2018 Fall online meeting of BRICS NU International Thematic Group on Energy was held on Skype platform on November 14, 2018. The meeting was arranged by National Research University “Moscow Power Engineering Institute”, Russia. The meeting was chaired by Prof. Igor. Zhelbakov. The following universities took part in the ITG Energy meeting by their representatives:
- National Research University “Moscow Power Engineering Institute”, Russia
- Peoples Friendship University of Russia, Ecological Faculty, Russia
- North-West University, South Africa
- Banaras Hindu University Varanasi, India
- Hohai University, China
- North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, China
- Chair of the meeting Prof. Igor. Zhelbakov remind the audience about the 3rd Conference of BRICS Network University (July 5-7, 2018 at Stellenbosch, South Africa) and the ITG Energy onsite meeting. At this meeting Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia suggested to organize joint Master program on Sustainable Energy including as many partner universities of ITG Energy as possible. The draft version of this agreement was sent to all partner universities in July 2018 for their consideration.
- Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia presented a new updated version of the agreement on Joint Masters Training Program “Green Energy for Regions Sustainable Development”. The agreement describes technology of the joint training program which allows to arrange academic mobility between any two partner universities. At that, the agreement could be signed by all ITG Energy partner universities, while specific joint educational plan for each two universities could be affirmed in separate protocol to this agreement.
- The proposed agreement recognized as promising and noteworthy. The signed agreement can help partner universities to get funding from national educational authorities as a part of BRICS Network University support.
- Nevertheless, the agreement should be further discussed in details by all members of ITG Energy. MPEI will send new version of the agreement to all partner universities and collect all remarks and suggestions. Then PFUR and MPEI will prepare updated version and spread it once again.
- One of the problems when developing joint training program is different training periods within academic year in BRICS countries (semester may start in July, in September, in January or in February). This should be taken into account in the agreement. One of the solutions is to arrange academic mobility for the full academic year, not semester.
- Some partner universities of ITG Energy are interested in joint educational programs of the third level of tertiary higher education (PhD programs). It could be easier to arrange academic mobility at this level on some extent. Peoples Friendship University of Russia proposes to consider a new draft agreement on implementation of joint PhD program “Green Infrastructure and Sustainable Development”. This joint PhD program should be considered independently of the joint Master program mentioned above. The draft agreement will be sent to all partner universities shortly.
- Besides joint educational programs partner universities of ITG Energy are interested in development of research internship programs and in staff exchange programs. All members will do their best to find appropriate funding for such activities in their countries.
Download Protocol of online meeting