OREANDA-NEWS. December 28, 2010. “GM does not refuse the possibility to open a scientific and research center in of one of St. Petersburg Innovative Educational Establishments”. It was announced by Sergey Ushakov, the director of GM scientific office in Russia and CIS, at the press-conference, organized in the framework of Small Business Forum at “Lenexpo”.

Mr. Ushakov said that since 2009 GM and St. Petersburg Government had launched a joint research project for the automotive industry and advanced scientific projects of St. Petersburg Scientific and Educational Establishments.

-“It is the first auto cluster experience for Russia and CIS”, - said the GM representative.  

“The main terms are regulated by the mutual agreement, signed in the framework of the III St. Petersburg International Innovative Forum in 2009. “Project financing is preformed on a basis of parity, which confirms serious partners’ intentions,” – added the deputy chairman of St. Petersburg Committee for Industrial Policy and Trade Kirill Soloveychik.

“Three contracts on GM sponsorship for the university innovative projects have been already concluded since the beginning of partnership cooperation,” – said the chairman of ST. Petersburg Universities Rectors Board Vladimir Vasilyev. He also emphasized that “special practical training course was organized in Michigan (USA) for gifted students and young scientists from the University of IT, Mechanics and Optics and Economic Faculty of St. Petersburg State University.GM representative in Russia and CIS believes that the experience and skills, gained by the students in these international researches with GM, will give a new innovative impulse to the development of St. Petersburg auto cluster.