OREANDA-NEWS. On July 16, 2009 in Munich, the CEO of Russian Railways (RZD) Vladimir Yakunin and the Chairman of the Board of Deutsche Bahn Ruediger Grube signed a general agreement on the creation of an educational and research centre for international logistics and supply chain management, reported the press-centre of Russian Railways.

The agreement was signed in the presence of Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev and Germany’s Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel during the current round of high-level Russian-German inter-governmental consultations.

Under the terms of the agreement, the centre will be based in the Higher School of Management at St.Petersburg State University and the St.Petersburg State Railway University on the Russian side, and in the European School of Management on the German side.

"Russian Railways and Deutsche Bahn have been working together on staff training for several years now. But this is the first time the two companies have signed a document on developing a joint syllabus covering both training and skills enhancement. In addition to this, we will also be working together on scientific research projects, noted Vladimir Yakunin.
 
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In January 2009, the two sides signed a Framework Agreement on the creation of an international centre for logistics and supply chain management. They have now defined the legal and financial aspects of how the centre will function, and agreed an integrated syllabus and common work plan.

In the near future the two sides need to agree a mechanism for joint management of the centre, review candidates for top positions and agree a development framework.

The centre is to open its doors in the autumn of 2009.