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This article is dedicated to the problem of interaction between regional geological practices and geological education in the classical university exemplified by Siberian educational entities. Turning to real geological works in classical universities can reveal new aspects of geological knowledge for historians and methodologists of geology. It is important to emphasize that regional works are fundamental for all types of geological practices. It was proved that decline in funding for regional geological works that resulted from Russia’s transition to a market economy, negatively affects geological education development in classical universities of our country. Decline in funding for regional geological works forces students to attend professional retraining after graduation. This tendency can be dangerous for the economy as it can result in serious economic losses and lack of explored resources portfolio for mining. It will be impossible to avoid crisis both in classical geological education and in our economy, if strategic regional geological research is not resumed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scientific community of Siberia as a special category of society was established in the end of XIX century. It was connected with the opening of the Tomsk Imperial University in 1878 and became a sign of occurring sociopolitical, cultural and economic processes in the country. The scientific community of physicists of Siberia played an important role in the process of rapid development of the country, especially during the period of industrialization. The need of the USSR to go to the new technological frontier in the 1920-s have been required the active involvement of the scientific community of the country in solving practical problems of industrial upgrading and intensification of production. The Siberian Physical-Technical Institute (SPhTI), which was opened in 1928, became the first scientific research institute in the university system of the country, as well as the first and the only one Research Institute in the field of exact sciences and engineering to the east of the Ural mountains line. SPhTI has become a center for the consolidation of the scientific community of physicists of Siberia. The Institute has been accessed from many Siberian cities for resolution of various issues (problems of plasticity and strength of solids, flaw detection, spectral analysis application in metallurgy and geology, the state of the ionosphere and radio communications, the properties of insulators, etc.). SPhTI's research has been holding influenced by requirements from the industry. It has allowed reducing the time of implementation of scientific research results into production. The Institute has gradually turned into a scientific center of physics and physical research center for training of highly qualified personnel and the promotion of physics knowledge. The significance of SPhTI as one of the leading academic institutions, which had successfully integrated science, education and production, has been especially obvious during the period of the Great Patriotic War. This article is intended for those who interested in the history of science and higher education, the history of Siberia and the Soviet period of Russian history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]