TASS, December 11. Avtovaz will invest 1.4 billion rubles ($15.5 mln) in establishing an advanced engineering school of hybrid technologies HybridTech, part of the Togliatti State University (TSU), according to the university’s press service.

"Avtovaz and TSU are creating an advanced engineering school (AES) of hybrid technologies HybridTech. <...> The total funding of the HybridTech AES through 2030 will amount to almost 3 billion rubles ($33.2 mln), with 55% of the total funding of the advanced engineering school to be allocated for research and development. "Avtovaz as a general partner has guaranteed co-financing of the HybridTech AES program in the amount of 1.383 billion rubles ($15.5)," the report says.

According to the head of the engineering school Aleksander Selivanov, the mission of the HybridTech project is to develop hybrid and combined technologies with necessary equipment for the automotive industry and to train engineers for the industry. He emphasized that the industry currently provides jobs for almost 3 million people and generates a turnover of over 3 trillion rubles ($33 bln), the market share of Avtovaz is 37%.

Avtovaz President Maksim Sokolov said that the company aims to achieve technological sovereignty in the production of the existing model range and in the development of new models, such as Lada Aura, new crossover models and electric cars, which will also be produced in the Avtovaz product line. "Naturally, we are focusing Togliatti State University and the joint HybridTech advanced engineering school project on both re-engineering the existing model range and on developing new models, fundamentally new designs, including powertrains and everything that makes up a car," Sokolov commented.

The engineering school program includes four science and technology programs and 39 projects on creating materials with unique properties, increasing productivity and energy efficiency of technological processes, materials processing and other areas.

"Students will gain hands-on experience with truly real cases provided by our industrial partners, this will lead to instant adaptation at their jobs. We distinguish three engineering positions: researcher, developer and systems engineer. For each position we have designed a competency matrix, input and output requirements," said TSU Rector Mikhail Krishtal.