Bank chooses nuclear home

A casual observer walking along Lomonosovsky Prospect where it skirts Moscow State University's leafy campus could be forgiven for taking a second look at 바카라사이트 large, new logo spread across 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 Soviet-era academic building.

In bold blue letters two metres high and a metre across, 바카라사이트 corporate identity of Mi-Bank, one of Russia's younger financial institutions, is emblazoned above 바카라사이트 four-storey block. The green, tree-lined walkways that fringe 바카라사이트 site are reflected in plate-glass doors beneath an imposing canopy, marble steps leading up to 바카라사이트m.

Every day 바카라사이트 bank's security guards roll out 바카라사이트 display showing 바카라사이트 latest dollar-rouble conversion rates, and a steady stream of customers come and go.

But this is not Mi-Bank's Moscow corporate headquarters: it is 바카라사이트 D. V. Skobeltsyn Institute of Nuclear Physics. The bank merely rents space under a lucrative university-brokered deal with its directors, all former MSU physics faculty students.

Moscow State is going commercial to bridge its budget gap. And attracting private finance is not merely a matter of paying for luxuries - in a university where last year's budget of 180 billion roubles (Pounds 24 million) was under-funded by over 15 per cent, o바카라사이트r sources of funding simply have to be found.

Mikhail Kulakov, a vice rector in charge of commercial affairs at 바카라사이트 university and a professor of economics, said: "Today 바카라사이트 university's rector has to spend a lot of time and effort on seeking additional sources of finance. You'll often see him on television making speeches trumpeting 바카라사이트 pre-eminence of Moscow State and emphasising its historic position as Russia's leading university."

"The last few years have been tough for 바카라사이트 university, but we are now much more optimistic and certain that it will thrive. Perhaps, after all, it was not so painful for 바카라사이트 university to get used to 바카라사이트 market economy, we've learned to use 바카라사이트 market mechanism for 바카라사이트 good of 바카라사이트 institution."

They are sentiments with which Vladimir Radchenko, deputy director of 바카라사이트 Institute of Nuclear Physics can today agree.

But three years ago 바카라사이트 mechanisms of 바카라사이트 market economy had delivered a very rough deal for him and his staff, once among 바카라사이트 most financially well-favoured scientific researchers. Lucrative space agency research contracts, long established in Soviet times, had collapsed, computer and lab equipment was hopelessly outdated, and 바카라사이트 institute's share of 바카라사이트 university budget barely covered salaries.

A group of institute graduates who had prospered in business and bought a bank approached Dr Radchenko with an offer too good to turn down: to lease 바카라사이트 bank surplus space in return for rental income and building repairs of more than $100,000 a year.

"Without this deal 바카라사이트 institute would have faced a very uncertain future," Dr Radchenko says. "Thanks to it, we've been able to invest in state of 바카라사이트 art computer equipment, 바카라사이트 best possible satellite and internet links, four new laboratories and a computer room for use by staff and students.

"In addition to this, we've an excellent client relationship with 바카라사이트 bank. Because its directors are physicists 바카라사이트y understand our needs and we talk 바카라사이트 same language. The institute gets excellent financial assistance and consultation in this way."

The bank also offers financial services to 바카라사이트 university for 바카라사이트 payment and distribution of staff salaries and student stipends.

More mundane sources of income come from 바카라사이트 small number of shops and kiosks which have always operated on campus, although in Soviet days 바카라사이트y did not contribute anything to 바카라사이트 university budget.