Meeting of BRICS NU International Thematic Group on Energy was held during the Third Annual BRICS Network University Conference in Stellenbosch, South Africa. The meeting was chaired by Mr. Jan Van Ravenswaay, North West University. 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

  • National University of Science and Technology“ MISIS”, Russia

  • North-West University, South Africa

  • University of Limpopo, South Africa

  1. Guest presenters from the South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI) and the South African Department of Science and Technology (DST) provided an overview of the South African
    energy landscape.The main topic of break-out session was “Energy for development”. Presentations from Russian and South African universities were discussed. During ITG business meeting several topics of BRICS NU development were discussed based on previous online meetings, supplemented and approved:

    2. Aims of BRICS NU development

    • academic exchange between partner universities including both student and staff mobility;

    • joint educational programs (delivered in English) with 2 diplomas or diploma + certificate;

    • development of joint research projects (or joint application for appropriate grants) and joint publications;

    • double supervising of PhD-students in the framework of joint research and development of joint PhD programs.

    Support grants for exchange programs within network university

    • grant for student’s outbound mobility (covering travel expenses and living expenses)

    • grant for student’s inbound mobility (covering tuition and accommodation fee)

    • staff mobility grants for establishing personal contacts between partner universities.

    Milestones for 2018-2019

    • Summer/winter school to unite students from partner universities

    • start of Master program (in English) in any partner university which could be used for student’s exchange

    • granting financial support for inbound/outbound students of BRUCS NU

    • arrival / departure of exchange students (exchange with partner universities)

    • granting financial support for staff exchange

    • arrival / departure of staff (exchanging with partner universities)


      • Measurable results of these milestones

      • number of Master programs

      • number of exchange grants allocated

      • number of exchange students/staff from partner universities arrived in each university

  2. New roadmap for 2018-2019 was approved by ITG meeting.
  3. Within this roadmap Peoples Friendship University of Russia suggested to organize joint Master program including as many partner universities of ITG Energy as possible. Draft name is “Sustainable Energy”. Joint program allows students from partner universities to spent semester or two in host university while these study results will be accepted by home university. Partner universities may exchange teaching staff within this program for capacity building and enhancing opportunities for research cooperation. Summer school may be a part of joint curriculum.
  4. Peoples Friendship University of Russia will prepare draft agreement till the end of July 2018 and spread it among partner universities via ITG Energy coordinators. After scrutinizing this draft agreement it will be discussed in September at quarterly online meeting of ITG Energy. Our aim is to sign this agreement in October 2018.
  5. Signed agreement will be used for quota application in order to get government support of student’s exchange. Nevertheless the agreement should contain the full list of possible sources of financing including government support, university grants, student’s payment of tuition fee and employer grants.

Download Protocol of online meeting