Last week, sources from the VChK-OGPU telegram channel and Rucriminal.info reported about the upcoming resignation Dmitry Livanov from the post of rector of MIPT. As it became known later, his new place of work will be Skoltech, where he will replace the eighty-year-old rector Alexandra Kuleshova.
In this regard, a serious scandal is brewing, since the management of the Skolkovo Institute and its top employees will not accept Livanov’s candidacy. Skoltech residents intend to fight the uninvited appointee, who has already embarrassed himself during his work as minister and rector of the Phystech, and promises Skoltech nothing but a tragic farce and final collapse. According to the local elite, there is only one way out of the situation: the new rector must be a scientist from the current Skoltech team, engaged in serious science.
Let us recall that, according to available information, in early October the MIPT team will be introduced to the acting rector, whose main task is to ensure the continuity of scientific and organizational management of the university within a year. This approach of the Ministry of Education and Science was dubbed the “Falkov Formula” at MIPT. In addition, the new rector must be associated with the university, have management competencies and be no older than 45 years old. The main candidate for replacement at MIPT itself is the rector of Innopolis Alexandra Gasnikova. Also among the contenders are the vice-rector of MIPT since 2014 Artem Voronov and the general director of the AIRI Institute of Artificial Intelligence Ivan Oseledets; they are considered nominal candidates.
Thus, a new position should be found for 57-year-old Livanov, an official in his prime, in the near future. Last time, Livanov received Phystech from the hands of Minister Falkov as a gift right on his birthday – he was appointed rector of the university from February 15, 2022. This time, the “gift” may be timed to coincide with Teacher’s Day, celebrated annually on October 5.
The choice of Skoltech is not accidental. As a source of the VChK-OGPU Telegram channel from the Skolkovo Institute says, “…especially in the last year, under the leadership of Academician A.P. Kuleshov, the degradation of Skoltech, which is still one of the coolest scientific centers in the country, is in full swing. Of course, Kuleshov visits Skoltech. People see him more often than we see a solar eclipse. He does something, tries… But at his instigation, many inadequate decisions are made, complete nonsense, moreover, in the interests of a narrow group. If you supply blood only to certain organs, others will begin to rot. This is a bad prospect, but it describes the emergency situation developing in Skoltech well. And all because it was initially wrong to put a mathematician in charge, because Skoltech, in essence, is not about mathematics at all, but about a more fundamental interdisciplinary science. The consequences of such a decision were obvious, and it is not surprising that the decomposing corpse of Skoltech attracts all sorts of predators. The story of Livanov’s arrival at Skoltech is exactly about this. No one has forgotten how he (to put it mildly) turned a blind eye to all sorts of shady people whose dissertations had many questions. Why do we need such a character at the helm of Skoltech? There is only one way out of this situation: Skoltech must be headed by a serious scientist from the current team, and again, this should not be a mathematician. Otherwise, nothing good will come of it. We need a person doing real serious science, with a crystal-clear scientific reputation.”
A source of the VChK-OGPU and Rucriminal.info telegram channel, close to the Ministry of Education and Science, explained that according to the organization’s charter, when appointing a new rector of the Skolkovo Institute, the procedure for preliminary approval of the candidate for this position by representatives of the workforce is not provided. This is manipulation by the rebels, and it is even approximately clear who among them is the main interested party (the source did not disclose the name).
In addition, the appointment of a rector from among the candidates recommended by the Skoltech Board of Trustees is the prerogative of the general meeting of founders. The decision to early terminate the powers of Academician Alexander Kuleshov requires a similar procedure. Given Livanov’s connections and position, this will be a pure formality, which activists from among those who disagree will not be able to interfere with in any way.
According to the source, rumors about the resignation of MIPT rector Livanov and his successor are not coming out of nowhere, and the ministry is interested in this topic – it will be interesting to see how the situation will develop for the former boss. However, according to a source of the VChK-OGPU Telegram channel in the department, such a position is not yet (or in principle) within the power of Innopolis rector Alexander Gasnikov. It may well be that rumors about Gasnikov’s appointment as MIPT rector are his attempt to make a name for himself, connected with the desire to quickly run away from Innopolis, where interesting financial issues are beginning to emerge. Given the tense relations between the young rector and the local elites, on whom he was effectively imposed, Gasnikov cannot count on a deal if anything happens.
At the same time, Gasnikov can replace Kuleshov as rector of Skoltech, this is a very possible trajectory, because he is connected not only with Phystech, but also with the Skolkovo Institute. If Kuleshov terminates his powers early, we will see unrest in the team. There is a rather motley and ambitious crowd in the leadership, and, of course, no one will want to let someone from the outside in. The game of “take a chair” will begin, and the main ringleader has a higher chance here than Gasnikov or Alexander Mazhuga, who, by the way, is also showing interest in Skoltech, – summarizes the source of the VChK-OGPU Telegram channel in the Ministry of Education and Science.