Nguyen Thang

Educational and scientific ties of the oldest technical university in Russia with universities, government authorities, and industrial circles of the African continent, as a rule, lead to joint projects in business. An example of this is the agreement to create a joint venture for the extraction of mineral resources, IMMA (Infinity Morion Mountainous Area), between the Morion Group of Companies and the Egyptian company Infinity Magic Group Integrated Solutions.

The Russia-Africa Raw Materials Dialogue has concluded at Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University. For two days, experts from 32 countries discussed the development of economies on the African continent and, crucially, Russia’s role in this process. The concluding part of the forum consisted of round tables on the topics of the future of the global mining industry, modern technologies for the development and extraction of raw materials, new joint projects, and the training of a new generation of engineers.

In the Congress Hall of Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University, an agreement was signed between the International Competence Center for Mining Engineering Education under the auspices of UNESCO and the Association of African Universities. This event, along with the address by the university’s rector, Professor Vladimir Litvinenko, became one of the central events of the Russia–Africa Raw Materials Dialogue.

In the Congress Hall of Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University, the Russia–Africa Raw Materials Dialogue “The Path of Development: Mineral Resources and Personnel as the Foundation of Economic Sovereignty” has begun its work. Its mission is expressed by the key thesis of the anti-colonial declaration adopted 65 years ago by the UN General Assembly at the initiative of our country: “peoples may, for their own ends, freely dispose of their natural wealth and resources.”

Discussion among representatives of government, business, universities, and scientific and public organizations on ways to intensify scientific and economic cooperation in the efficient use of the resources of Africa and Russia will take place at Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University from October 29 to November 1, 2025.

The student team of Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University won the “Best Well Management” category at the PetroCup International Student Oil and Gas Olympiad (Northern Eurasia League). In the overall standings, the university placed second. The top three also included ITMO University and Saint Petersburg State University.

”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.

A delegation from the Islamic World Science and Technology Citation and Monitoring Institute (ISC), headed by its President, Professor Mohammad Mehdi Alavianmehr, paid a working visit to Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University. The delegation brought a package of proposals to expand cooperation that began with the signing of a memorandum of understanding in July of last year.

A delegation of rectors from Cuba’s universities of Moa, Las Tunas, Oriente, and Holguín (named after Oscar Lucero Moya) paid a working visit to Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University. These four universities have well-developed engineering programs, and their rectors traveled 9,000 kilometers to begin the process of modernizing engineering education in the Island of Freedom based on the model of Russia’s oldest technical university.

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?