The Summer School for undergraduate and postgraduate students from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur has concluded at the Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University. This is one of the most prestigious technical higher educational institutions in the country; among its alumni, for example, is Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google and Alphabet.
Can one person be the author of the lyrics for the national anthems of three countries and one state? The answer to this riddle is simple—of course, he can, if he was born in the mid-19th century in West Bengal, became the first non-European Nobel laureate, and his name was Rabindranath Tagore.
Like the Mining University, IIT Kharagpur trains personnel for the mineral resources complex and conducts scientific research work. In February of this year, the parties signed an international cooperation agreement, expanding the number of joint events in disciplines relevant to the industry.
Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University has signed an international cooperation agreement with one of India’s most prestigious universities, the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur.
The 2026 Summer School is already the second for IIT—in 2025, its representatives, together with colleagues from Dhanbad, completed a training course on modern trends in the oil and gas industry, and the impressions were extremely positive.
This summer, 16 bachelor's and postgraduate students specializing in geology and mining engineering arrived in the Northern Capital. The training was designed for two weeks (from June 22 to July 3) and was conducted in English. Traditionally, at the beginning, the guests were given a tour of the Mining University and the Mining Museum, after which the trainees proceeded to their classes.
The “Oil and Gas Geology” program is one of the most popular and sought-after programs among international students. It is organized by the Department of Oil and Gas Geology and the Problem Laboratory for Deep Metageology, jointly with the International Office and the International Competence Centre for Mining Engineering Education under the auspices of UNESCO.
The classes were conducted by leading professors and associate professors of the Mining University. The course covered all aspects of the industry: the theoretical foundations of oil and gas geology, the state of the fuel and energy complex of Russia and the world, modern trends in the development of the hydrocarbon raw materials market, geochemical and petrophysical aspects of the study of oil, gas, and petroleum-bearing rocks, oil and gas drilling (including offshore), and the static and dynamic modeling of mineral deposits.
The trainees visited the university’s principal research centers: the Arctic Research Center, the Center for Mineral Resources Processing, and the Center for Shared Use of High-Tech Equipment. They were shown the equipment and introduced to several projects currently being implemented at the university. The participants also visited the “Offshore Drilling” training and simulation complex, the BELAZ Competence Centre, and the educational and experimental workshops.
-In the educational laboratory of the Department of Geophysics, the students familiarized themselves with well construction and the types of geophysical probes used in well logging. Thus, they were presented with a full range of modern solutions in the field of oil and gas geology, - says Yury Nefedov, Associate Professor of the Department of Oil and Gas Geology and one of the leaders of the Summer School.
The course was structured in such a way that the lecture material was always reinforced by a master class, the completion of an independent assignment, or laboratory work.
- A lecture on geochemistry was necessarily followed by a practical session in which the students determined geochemical and pyrolytic parameters in the laboratory. The lecture on modeling continued with a case study in which the participants attempted to model oil and gas fields using Russian software products licensed to the Mining University, - notes Yuri Nefedov.
At the BELAZ Digital Technologies Center, the students mastered the operation of heavy open-pit mining equipment on training simulators. In the virtual reality laboratory, having put on VR glasses, the future engineers studied the components and assemblies of mining equipment in detail, practiced starting up a well, taking samples for the analysis of hydrocarbon composition under various weather conditions, and other operations.
The Summer School program was not limited to the walls of the Mining University. At the university's "Sablino" scientific training site, the students were introduced to all the principal types of drilling and the design of drilling rigs, and they were even given the opportunity to drill several meters of a well independently.
The next destination was Vyborg. In addition to the traditional cultural program, which included a tour of this medieval city, the Indian students did not miss the opportunity to discuss geology. At Monrepos Park, they were shown outcrops of sedimentary and igneous rocks belonging to the crystalline shield of the Leningrad Region.
The current geopolitical situation in the energy sector was also discussed, since it was from Vyborg that the Nord Stream gas pipeline was laid along the seabed of the Baltic Sea, connecting the Russian and German gas transmission systems. The pipelines ceased operating after 2022.
