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Why BRICS University Rectors Are Heading to St. Petersburg

Горный фасад
© Форпост Северо-Запад / Павел Долганов

In mid-October, shortly before the BRICS summit in Kazan, the International Forum-Competition for Young Researchers from BRICS countries, "Current Issues in Subsoil Use," will take place at Empress Catherine II St. Petersburg Mining University.

This year, the traditional program will be expanded. In addition to young scientists, more than 100 rectors from leading universities in BRICS countries and potential candidate states, representatives of relevant ministries, international organizations, and scientists will gather in St. Petersburg. In total, around a thousand international participants are expected.

Guests of the upcoming forum shared their expectations with "Forpost," discussing how improving the efficiency of subsoil use can strengthen national sovereignty and how universities can contribute to this effort.

«Mineral resources are undoubtedly one of the foundations of national sovereignty. In today's world, new methods are being introduced to enhance global control over the economy and society. These methods do not always consider the interests of countries that supply mineral resources. Their governments must recognize the importance of maintaining independence in subsoil use» – said Dr. Behrouz Abtahi, Deputy Head of the Center for International Scientific Cooperation at the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology of Iran.

Бехруз Абтахи
© Центр международного научного сотрудничества при Министерстве науки, исследований и технологий Ирана, доктор Бехруз Абтахи

The strategic role of mineral resources in the development of the economy and society is no longer disputed by anyone today. The best way to protect national interests lies in improving the efficiency of extraction technologies and promoting the deep processing of raw materials. BRICS countries are making significant efforts in this direction, with the large-scale "Make in India" project serving as a prime example.

Джарадж Кумар
© Скриншот, выступление Дираджа Кумара на youtube канале педагогического колледжа Шамшула Хака

According to Diraj Kumar, Director of the Indian Center for Innovation in Mining Technologies (TEXMiN), the government has tasked the Indian Institute of Technology in Dhanbad with establishing this hub to coordinate all efforts in improving mining and exploration technologies.

«Today, we are addressing the challenges of mining and exploration enterprises by introducing equipment controlled through satellite navigation (CPS technologies). In this way, we achieve the 3S level—safe, smart, and sustainable mining—what is known as Mining 4.0.

Mineral resources are essential raw materials for the key industries of any country, whether developed or developing. Exploration, extraction, and management of these resources must be carried out in line with national goals and prospects, which should be integrated into the overall economic development strategy of the country» – said Mr. Kumar.

Сандра Регина Гуларт
© Федеральный университет Минас-Жерайс, доктор Сандра Регина Гуларт Алмейда

Dr. Sandra Regina Goulart Almeida, Rector of the largest public university in Brazil, the Federal University of Minas Gerais, believes that the raw materials sector must undoubtedly be prioritized by governments under state control:

«Regulation here should be based on critical factors: depletion of reserves, development of mining complex ores [which contain several valuable components in concentrations suitable for industrial use], price fluctuations in the global raw materials market, and the effective use of mining waste to move closer to a circular economy.

Additionally, investments in the verticalization of the mineral resource sector are essential [vertical integration implies centralized control over several or even all stages of the supply chain—from raw material extraction to delivering the final industrial product to the consumer]. Such efforts always contribute to the production of goods with higher added value».

This approach is only possible with a strong link between industry, science, and education. For example, Russia's higher education system has been developing for the past year and a half after withdrawing from the Bologna Process. Its destructive nature is evident even to members of the European educational establishment. In particular, Michael Gaebel, Director of Educational Policy at the European University Association, stated (Times Higher Education, THE):

«A person cannot be considered a full-fledged engineer with only a bachelor's degree».

Employers in Europe fully understand the validity of this view. As a result, they encourage their bachelor's degree holders to pursue master's degrees, with at least one in four continuing their studies. Moreover, European universities are actively attracting top-performing bachelor's students from African countries into their master's programs. The "chronic" high levels of brain drain have become the focus of active, albeit still not particularly successful, efforts by most countries on the continent.

The fact that the Bologna Process lowers the academic standards of universities and severs their connection with industry has been known in Europe for some time. However, its proponents argued that these drawbacks were offset by increased flexibility and mobility within the higher education system.

