The scientists from Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University and the University of Malaya thoroughly introduced each other to the most promising components of their countries' resource bases during the first joint online meeting, held on April 16-17.
The seminar launched a series of regular meetings between the two leading universities of the mineral and raw materials sectors of Russia and Malaysia, initiated by the rector of Saint Petersburg Mining University, Vladimir Litvinenko. The key stages of ongoing cooperation will include annual sessions of the Russia-Malaysia Raw Materials Forum in Kuala Lumpur and St. Petersburg, with participation from government representatives, heads of major corporations, and academic communities from both countries.
The Russian side presented reports by leading scientists from Saint Petersburg Mining University on the state and prospects of the mining industry in Russia, focusing separately on the oil and gas sector, geological exploration, and the extraction and use of rare earth metals. Additionally, elements of the new model for training engineers, implemented by the oldest technical university in Russia as part of a presidential pilot project, were outlined.
The scientists from the University of Malaya provided an overview of Malaysia's oil resources, discussed the development of a complete supply chain for rare earth metals, and shared research initiatives from the Entrepreneurship Center in the fields of gold, rare earths, and materials. Geothermal resources and the economic significance of granite deposits in the western part of the country were also addressed.
The next seminar will take place in May-June of this year. The immediate plans include a visit of the Russian delegation to Kuala Lumpur to participate in the working group on education, science, and technology, as well as to prepare the "roadmap" for the first session of the Resource Forum, which will be held in October of this year in the Malaysian capital.
