On March 15, 2022, Tomsk Polytechnic University hosted a ROSATOM Career Day for international students. It gathered more than 150 students from ROSATOM partner universities from Egypt, Ghana, Bolivia, Rwanda, Nigeria and Kazakhstan. On the online platform, they were able to communicate with representatives of 12 foreign companies, national nuclear agencies and ROSATOM enterprises, meet alumni of the Russian universities who already work in the nuclear industry.
“Tomsk Polytechnic University is a recognized international center for nuclear education. Our international students are training to work at nuclear facilities in their countries and study nuclear medicine. Moreover, only in Tomsk, at the TPU research reactor, foreign citizens can be trained. Since 2015, we have been teaching students from Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria, India, China, Tanzania, Brazil, Zambia, Iran and Vietnam. In 2019, TPU became the first and only Russian university that, with the support of ROSATOM, signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission. In addition, TPU is implementing a large-scale project to train the personnel of the Center for Nuclear Research and Technology in Bolivia. Also, an agreement on the implementation of joint academic programs has been in force between the university and the Supreme Council of Universities of Egypt since 2018,” said Acting Rector of TPU Dmitry Sednev.
The Bolivian Ambassador to the Russian Federation Ms. María Luisa Ramos Urzagaste and the Director General for Atomic Energy of the Ministry of Hydrocarbons and Energy Mr. Ronald Veizaga told the students about the development of nuclear technologies and the need for personnel. “A few years ago, Bolivia entered the era of the nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, primarily in the field of healthcare. And this became possible due to the cooperation between Bolivia and Russia. Today, with the support of ROSATOM, a Nuclear Research and Technology Center is being built in Bolivia, the first successful tests of a radiopharmaceutical cyclotron complex have been conducted, construction of the first research nuclear reactor in the country at an altitude of 4,000 meters above the sea level began in July 2021, and a multi-purpose irradiation center will begin operating very soon. And an important factor for the implementation of all these projects is the training of Bolivian specialists with high qualifications in the field of nuclear technology. Russia is a country with great opportunities in this area, a huge experience. Therefore, we hope that our students will be able to study in Russia and implement all these and other projects,” María Luisa Ramos Urzagaste said.
“Russian universities train highly qualified specialists in the field of nuclear energy, who, using their experience and knowledge, organize a constant exchange of experience, research conferences between our countries. Russian universities are open to students from Egypt. They allow our students to interact with the Russian scientific base and specialists, effectively acquire and develop skills and learn to apply them in practice. I hope for further expansion of cooperation between Russia and Egypt in the field of peaceful atom,” said Mohamed Elsergani, Cultural Attache, Director of the Cultural Bureau of the Embassy of Egypt in Russia.
A separate online platform was prepared for students from each country participating in the Career Day, where they could ask all their questions about employment opportunities, personnel needs, and meet with representatives of companies and enterprises.
“We can’t help but think about where our graduates will be employed after graduation. That is why we hold such career events in order to inform students about the development of nuclear projects, nuclear infrastructure in their countries and introduce them to potential employers. It is you, the students, who represent a valuable human potential, since you are familiar not only with Russian nuclear technologies, but also with the Russian culture and the Russian language. And this contributes to strengthening mutual understanding between our countries,” said Vera Upirova, Senior Manager of the international cooperation project in the field of nuclear education at ROSATOM.
