Nguyen Thang

Most of the Antarctic field season is already behind them, yet even now it is clear that within the relatively short summer period, the researchers have managed to accomplish a great deal. On the eve of the expedition, the Rector of Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University and Scientific Supervisor of the university’s project “Comprehensive Geological and Geophysical Studies of the Deep Structure of East Antarctica” outlined for the team the key tasks to be addressed by Russian scientists:

After the extended New Year holidays, the first working week has finally commenced. Unlike the majority of Russians, the Polar Team of Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University resumed its duties in the very first days of January. The intensive schedule of tasks assigned to the scientists leaves little room for lengthy rest. This season marks the start of the practical implementation of the long-term research project “Comprehensive Geological and Geophysical Studies of the Deep Structure of East Antarctica,” supervised by the University’s Rector, Vladimir Litvinenko.

Participants in the international educational program “Management of Subsoil Use Facilities” at Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University completed a one-week off-site internship in the city of Almetyevsk (Republic of Tatarstan).

The 71st season of the Russian Antarctic Expedition (RAE) became a record in terms of the number of participants from the Polar Team of Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University. This is explained by the increased scope, nature, and level of the planned work. Nine people remained at Progress Station, while two headed to Vostok. Although the main tasks this year are associated with the Antarctic coastline, the importance of continuing research deep in the interior of the continent is beyond doubt.

Article 13 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation establishes a mandatory norm: no ideology may be instituted as state-sponsored or obligatory. The Constitution was adopted following a nationwide referendum in December 1993.

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.

Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University was visited on a working visit by a representative delegation from one of Jordan’s leading private universities—the Jadara University. The delegation that arrived in the city on the Neva included not only the senior management of the educational institution, but also its owner.

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.

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.

Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University continues to accelerate its scientific and educational cooperation with Africa. Alongside holding large-scale forums and summits, the creation of specialized consortia, and the signing of memoranda on cooperation, targeted promotion of Russian technical universities plays an important role in building a strong engineering corps for the continent.

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”.

In just a few weeks, in early December, the polar team of Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University will depart for the Sixth Continent. The route is traditional. A flight from St. Petersburg to Cape Town, then a passage aboard the research expedition vessel “Akademik Fedorov” from Cape Town to Progress Station. Forpost spoke with the head of the university’s field team, Alexey Bolshunov, about the tasks facing the party this season and what fundamentally distinguishes it from previous years.

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.