UNESCO Center

President of Russia Vladimir Putin has signed a law ratifying the agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the International Competence Centre for Mining-Engineering Education on the renewal of its status under the auspices of UNESCO until 2033.

Leading specialists from government authorities and companies of Africa’s mineral resource complex who are participating in the one-year educational program “Management of Subsoil Use Facilities” at Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University, were given the opportunity to familiarize themselves with key specialized institutions in Moscow.

During the period from 19 to 20 December 2025, a delegation from Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University took part in the Second Ministerial Conference of the Russia–Africa Partnership Forum, held in the capital of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Cairo, under the chairmanship of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Sergey Lavrov.

The scientific project “Hope – Mobile Intelligence,” which Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University is implementing jointly with Shiraz University, has reached its two-year milestone. A representative delegation from the Iranian university arrived in the city of Neva to work with colleagues in defining plans for the future.

From 19 to 20 December, the foreign ministers of African countries and Sergey Lavrov will convene in Cairo. A delegation from Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University has also been invited to the meeting. The University plays a flagship role in educational cooperation with Africa, through the “Nedra Africa” consortium and the International Competence Centre for Mining Engineering Education under the auspices of UNESCO.

Russia lagged behind Europe by more than six centuries in the opening of classical universities. The first in the world, Bologna, was founded in 1088. In Ancient Rus’, the centers of knowledge at that time were monastic schools. In engineering education, the picture is fundamentally different: Russia, together with the most advanced countries of Europe, stands at the origins of the creation of the first specialized technical higher schools.

The polar explorers of Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University have concluded the first and only day off of their trip. Both the ”newcomers” and the veterans shared their impressions of the flight and Cape Town with Forpost. Anatoly Ozhigin, design engineer at the Scientific Center “Arctic”:

A delegation from Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University participated in the 32nd International Congress of the Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK), which was held under the theme ”Engineering the Future”.

Early next week, the Field Team of Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University will depart for Cape Town, from where the research expedition vessel Akademik Fedorov will take them to Antarctica.

On Langkawi Island in Malaysia, the fourth meeting of the Joint Russia–Malaysia Commission on Economic, Scientific-Technical, and Cultural Cooperation was held. In addition to the preliminary results of interaction between the two countries for 2025, the parties discussed upcoming events and a whole list of areas of mutual interest: from the Russia–Malaysia Raw Materials Forum to the peaceful use of atomic energy and the import of Russian technologies.