Professor Vladimir Litvinenko, Dr. of Engineering, has headed Mining University since June 1994 (re-elected - in April 1999, May 2004, April 2009, April 2014, May 2019).
He graduated from the Novocherkassk Geological Technical School and then in 1982, he graduated with honors from the faculty of Geological Exploration of the Leningrad Mining Institute. After graduation, he worked in geological exploration parties. In 1987, he defended his candidate dissertation and in 1992 his doctoral dissertation.
Since 1999, he has been Editor-in-Chief of the peer-reviewed scientific journal of Mining Institute (Zapiski Gornogo Instituta).
Litvinenko is full member of the International Academy of Higher School Science, member of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences, Russian Academy of Geological Sciences, IASHE.
He is laureate of the State Prize of the Russian Federation in the field of science and technology for the “Geological Atlas of Russia”, Laureate of the Russian Federation Government 2008 in the field of science and technology “For development and implementation of environmentally safe combined mining and complex ore processing technologies ensuring commissioning and development of the unique Yakovlevsky rich iron ore deposit”.
Being the rector of university since 1994, he managed in difficult economic conditions to keep all main directions of scientific research of the school and to raise them to a high level.
Under the direction of Rector V.S. Litvinenko, the organizational structure of the university was significantly improved, allowing for flexibility and efficiency of management, departments of geoecology, oil and gas field development and operation, furnace technology and energy processing were established, training of engineers in new and promising specialties “Chemical technology of natural energy carriers” and “Oil and gas processing equipment” was started, undergraduate and graduate programs in “Chemical Technology and Biotechnology,” “Economics,” etc. were established.
Under his guidance, the quality management system based on the system of international standards was introduced and in 2007, the certificates of conformity to the requirements of GOST R ISO 9001-2001 and IQNet ISO 9001:2000 were obtained.
Under the leadership of V.S. Litvinenko and with his direct participation, overhaul of all academic, laboratory and administrative buildings of the University was carried out, a powerful modern teaching and laboratory facilities in all areas of training specialists, computerization of educational and scientific process was fully completed. In recent years, construction at the expense of extra-budgetary funds of the university of a multifunctional complex, student dormitory, sports and recreation center in the village of Kavgolovo, reconstruction of training ranges in the settlements of Sablino, Kuzmolovo, Solnechnoye, etc. was successfully implemented.
V.S. Litvinenko pays considerable attention to personnel training. He has developed a program of training young scientific and pedagogical staff in the system student - assistant professor – master's degree holder – postgraduate student - doctoral student, including research and production internships at the best domestic and foreign companies; as a result, only in recent years the University was replenished by 140 candidates of science younger than 30 years, and the share of teachers with scientific degrees and titles has exceeded 93%.
One of the priorities of V.S. Litvinenko is the organization of research, thanks to which its volume is increasing annually, amounting to more than 250 million rubles per year. University annually successfully demonstrates its scientific achievements at international exhibitions of inventions of France, Germany, Belgium, South Korea, China and other countries.
In recent years the University opened the Scientific Center of geomechanics and problems of Mining Production (on the basis of the former VNIMI), Center of Collective Use, Center of Engineering Survey and others, all of them are equipped with high-tech unique devices and equipment worth about 2 billion rubles.
V.S. Litvinenko pays great attention to the implementation of scientific achievements in the educational process. In 2006, the university was among 17 winning universities of the National Priority Project Education, having presented the innovative educational program of personnel training “From export-raw materials to resource-innovative strategy of mineral complex development” under his scientific management. In 2008, V.S. Litvinenko became a laureate of the St. Petersburg Government Award for Outstanding Achievements in the Field of Higher and Secondary Professional Education. In 2009, Mining University was competitively selected and received the “National Research University” category.
V.S. Litvinenko does a lot of public work; he is a member of the Governmental Commission on the Fuel and Energy Complex and the reproduction of mineral resources; a member of the Expert Council of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation on issues of natural resources management; a leader of Russian-German and Russian-Canadian inter-state dialogues on problematic issues of subsurface use.
V.S. Litvinenko was awarded with the Order of Honor (1998) and the Order of Merit for the Fatherland IV (2003) and III (2010) degrees. In June 2001, he was awarded the Order of Saint Andrew the First-Called by the Russian Federation Public Recognition Foundation for his enormous contribution to the development of Russia's mineral resources sector. He was awarded the medal “Prize of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation” and the Badge of Honor of the Federal Service for Intellectual Property, Patents and Trademarks. For significant achievements in the field of science, by the decision of the Supreme Commission on Awards of Belgium V.S. Litvinenko was awarded the order “Commander”.