Cumulus is the only global association to serve art and design education and research. It is a forum for partnership and transfer of knowledge and best practices. Cumulus consists currently of 211 members from 48 countries. In Russia, only 5 higher educational institutions are full members of the Association. From June 3 to 7 in Milan there will be held the annual conference, where the new members of the Association will be officially announced. Tomsk Polytechnic University is expected to be one of them!

TPU will be presented by the Director of the Institute of Cybernetics, Doctor, Professor, Alena A. Zakharova.

Tomsk Polytechnic University in the name of the Institute of Cybernetics was invited to join the Association after the visit last year to TPU of the honorary delegation from Finland. Among the guests were: Raimo Nikkanen, a professor of Aalto University, School of Arts, Design and Architecture; Eija Salmi, the Secretary-General of Cumulus. The purpose of the visit was to hold a joint seminar and public lectures on design and discuss the scientific cooperation programs between universities of Finland and TPU. Also, there was presented a proposal for future cooperation to cover an agreement on scientific and technological cooperation between TPU (Department of engineering graphics and industrial design of the Institute of Cybernetics) and Aalto University.

"TPU can become a full member of the Association Cumulus, we are ready to provide recommendations. We see Russia and the Russian universities among our strategic partners,"- said Eija Salmi.

And now, several months later, TPU was actually invited as a full member of the Association with the expanded rights of participation. Officially the new members of the Association will be announced during the Conference early June in Milan.

As a full member TPU will have a right to participate in the international professional exchange, receive invitations to hold lectures and seminars in the foreign Universities in the field of design and art, etc. Through participation in the Cumulus exhibitions and conferences the TPU Institute of Cybernetics will have the opportunity to promote the works of its students in the field of industrial design, as well as participate in an academic exchange.