 In March 2015 ITMO became one of the top four leaders of the Project.The Ministry of Science and Education plans to increase the subsidies to the leading schools up to 1 billion rubles.Since 1996, the Rector of the university is the Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation, Chairman of the Council of Rectors of St. Petersburg (2004), vice-president of the Russian Union of Rectors (2006), corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Education, corresponding member Russian Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor Vladimir Vasilyev.