Knauf International Production Company Participates in the Education of Future Builders

South Ural State University has been cooperating with KNAUF Company for 20 years. In the frames of this cooperation the laboratory “Knauf Materials and Complete Systems” was created, the possibilities of which are used by Institute of Architecture and Construction of SUSU for the preparation of future architects, designers, and builders.

Knauf Company is one of the world leaders in the production of building materials. In the laboratory created on the basis of SUSU, there are being carried out researches on an improvement of technology of production of gypsum-fiber sheets, tests of the properties of dry construction mixtures, and creation of building materials on the basis of gypsum-bearing industrial wastes. In addition, the researches on the technical and operational properties of gypsum dry construction mixtures are carried out, the work on the creation of compositions from the by-products (industrial wastes), what is economically and environmentally beneficial, is being underway.

"In February 2005 in cooperation with Knauf Company, there was established a specialized laboratory in Department of Building Materials of SUSU.  It is equipped with the necessary equipment and tools at the expense of the company financial resources. Here, students practice Knauf materials and complete systems, new technologies for finishing the houses and social facilities in a “dry” way: walls, ceilings, assembly of floor elements, installation of partitions, application of dry plaster mixtures and other new materials and technologies of the world level. Students studying Knauf materials and complete systems can receive personal scholarships and grants from the company,” says Director of Institute of Architecture and Construction of SUSU, Ph.D. in Engineering Dmitriy Ulrikh.

Today South Ural State University holds annual scientific and technical conferences of the all-Russian and international levels on the production and use of Knauf materials and complete systems in construction, and students of Institute of Architecture and Construction undergo internships at the company's enterprises. Knauf takes an active part in the repair of educational facilities of Department of Building Materials of IAS, is engaged in equipping its laboratories with modern equipment for testing the properties of building materials and high-tech devices for researches in the field of construction materials.

Knauf provided Institute of Architecture and Construction with modern equipment for the physicochemical analysis of the building materials composition for the realization of their researches. Today it is used in studying the processes occurring in materials during their production and further operation. Also, the laboratory “Knauf Materials and Complete Systems” is equipped with a unique audiovisual, computer and multimedia equipment.

It is important to note that Chelyabinsk became the first city in Russia, in which Knauf opened its Consultative Center (2004) on the basis of the university. Today it holds consultations for students and teachers of SUSU. Over the years of its work, more than 500 students of Institute of Architecture and Construction have passed their educational training, internships and pre-graduation training at Knauf enterprises. In addition, more than 200 students passed training and received certificates of Knauf Training Center in Chelyabinsk.

Currently, in the frames of project learning, Institute of Architecture and Construction in cooperation with KNAUF are developing projects, which will be carried out by the masters. Nowadays the cooperation of SUSU with Knauf gives positive results in achieving the main goal as improvement of the quality of graduates’ educational preparation, competitive at the international level.

Viktoria Matveichuk, photo: Oleg Igoshin
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