RUDN regional cluster in Zambia complex development
Copperbelt University hosted a number of meetings and round tables on joint projects promotion. The two universities already have a cooperation agreement, and during the meeting RUDN Engineering Academy and Copperbelt Engineering faculty signed a program of joint events, e.g. training students, academic mobility programs and joint research. In particular, the parties discussed a Master’s program «Technology of Thematic processing of Satellite Remote Sensing Data for Industries, Agriculture and Efficient Nature Management» that will train specialists for Earth Remote Sensing National Center in Lusaka starting from February 2018.
Major companies-employers of Zambia – TAZARA and Zambian Railways – got interested in RUDN cluster because they need highly qualified staff. A number of Russian technical universities are planning to join the project.
Representatives of the RF Embassy in Zambia, Rossotrudnichestvo and the Ministry of higher education of Zambia held negotiations on further cluster development. Industrial development is priority area and the state supports all related initiatives.
On the agenda was also the role of the Russian language in Zambia. Due to the growing number of Russia-Zambian projects the country will need more Russian-speaking specialists. RUDN is planning to open the Russian language Center and specialized classes at Copperbelt University.
Other large Zambian companies (Toyota Zambia, ZESCO and Kafue Steel Plant) also expressed interest in the cluster and RUDN International Employers’ Club and are ready to employ graduates and take students for internships and practice.
RUDN students of economics returned from Zambia not only overwhelmed with emotions, ideas and impressions, but also brought something valuable — an ethnic book that added a new language to the Russian State Library — the Bemba language! Thanks to the book, the total number of languages in the RSL has increased to 269.
In August, RUDN University and Rosatom held the first Meeting of Alumni of Russian and Soviet universities “Contribution of graduates to the development of the region” in Myanmar. 60 participants from Russia, Myanmar and Bangladesh shared their experience in the fields of nuclear technology, energy and information technology. The meeting took place at the Atomic Technology Information Center.
Feed a giraffe, see a hippopotamus, take a photo with lions and plunge into the world of economics — this is the to-do list of RUDN University economics students who spent two weeks at a summer school in Zambia. Together with colleagues from the Zambian university, students studied, created and defended projects, also travelling.