utilities are maintained by Technical Department. This department duties also include supplying the Academy with all necessary equipment and stuff for functioning as well as for studying process. Co-operation and international links The Academy cooperates with Zaporizhzhya Law Institute (ZLI). Academy students study at ZLI jurisprudence and receive a law degree. There is International Department in the Academy. Since 1998 a lot of work has been done in the international cooperation area, networking and liaisoning with regional, domestic and international funds and organizations that administer international academic and scientific exchange programs. It also familiarizes students, post-graduate students and staff with current academic programs, grants, internships and provides a comprehensive assistance as to participation in them. Academy students and post-graduated students have the opportunity to participate in competitions for scholarships and abroad internships. Students also have the opportunity during their summer holidays to work and travel the countries of Western Europe, USA. After March 2006 a reorganization of the International Department was made by merging it with the Preparatory Department for Foreigners. The Academy followed the principle: an engineer must possess computer technology knowledge and has to know a foreign language. In implementing this principle in practice, ZDIA created Linguistic Center, where students can improve their knowledge of English, German, or French, learn Italian and Spanish. Graduates trained in the linguistic centers have internships in universities of Germany, Finland, or Ireland to earn a master's degree. During the last 3 years the Academy has been collaborating with the National Committee of IAESTE, which organizes research and student exchanges, and includes 54 universities of Ukraine, operates under the aegis of the UN and brings together the national committees in 65 countries worldwide. Famous alumni Yuri Lagutin, Mikhail Ishchenko, Alexander Rezanov, Sergei Kushniruk and Alexander Shipenko - Olympic Champions. Valentina Lutaeva – member of handball team of the USSR - the winner of the Olympic Games in Montreal and Moscow. International Master of Sport Fencing Tatiana Chernyavskaya - world champion (1986), silver medalist of the World Student Games in Japan. Oleksandr Sin - Mayor of Zaporizhzhia Bastryga, Ivan Mikhailovich - General Director of Zaporizhzhia Aluminium Combine Fedotov, Alexander - Chairman of the Board of Zaporizhzhia Aluminium Combine References Literature Запорізька область: природа, історія, архітектура, культура, економіка: Ілюстрована енциклопедія.- Запоріжжя: Дике поле, 2004. - 540 pp. External links Zaporizhzhia State Engineering Academy (in Ukrainian and Russian) Universities in Ukraine Universities and colleges in Zaporizhzhia