SPbPU presents RAFU coordination results at the meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission on Africa

An extended meeting of the Interdepartmental Working Group on Cooperation with African Countries was held at the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, chaired by Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education Konstantin Mogilevsky. The members of the working group summarised the results of the first half of 2026 and discussed preparations for the third Russia–Africa Summit, which will take place in October 2026 in Moscow.

The first speaker was Dmitry Arsenyev, Vice-Rector for International Affairs of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, who presented a report on the activities of the Russian-African Network University (RAFU) Consortium. Konstantin Mogilevsky highly appreciated the consortiumʼs development dynamics during SPbPUʼs coordination period: «Over three years, the consortium has transformed beyond recognition. We sincerely hope that the Polytechnic team, led by Rector Andrey Rudskoy, will continue to actively participate in African projects and will not lose touch with this direction.»

In his speech, Dmitry Arsenyev noted that today the RAFU consortium includes more than 70 African universities from 17 countries, as well as over 100 Russian universities and research centres. The geography of participants is constantly expanding.

Special attention was paid to the 5th Summer Multidisciplinary University (LMU) 2026. This year, new requirements apply to the LMU: participants come from African countries. Ten focus countries have been identified — Algeria, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Egypt, Morocco, Namibia, Niger, Tanzania, CAR, and South Africa. Russian RAFU universities have developed 19 short-term educational programmes in four main areas: engineering and energy, medicine, agriculture, and sustainable development.

Dmitry Arsenyev also reported on the second key RAFU project — the modernisation of higher education in the Republic of Mali. Following the instruction of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science and at the request of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of the Republic of Mali, 10 Russian RAFU universities are assisting in the implementation of two priority projects for Mali: the establishment of the Bandiagara Polytechnic University and the development of the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence. In 2026, Mali will receive 7 targeted professional development programmes and a professional retraining programme in robotics and AI.

Other meeting participants, many of whom are also RAFU members, presented their experience of cooperation with African countries in education. Vera Zabotkina, Vice-Rector of RSUH, spoke about the continuation of archival and documentary exhibitions dedicated to the role of the USSR in liberating Africa from colonialism — exhibitions were held in Cape Town and Tanzania, and an exhibition opens in July at UNISA University (South Africa). Natalia Karpovskaya, Vice-Rector of Southern Federal University, reported on the creation of a research and education centre in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), which is expected to become a branch of SFU — the opening of the preparatory faculty is scheduled for 1st November. Natalya Murina, a representative of the Russian Biotechnology University, shared her experience in developing practice-oriented continuing education programmes in food processing together with industrial partners interested in the African market. Maria Rekets, Vice-Rector for International Affairs of RUDN University, shared her experience in promoting the Russian language on the African continent. Heads of Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology, Sergo Ordzhonikidze State University of Geological Prospecting, FRC IBSS, the Institute for African Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and others also presented their scientific projects.

Summing up the meeting, Konstantin Mogilevsky noted: «Our common goal is to build, on the basis of already established successful practices, a coherent system of cooperation with Africa that would serve Russiaʼs long-term interests. The key elements of this system will be the training of national personnel, the development of a network of Russian language centres, and the opening of preparatory faculties — these will create the foundation for future scientific and educational projects.»

All proposals from the participants will be collected and analysed for further discussion at the Russia–Africa Summit in October 2026 in Moscow.