Dr. Yurisley Valdés Mariño, Rector of the University of Moa, paid a working visit to the Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University. The university, which he heads, is the highest status higher education institution in Cuba of those that specialize in training specialists and scientific research in geology, mining and metallurgy. Forpost took the opportunity to ask the guest to answer a few questions. In particular, about the impact of U.S. economic sanctions on the living standards of the island's citizens, as well as the prospects for cooperation between our states.
- The U.S. economic sanctions against Cuba are the longest in world history. How does it affect the socio-economic development of the country and the range of goods in your stores?
Yurisley Valdés: The economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States against Cuba more than 60 years ago has had negative consequences for us, seriously hampering the economic and social development of the country. We are indeed living in conditions of scarcity, including of food and medicine.
The embargo also imposes restrictions on commercial transactions between Cuban and United States companies, which means that we have limited access to goods and services from the United States. As a result, we do not import enough essential goods, which is one of the reasons for the shortages. In addition, the sanctions have hampered the work of financial institutions, in particular non-cash monetary transactions.
It is important to note that the impact of the embargo is not only that there is not enough food or clothing in Cuban stores; other sectors of the economy are also severely affected. We also have limited access to technology and foreign investment, thus reducing the pace of our overall economic and social development. It is clear that the United States restrictive measures violate the rights of the Cuban people, which is why they have been repeatedly condemned by the international community.
However, despite the difficulties caused by sanctions pressure, Cuba is not giving up. The authorities are seeking alternatives that would ensure our food security and give us access to medicines, including by stimulating national production and diversifying commercial markets. Nevertheless, it must be recognized that the lifting of the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States would be a decisive step towards Cuba's comprehensive development and the improvement of the quality of life of our people.
- Do universities have a significant impact on Cuba's economic development? Do they, including your university, engage in scientific research?
Yurisley Valdés: Cuban universities are now actively creating new structures that act as intermediaries between the universities themselves, the productive sector and the service sector, both nationally and internationally. They include teachers, scientists, students, as well as engineers and other professionals from existing companies and organizations. This gives impetus to the implementation of the results of scientific research in life, and helps to ensure that our research goes into the areas in which the state and the private sector are interested. Therefore, of course, the academic community plays a major role in Cuba's technological development.
Our country, for example, like Russia, is among the world leaders in terms of nickel reserves. Therefore, a significant part of our efforts is aimed at improving the efficiency of mining and processing of this metal. Another demanded area is the utilization of nickel production waste. Today, they are real man-made deposits, as modern technologies allow us to extract valuable components, such as platinum, from them. Our task is to make this process as cost-effective as possible.
- How high is the value of a Cuban high school diploma? Where do your graduates work?
Yurisley Valdés: Young engineers in Cuba have many employment options in both the public and private sectors. They can also work as freelancers, that is, self-employed. They usually go into industries such as manufacturing, construction, IT, telecommunications, energy, including renewable energy, transportation or agriculture. The options are indeed many, the problem of unemployment is not facing them. On the contrary, their career prospects are quite bright. In addition, our graduates have the opportunity to stay in the university as teachers or scientists. This is also a very prestigious development paradigm.
- In Russia today there is a reform of the system of higher technical education, we are moving away from the bachelor's degree and back to training specialists for 5.5 or 6 years. What is the system in Cuba? What are the terms of training? How much time is devoted to practical and laboratory training?
Yurisley Valdés: I think the higher education system in Cuba is very well balanced. The curricula in our universities are 4 or 5 years long, depending on the field of study. Students who successfully complete them receive academic degrees, either engineers or bachelors. The latter can enroll in a master's program, its programs are designed for 1-2 years with few exceptions. Doctoral programs are longer in duration and are aimed at enabling young people to conduct original research in the field of their scientific interests.
We encourage students, as well as teachers, to participate in research projects that contribute to scientific and technological progress. Theoretical lectures, laboratory experiments and practical classes are mandatory components of the educational process. After all, the task of a university is not only to give students a certain set of knowledge, but also to teach them how to apply it in practice.
We have to help students develop skills and competencies specific to each discipline. For this purpose, they undergo internships in companies or institutions whose activities are relevant to the student's specific area of study. These internships not only allow them to gain the necessary industrial experience, but also to familiarize themselves with the environment in which young people will have to work in the future.
Through participation in research groups, students have the opportunity to put into practice the theoretical knowledge and methodological skills acquired during their studies. These projects can be carried out in our laboratories or outside the university walls, in collaboration with experts from other organizations. By engaging in scientific research, students, among other things, develop critical thinking, become more creative and learn to overcome difficulties.
As in the rest of the world, Cuban higher education increasingly uses simulators with augmented or virtual reality technology and computer modeling. These tools allow students to have a near real-world experience and make it possible to conduct experiments in areas where access to physical infrastructure and materials is limited or cost prohibitive.
- With universities from which countries do Cuban universities collaborate today? And in what areas?
Yurisley Valdés: The Cuban Ministry of Higher Education developed an internationalization strategy back in 2003 with the aim of improving the quality of education through integration into the international educational environment. In this context, specific strategies have been implemented to support the collaboration of Cuban higher education institutions with partners from abroad.
Every year, hundreds of our professors and scientists participate in academic exchanges and other activities that allow them to progress through exposure to modern educational and scientific trends. Over the past six years, cooperation with countries such as Mexico, Venezuela, Ecuador, Brazil, Colombia, Canada, Spain, Germany, France, Italy and many others has been strengthened.
- Soviet engineers were once actively involved in Cuba's economic development process, including the modernization of your nickel industry. How would you assess the current level of partnership between our countries? In what areas could we improve it?
Yurisley Valdés: Historically, our relations with Russia have always been special. Your knowledge and skills in areas such as industrial engineering, electronics, civil engineering, computer science and many other technical disciplines have allowed us to introduce many innovations and contributed to the development of the island's infrastructure. Progress is now evident in terms of mutual settlements in national currencies, especially the ruble, and e-commerce is growing. In addition, work is underway to increase the number of tourists visiting Cuba by increasing the number of scheduled and charter flights.
Many people who graduated from your universities live and work in Cuba. Even today, many of our students and post-graduates study in Russian universities. For example, two female professors who now work for us at the University of Moa once defended their theses at the St. Petersburg Mining University. At present, six of our scholarship holders are enrolled in its doctoral program. Both sides are interested in strengthening academic exchange and expanding cooperation in the research sphere.
As for specifics, we would be interested in joint projects in the energy supply and steel industry. As I mentioned above, we are interested in improving the efficiency of nickel industry tailings processing. I am sure that research aimed at utilizing industrial waste in the production of construction materials, including asphalt concrete mixtures, could be very promising.
Both now and in the future, research in the field of rare earth elements, platinum group metals and other resources strategically important for the sustainable development of mankind - copper, cobalt and so on - will be in great demand. We would also be glad to evaluate together with our Russian colleagues the feasibility of using kaolinite clays of different geological origin for the production of low-carbon cement.
Of course, while working to solve these kinds of problems, we should not forget about minimizing the anthropogenic impact on nature. It is very important for us to understand what management strategies can help preserve coastal ecosystems in the face of climate change, especially in the eastern region of Cuba. There is also a need to reduce the risks of man-made disasters and to reduce the cost and material intensity of renewable energy.
In short, there are many areas in which the University of Moa is ready to cooperate with both Cuban and foreign partners. We are ready to intensify our cooperation with Russian universities, first of all with St. Petersburg Mining University. I have no doubt that our synergy will allow us to achieve promising results.