The third EPS–ICTP–UNESCO–SEENET-MTP Workshop, as a part of Project “Towards the integration of the physics community in CEI countries into the ERA” on Physics Education was held in Trieste on December 11-12, 2014.

1. Continuous education
in theoretical and mathematical physics
at Bogolyubov Institute
for Theoretical Physics
Nikolai Iorgov
Bogolybov Institute for Theoretical Physics, Kyiv, Ukraine
December 11–12, 2014
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2. About Center
Scientific and Educational Center of Bogolyubov Institute for Theoretical
Physics (BITP) was created in 2000 and is actively implementing a new system
of continuous education in physics and mathematics
for talented students of secondary schools (age: 15-17), including winners
of National and International Physics Olympiads,
University students (age: 17-23).
Center staff: teachers of physics and mathematics lyceums, professors of the
Physics Department of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kiev and
researchers of the BITP.
Center educates the students to prepare highly qualified scientists in the field of
condensed matter physics, high energy physics, astrophysics and mathematical
physics.
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3. Educational program
The Center educational programs implement a system of continuous physical
and mathematical learning which can be divided into three stages:
I) The education starts at the level of secondary schools (age: 15-17). The
initial stage of education consists of introductory lectures and seminars on
calculus and general physics (based on Feynman Lectures on Physics) given by
the Center staff. The students become oriented towards entering University and
specializing in fundamental physics.
II) Advanced program for students of universities: The BITP researchers
teach additional courses for 1–4th year students of universities (age: 17-21),
aiming at a deeper understanding of theoretical physics. Education partially
based on the Course of Theoretical Physics by Landau and Lifshitz;
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4. Educational program
III) In order to prepare master diploma aiming to solve specific scientific
problem under supervision of the BITP researches, the Center organizes
the introductory lecture courses to the modern problems of theoretical
physics given by BITP staff and foreign scientists.
Student research seminars for master degree students which try to cover
the "hottest" topics and the most recent achievements in condensed
matter physics, high energy physics and astrophysics, modern
mathematical physics.
The Centre organizes supervision of our students by researchers of the
leading foreign scientific centers .
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5. International contacts
In the framework of International Advanced Lecture Courses under support of
the Swiss National Science Foundation a series of lectures were held
on condensed matter physics: Sukhorukov, Levkivskyi (University of
Geneva), Cheianov (University of Lancaster), Geshkenbein (University of Bern),
Chudnovsky (University of Hamburg);
on high energy physics: Shaposhnikov (Lausanne), Gorbunov (INP,
Moscow), Ivashko (University of Leiden);
on high energy astrophysics: T. J.-L. Courvoisier, A. Neronov (University of
Geneva), Gorbunov (Moscow), Palumbo (Bologna).
Advanced Lecture Course program allow for Ukrainian students (mostly of
masters and PhD students) to be involved to the modern research topics and
the world-class teaching without leaving the country.
The Center educational activity was developed in close contacts with the
leading Russian research centers: Institute of Theoretical and Experimental
Physics (ITEP) in Moscow, Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics in
Chernogolovka and Joint Institute of Nuclear Research (JINR) in Dubna.
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6. Experimental Physics Team Olympiads
EPhTO (Experimental Physics Team Olympiads) is a new form of competitions
for senior students of secondary schools (age: 15-17 years) held by the Center
staff and senior students of the Kyiv National University.
The format of competition:
Teams consist of 6-8 students. Each team gets 6 experimental problems, the
necessary equipment and 6 hours to solve them. The teams usually solve them
in a format of collective brain storming.
During last three years, since the project has been launched, almost 300
students have already taken part in EPhTO. We are planning to extend EPhTO
to an international level.
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7. Spring Schools
As a summary of the annual educational activity of the BITP and the ITEP
the Spring Schools on Theoretical and Mathematical Physics were held at Kiev
and Sevastopol in the years 2001-2013. More than 150 of the most talented
school pupils and University students from Ukraine and Russia were gathered at
each of these meetings. More than 20 leading scientists from BITP and ITEP
participated as lecturers and discussion leaders.
Participation of the pupils and students of different years of study in the
Schools encourages the young participants to more intense work and allows to
see what results can be achieved making efforts for learning additionally to the
standard school and university program.
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8. Alumni of the Center
Achievements of the Center can be illustrated by the example of our alumni in
2002-2013 – about 40 students. Around 60% of graduates become PhD student
of Europe or America universities (Princeton University, Rutgers University,
MIT, Perimeter Institute, Geneva University, Leiden University, Ecole
Polytechnic) , 5% enrolled in a double graduate school in leading universities in
France, Ecole Normale (50% of the time spent in France thanks to the financial
support of the Embassy of France, 50% in Ukraine) and 35% become PhD
students at BITP and Kiev National University.
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9. Thank you for your attention!
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