OREANDA-NEWS. May 24, 2007.  TNK-BP is to launch a Master’s program in Tyumen in the field of oil geosciences. The program will established at the Tyumen State Oil and Gas University (TSOGU), it was announced by TNK-BP Chief Operating Officer Tim Summers during a lecture to teachers and students at the university.

Due to become available in September, it is scheduled to last 12 months and will be conducted in partnership with the internationally renowned University of London. The language of instruction will be English. Every year the 20 best students from TSOGU will study on the program. To finance their student grants TNK-BP will provide a permanent sum of $600,000 per year.

“A series of one-off $2.5m investments are also planned to train teachers and modernize the study facilities at TSOGU," Tim Summers added. “This Master’s degree will help train young specialists skilled in the field of geosciences to a global standard.” He also noted that skills learnt at university did not always conform to the practical skills required of future specialists by employers. For this reason, TNK-BP employees are hand-picked and reared while still at university.

According to data, the company has strategic partner relations with 10 oil and gas institutes in Tyumen, Tomsk, Ufa, Moscow and other regions.