Sberbank Rossii : and ITMO University enter into cooperation agreement

21 February 2018, Saint Petersburg - Sberbank and Sberbank Technology JSC have entered into a cooperation agreement with ITMO University. The trilateral agreement was signed today by CEO and Chairman of the Executive Board of Sberbank Herman Gref, CEO of Sberbank Technology Andrey Khlyzov, and Dean of ITMO University Vladimir Vasilyev.

The agreement sets out areas of cooperation in education and research and development.

'Cooperation between Sberbank and ITMO University is consistent with today's need for continuous training and development. For a company that strives to a technological leader this is a necessity determined by its goals and tasks. Developing and supporting innovative projects is our answer to the challenges we face,' commented Mr Gref.

'As the economy becomes more and more digitalised, the financial sector is becoming one of the biggest users of smart technologies. The creation of cutting-edge fintech IT solutions for is of strategic importance for the development of Russia's economy. It will only be possible to develop these technologies if science and research institutions work together closely with the leading players of the financial services industry. We hope that collaborative work between the country's largest bank - which also leads the sector in terms of adopting smart solutions - and one of the leading IT universities will give a powerful boost to the development of the entire Russian fintech industry,' said Mr Vasilyev.

Areas of cooperation stipulated by the agreement include development and implementation of R&D and design and experimental projects, participation in procurements of knowledge-intensive innovative technologies, arrangement of internships at SberTech and Sberbank for ITMO University students, providing IT training to SberTech and Sberbank employees at the university, and creating or assisting the development of small and medium-sized high-tech organisations.