For the second year in a row, the Summer Schools delegation was hosted by the Karpinsky All-Russian Scientific Research Geological Institute. The students met with the international department of the institute and familiarized themselves with the exhibition of the local geological museum, where they received additional information on the oil and gas cluster.
One of the participants of the "Oil and Gas Geology" program was Shreysi; she is a fourth-year student at the Indian Institute of Technology, pursuing a bachelor's degree in applied geology. Her scientific interests include geophysics, petroleum geology, and subsurface exploration. The young woman is engaged in science and frequently participates in field geological studies and projects related to renewable energy systems. The Mining University, with its rich history and academic experience, is one of the best places in the world to study geology, and the curriculum fully matched her scientific interests, which allowed Shreysi to sign up for the trip without hesitation.
- What I liked most in the Summer School was the offshore oil and gas production experience in virtual reality, because it gave me a realistic understanding of offshore work and marine operations. The gemological laboratory and the excursion to Sablino were also memorable. Like any engineer, it is important for me to constantly reinforce theoretical concepts with real-world observations. The Mining University maintains a balance between theory and practical training, which is important. The knowledge and practical experience I gained here will be extremely useful during my future internships and career, particularly when applying for positions in geophysics and energy.
The second program implemented for the Indian attendees was the "Fundamentals of Mineral Resources Sciences." This is a new course, developed and conducted for the first time this year, and addressed to candidates of absolutely all specialties within the fuel and energy and mineral resources complexes. Modern research engineers are required to have a broad outlook, proficiency in various methods of conducting scientific research, critical thinking, and the ability to look beyond the boundaries of their immediate specialization.
The objective of the program was to develop an understanding of how scientific activity is organized across different fields and to master advanced general scientific research methods. The course included both lectures and practical sessions: how to work with scientific information and databases, how to prepare a publication, and how to present research results effectively. The young men and women calculated oil and gas reserves and modeled deposits, discussed how plastic can be converted into fuel, and applied artificial intelligence methods to data analysis in the mineral resources complex.
Review from Gaurav Khetan, a student of the Faculty of Mining at the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur:
- I am interested in data science, artificial intelligence, as well as the oil and gas and mining sectors. I wanted to gain an understanding of the education system here and become acquainted with Russian culture and way of life. After all, as the saying goes, no knowledge is useless. As it turned out, I made an excellent choice. We familiarized ourselves with simulators of equipment used in the real oil production industry and examined numerous practical examples and case studies. To my delight, I also acquired some basic Russian, a completely new and challenging language for me.
Following the training, the participants passed their assessment and received certificates. Each prepared a report sharing their impressions of the most interesting aspects of the course and potential directions for future scientific cooperation. For example, this year, thanks to feedback and reviews, the list of Summer School programs was supplemented with three topics: "Fundamentals of Mineral Resources Sciences," "Digital Three-Dimensional Modeling," and "Technology and Technique of Well Drilling".
The Summer Schools are not only about study, but also about leisure. A rich cultural program was prepared for the Indian guests. Fortunately, the weather allowed them to walk around and enjoy one of the world’s most beautiful cities until late in the evening, gaining new impressions and relaxing after an intensive day of study. The young people visited Peterhof, viewed the city from a boat, and saw the famous Saint Isaac’s Cathedral, the Summer Garden, the Peter and Paul Fortress, and other architectural gems of the Northern Capital.
- Visiting the Hermitage was one of the most memorable events for me; it was amazing to see such an extensive collection of art and history. The Monrepos park struck me with its combination of beautiful natural landscapes and historical atmosphere. Special thanks to the students and volunteers of the Mining University for the warm welcome and the organization of sports events, - says Shreysi.
In total, this summer, Saint Petersburg Mining University will host 12 Summer Schools for both Russians and foreigners (PRC and India). The total number of participants is over 300 people. Currently, training is being undertaken by students from the China University of Petroleum (Beijing) and two Indian Institutes of Technology (Kharagpur and Guwahati).
As a reminder, international short-term educational programs have been held at Saint Petersburg Mining University with the support of the International Competence Centre for Mining Engineering Education under the auspices of UNESCO since 2019.
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