OREANDA-NEWS. On October 18, 2007 TNK-BP, the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the MGIMO International Institute of Energy Policy and Diplomacy (MIEP) announced that they had signed an Agreement on Cooperation. TNK-BP Chief Operating Officer Tim Summers, MGIMO Provost Anatoly Torkunov, and MGIMO MIEP Director Valery Salygin signed the document, reported the press-centre of TNK-BP.

The agreement involves the realization of specialized long-term professional training programs for TNK-BP managers in the fields of strategic and financial management, international law, human resources management, and a number of other areas. According to the agreement, leading TNK-BP experts will also be involved in developing new educational programs, conducting specialized professional courses and master classes, and oversight of Bachelors, Masters and Second Higher Education thesis work for MGIMO students.  Furthermore, the document includes the possibility of conducting joint scientific studies on topical issues for the oil and gas industry and international energy cooperation.

“TNK-BP works closely with Russian higher educational institutions, and attaches great importance to helping enhance their potential.  This year alone, our investment in leading Russian educational institutions exceeds five million dollars,” stated TNK-BP Chief Operating Officer Tim Summers.  “I’m confident that our joint work with MGIMO will help create a new generation of world—class Russian specialists needed for the successful realization of major Russian and international oil and gas projects, thus improving the competitiveness of the Russian economy in the long-term.”

“The Agreement on Cooperation is not only a logical result of our interaction, it takes this interaction to a new stage and reflects the important processes evolving in this country and globally,” said Anatoly Torkunov, President of Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO). “Today, it is our common goal to create a world energy sector that would be a solid basis for ensuring global energy security. In this context it becomes particularly important that the education system provide highly trained experts in multinational operations specializing in oil and gas. Co-operation between MGIMO, MIEP and TNK-BP opens up great opportunities for working towards these objectives”.

“The Agreement on Cooperation is aimed at achieving key objectives both for the Russian education system and the oil and gas industry,” pointed out Valeriy Salygin, Director of the International Institute of Energy Policy and Diplomacy (MIEP) of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations. “I am convinced that jointly we will be able to achieve significant results in providing the sector with specialists who can work to resolve international energy security problems and strengthen international cooperation in the oil and gas sector”.