Polytech and Madagascar Forge Ties in Science and Education
Cooperation covers energy, ecology and water supply
Rector Dmitry Bykov and First Vice-Rector – Vice-Rector for Human Capacity Development and Educational Work Evgeny Frank are currently on an official visit to Madagascar. The working trip was initiated by the African side. Representatives of Polytech’s administration have already held several important meetings with government officials and members of the scientific community of the island nation.
In the capital Antananarivo, they met with Madagascar’s Minister of Education and Scientific Research, Ravonimantsoa Ndaohiali Manda-Vi, and exchanged views on the prospects of cooperation between Samara and Madagascar in engineering projects and the promotion of secondary and higher education programmes. According to the minister, these programmes could open new opportunities for Malagasy schoolchildren and students.
“Russia is among the most developed countries in a number of fields, including energy, new technologies and agriculture. Therefore, exchanging experience will be very beneficial for Madagascar,” stressed Ravonimantsoa Ndaohiali Manda-Vi.
Dmitry Bykov and Manda-Vi noted that Malagasy students can already begin mastering technical specialties at Samara Polytech and then return to Madagascar to apply the knowledge gained for the benefit of their home country’s development. This primarily concerns sectors such as energy, ecology and water supply.
“Given the strategic relations between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Madagascar, Samara Polytech is ready to develop projects aimed at strengthening the human resource capacity of Malagasy industries, as well as to promote Russian language and culture in Malagasy universities and schools,” said Dmitry Bykov.
Polytech representatives also discussed joint educational projects with the Director of the Higher Polytechnic School of Antananarivo, Professor Mamy Alain Rakotomalala.
During a meeting with the Secretary General of Madagascar’s Ministry of Water Resources, Ramanarivo Nary Sulufuniaina, a bilateral project to build a waste processing plant was discussed. The project is intended to improve the ecology of the African state and support the sustainable development of Madagascar. The talks between the Polytech delegation and ministry representatives also touched upon the island’s problems related to the resource crisis in a number of regions, the potential development of innovative projects in water supply, waste processing and the development of alternative energy sources.
Photo by African Initiative
Tags: Rector, International Cooperation, Science, Samara Polytech, Engineering, Education, Foreign Partners, Decade of Science and Technology
