At Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University, a panel discussion was held on the influence of the insurance and reinsurance market on the process of strengthening Russia's technological sovereignty. The moderator of the event was Karin Kneissl, head of the G.O.R.K.I. Center at Saint Petersburg State University, who served as Austria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2017 to 2019.
The event’s format involved presentations from six experts, each focusing on a specific topic, such as marine insurance or risks related to the transformation of the energy sector. This was followed by a discussion in which all invited postgraduates and students, who had enrolled in the new specialized higher education program (which replaced the master's degree), could participate.
As noted by the students interviewed by “Forpost”, the discussion was highly engaging and provided them with much food for thought. After the departure of Western insurance companies from Russia, who were undoubtedly global market leaders, a certain vacuum emerged in this field. How can it be filled? And, more importantly: why did we so blindly trust in the reliability of our American and European partners, who at the first convenient opportunity refused to honor their commitments?
One of the speakers, Sergei Serdyukov, a representative of the rector of Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University and the chief designer of both Nord Stream pipelines, assured the audience of this reality. In his speech, he explained that the pipelines were insured in full compliance with all international legal standards, yet after their sabotage, the Russian side received no compensation.
Postgraduate student Antonina Stoyanova, studying in the field of "Information Systems and Technology," mentioned that her primary motivation for attending the event was the figure of the moderator. A woman who fully understood that "enlightened" Europe would never forgive her for her positive remarks about Russia, but who nonetheless found the strength to reject anti-Russian rhetoric. The result was persecution, death threats, and forced emigration to Lebanon, which is far from a paradise on earth, where electricity is sometimes supplied to homes for only an hour a day.
«Today, we often hear about emigrants who left our country after the start of the special military operation (SVO), their destructive positions, and their unpleasant comments about their fellow citizens. Here, however, we see the opposite. Ms. Kneissl is undoubtedly a strong woman, maintaining a desire to work for the benefit of peace. Despite everything, she remains resilient and is unquestionably worthy of respect», - said Antonina Stoyanova.
Elizaveta Shchirova emphasized that all students at Mining University, who are studying under the six-year curricula, in addition to attending scheduled classes, are also required to acquire at least eight additional professional competencies. These competencies must be gradually mastered throughout their studies in the form of electives. For students like her who are enrolled in the specialized higher education program, this includes completing three such courses within two years.
«The cycle of discussion panels led by Karin Kneissl will continue until the end of the semester. After its conclusion, we will be tested on the knowledge we have gained. If we pass the tests successfully, we will earn one of the three required additional competencies. I personally chose this elective from over 200 options because of its unconventional format. All the experts invited to the seminar have extensive experience in specific, sometimes rather narrow niches, and are ready to share it with us. This alliance allows us to gain diverse information about the state of the mineral resource and oil and gas sectors. Specifically, how specialized companies are overcoming the problems that arose after the departure of American insurers», - explains Elizaveta Shchirova
Postgraduate student Daniil Balandinsky is studying chemical technology. He says the seminar "made him think about areas that previously went unnoticed" and "reminded him once again that the economy of the production process consists of a vast number of components." He adds that it is important to remember each one, both when using existing technologies and when introducing innovations, as financial losses could otherwise be catastrophic.
«Another huge plus of this panel was the opportunity to improve our understanding of foreign speech, since all participants, including Russian speakers, agreed to communicate exclusively in English. Given that the topic of discussion was quite specific and the speakers had different accents, we received, without exaggeration, a unique practice», - shared Daniil Balandinsky.
Anna Kovalenko, a student of "Digital Engineering," believes that every Russian, in addition to striving for personal success, is obligated to contribute to achieving the country's technological sovereignty. After all, its loss, as the experience of the 1990s proves, has the most negative impact on the well-being of the vast majority of citizens. This development paradigm, especially in light of increased political and economic uncertainty, makes knowledge even more valuable than before.
«In the modern world, risks are growing in number—not just in geopolitics, but also in the digital sphere and many other areas, such as the insurance and reinsurance markets. We are studying at Mining University to become future top managers of large companies and directors of production, and in this context, we all need to have a wide range of diverse competencies. This includes understanding which structures are replacing Western ones. Alternatives do exist. For example, just recently, the Russian government signed an agreement with the Eurasian Reinsurance Company. In general, the vacated niches are being actively filled by Asian and domestic players», - said Anna Kovalenko.
It is worth noting that the next discussion panel with former Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl will take place in a month. In total, four such expert meetings with students and postgraduates from the Saint Petersburg university are planned for this semester.
