. A large number of articles in collaboration with students was published by the teaching staff of the Faculties of Geography, Economics, Chemistry and Journalism.

The Faculties of Biology, Economics, Chemistry, Philosophy, Applied Mathematics and Informatics, Foreign Languages and Pedagogical Education held international student conferences at the highest level. All-Ukrainian Student Research Conferences were most successfully held by the Faculties of Geology, Philology, Law, Philosophy and Journalism.

Besides, the RDB marks a significant number of candidate theses by the staff and post-graduate students at the Faculties of International Relations (17), Foreign Languages (17), Law (14) and Economics (13).

This year, a regional contact point of the EU Framework Programme “Horizon 2020” in the thematic areas “Future and Emerging Technologies” and “Inclusive, Innovative and Intelligent Society” was opened at the University.

Positive indicators of research work at Lviv University, according to the members of the Research and Development Board, are only one of the first steps by Ivan Franko National University of Lviv in achieving high goals. The immediate priorities of the University are the creation of the research park, active participation of projects in EU Framework Programme “Horizon 2020”, opening a new research institute, foundation of a journal, and more.