As early as 2014, Professor of Sociology at Bielefeld University in Germany, Stefan Kühl, debunked such claims in his book The Sudoku Effect: Universities in the Vicious Circle of Bureaucracy».

«The bureaucratic machine of the Bologna Process has only distanced us from effective international coordination. With the introduction of the ECTS credit system, inter-university cooperation has become less flexible than before the adoption of the Bologna Declaration in 1999. This is due to excessive regulation in the design of curricula. We had to create a modular structure for all stages of education, which required aligning too many parameters. I call this the 'Sudoku effect' [the puzzle is based on selecting numbers that simultaneously satisfy three conditions]. And no province or region can deviate from the common methodology» –says Stefan Kühl.

Today, BRICS countries are ready to improve their university systems without the "blinders" of the Bologna Process, although this is, of course, an evolutionary process. It does not imply a wholesale rejection of all European developments.

«The Bologna system, with its focus on modular learning and mobility, may align with certain goals of a state's socio-economic development by encouraging a flexible and adaptable workforce. Additionally, it promotes a broad skillset for students, which can be beneficial for innovation and entrepreneurship.

However, there are valid concerns that it may not always adequately prepare specialists in the technical fields for the real economy. Striking the right balance between different educational approaches is crucial to ensure comprehensive training of university graduates and their professional competence," says Yang Yi, Vice-Rector of Taiyuan University of Technology.

Ян И
© Тайюаньский технологический университет, проректор Ян И

Iran, like China, India, and Brazil, is not located in Europe and therefore did not join the Bologna Declaration as Russia once did. Nevertheless, the principles of this document have been actively implemented in the country.

«Iran has been incorporating the approaches of the Bologna Process into its educational system for a significant period. Initially initiated by Western countries, it was designed to address their own challenges. Our long-term experience shows that these ideas do not fully meet the needs of Iranian industry and society» – noted Behrouz Abtahi.

Lavinia Rosa Rodrigues, Rector of Minas Gerais State University (Brazil), agrees with her Iranian colleague:

«The Bologna Process represents an initiative to unify higher education in the countries of the European bloc by creating a European Higher Education Area. Theoretically, the proposal aims to expand students' access to higher education and ensure greater student mobility. However, we believe that only participating countries can adequately assess whether this process aligns with their national realities, considering its impact on their labor market and socio-economic development».

Лавиния Роза Родригес
© Университет штата Минас-Жерайс, доктор Лавиния Роза Родригес

The representative from India, Dheeraj Kumar, is even more outspoken:

«The Bologna Process aims to ensure the comparability of standards and the quality of qualifications in higher education. However, it is largely focused on the liberalization of the economy, particularly in the field of employment, which leads to industrial decline and inefficiency in urban policy».

The upcoming forum in St. Petersburg will provide participants with an opportunity to share their educational "know-how" and engage in the discourse on university reform currently underway in Russia. The prestige of the host institution, Empress Catherine II St. Petersburg Mining University, one of the top 5 universities in its field according to the QS rankings, guarantees a high level of discussion.

форум МФК
© Форпост Северо-Запад / Павел Долганов

Western academic circles are also closely following the progress of Russia's university reform, despite the sanctions and sharp anti-Russian rhetoric.

The situation from twenty years ago, when Russia adopted the Bologna principles, has now completely reversed: one year after the launch of Russia's Pilot Project for the improvement of its higher education system—by the spring of this year—the European Commission introduced its "Blueprint for a European Degree," which mirrors Russia's strategy in many ways. Specifically, when it comes to aligning educational programs with the needs of the real economy.

For instance, declarations from the new European plan’s presentation include:

«Future generations must be equipped with the competencies and skills that European societies need to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world».

And:

«For employers, this will make it easier to recruit highly qualified graduates who are ready to face the challenges of a rapidly changing world».

There is reason to believe that the meeting in St. Petersburg, scheduled just one week before the BRICS summit in Kazan, will serve as a platform where the educational elites of partner countries can engage in a "brainstorming session" that leads to valuable ideas and documents. These could impact the 30,000 universities worldwide, according to UN data.