Society

”Africa is currently in active search of social institutions that would take responsibility for the urgently needed accelerated industrial and social development,” — this is how the new article by Vladimir Litvinenko, Rector of Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University, begins on RIA Novosti. The author writes that the continent, which is the most promising in terms of natural resources, can no longer afford to continue the zero-sum game imposed by Western corporations. Therefore, it is turning its focus toward Russia.

One of the most significant events this autumn will be the Russia–Africa Raw Materials Dialogue, which will take place in Saint Petersburg from October 29 to November 1, 2025. The event will bring together leaders of sectoral ministries, representatives of the scientific and educational community, and business figures from both the Russian Federation and African nations. As of today, delegations from 27 African countries have confirmed their participation.

The September visit of the delegation from Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University to China, aimed at selecting partners for joint projects, was focused on three fundamental areas. The first was the alignment of China’s educational system with the core principles of the Pilot Project; the second was ideological resonance, meaning the methodology of educational and formative activities; and, of course, the third was science.

Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University continues to strengthen its partnerships with Chinese universities. The first stop of its delegation’s visit to the People’s Republic of China was the city of Qingdao. The working group, headed by Vice-Rector for Special Programs Marat Rudakov, met with the leadership of China University of Petroleum (UPC).

Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University was visited by a delegation from one of China’s leading national state universities specializing in training personnel for the oil and gas industry. The purpose of the visit was to foster cooperation in the comprehensive study of the Earth’s evolution and deep geological processes.

On September 1, Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University launched an educational program for representatives of African countries entitled “Management of Subsoil Use Facilities.” International internships and short-term courses are not new for this resource-focused university, yet this project is unlike any of its predecessors.

Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University was visited on a working trip by Olivier Houzé, President of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE). This organization is engaged in identifying advanced technologies in the field of hydrocarbon field development and operation, as well as attracting managers and engineers of the oil and gas industry to work on projects worldwide — including graduates of specialized universities. The purpose of the visit was to develop mutually beneficial cooperation.

Why should African students study ecology and petroleum engineering in Russian universities? Why do Chinese students come to Saint Petersburg to study economics? And most importantly, why does our country need this?

The admissions campaign to Russian universities has concluded. This year, Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University enrolled 2,355 new students. For the second year in a row, its applicants entered not bachelor’s programs, but programs of “Higher Engineering Education”, specifically designed to replace the now nearly abolished Bologna system.

In recent years, artificial intelligence has become a familiar phenomenon and has firmly entered everyday life. A bot can answer almost any question, explain a difficult topic, paint a portrait, create a music video, and even compose a song or a poem. Education has not remained untouched by this trend. In fact, neural networks first appeared in the mid-20th century and have been evolving for several decades.