Biography

Vladimir Vasilyev, DSc, was born in 1951 in Stavropol, Russia. In 1974, he graduated from Leningrad Polytechnic Institute (currently Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University) with a degree in thermal physics and earned his PhD in 1980. In 1978-1983, Dr. Vasilyev was a senior researcher, an assistant, and then an associate professor at Stavropol Polytechnic Institute (currently North-Caucasus Federal University).

In 1983, Vladimir Vasilyev received a position of a senior researcher at one of the laboratories at the Leningrad Institute of Fine Mechanics and Optics (now ITMO University). He defended his DSc thesis in optical devices and  thermal physics and molecular physics in 1989 and received his DSc degree in 1990. 

In 1991, Dr. Vasilyev founded the Department of Information Technology, which later brought the university the title of the world's only seven-time ICPC champion. 

Vladimir Vasilyev was appointed the university’s First Vice Rector in 1993 and has been the Rector of ITMO University since 1996.

Since 2017, Dr. Vasilyev has been on the board of directors of ITMO Highpark, which oversees the creation of ITMO’s second campus in the satellite city Yuzhny. 

Research

• a corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Education (2008) and the Russian Academy of Science (2011);

• a current member and corresponding member of specialized and international academies;

• an author of more than 220 scientific papers, as well as 26 patents and inventions in the field of advanced technologies for producing optical fiber and global telecommunication systems (his findings have had a marked impact on the development internet technologies in Russia);

• an initiator of a single scientific and educational information space and a number of key information resources for Russian higher education institutions;

• a co-creator and supervisor of major federal university computer systems, like RUNNet (1994-2004).

Other professional activities

• a member of the Commision on Science and Technological Development of the Russian Federation;

• a member of the working groups of the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education on implementing a reform of control and supervisory activities in education;

• a member of the Council of the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education for digital growth and information technologies; 

• a member of the Commission of the Russian State Council for communication, networking, and digital economy;

• a chair of the section Human Resources as the Main Asset of Digital Economy of the Council for the Development of the Digital Economy under the Council of Federation of the Federal Assembly; 

• a member of the Science and Engineering Council of St. Petersburg;

• a member of the Scientific Council on Informatization of St. Petersburg; 

• a board member of the National Professional Training Foundation;

• a member of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Education;

• an honorary consul of Uruguay in St. Petersburg (since 2018);

• a member of the editorial board of several science and engineering journals;

• the chair of the Board of St. Petersburg Rectors (2004-2017).

Awards

• Russian Government Award (2000 and 2008) and President's Award (2002 and 2003) for innovative training of IT specialists and informationization of education;

• Order of Honor (2007), Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" IV class (2011), Order of Alexander Nevsky (2018), etc.

• Honored Worker of Science and Education (2000) and Honorary Citizen of St. Petersburg (2013).

Hobbies

Cycling and swimming.