Rostov State Transport University (RSTU) has been announced the winner of the RF Government contest among the Russian universities for a right to develop and implement innovative products in the sector of transport security, innovation and venture news source UNOVA reports.

Total amount of finance on research in different fields, internships of the programs participants, as well as technical equipment of the University, in the next two years is expected to come in at $2.9m.

Among the priority directions within the project to be carried out by the RSTU are nano- and resource-saving technologies, energy efficiency. The end product of the program will be ready products that will be implemented in Russia, as well as neighboring states.

“The most expensive asset we have today in the economy is brains. We want talented people to stay here and develop the region, since we are talking about innovations. Nothing good will come out if these people keep leaving the country,” Sergey Gorban, the regional vice-governor, said, when commenting the RSTU’s success.

The Rostov State Transport University, formerly known as the Rostov Institute of Railway Transport Engineers, is one of the largest transport universities in Russia and is one of the main Universities in the city of Rostov-on-Don.

The range of specializations is broad and includes transport engineers, engineers in the sectors of machine building, energy, tribotechnics, construction, as well as economists, managers, lawyers and other professionals. Annually up to 5,000 students graduate from the university holding higher education or college professional education diplomas.

The University’s campus is located on a 20-hectare territory of the student town. The campus is kitted out with educational, science, administrative facilities, student dorms, café, sports complex with a swimming pool, stadium, training workshop rooms. Under plans, a new 25,000-square-meter science and lab complex is to be built.