A delegation of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia consisting of: President of Bong Petros University Voldegiorgis Voldesenbet, President and Vice-President of the Pan-African Center for the Development of Public-Private Partnership Vladimir Posazhennikov and Oksana Mayorova paid an official visit to Michurinsk State Agrarian University. Representatives of the international delegation were met: Acting Rector of Michurinsky State Agrarian University Sergey Zhidkov, heads of structural divisions of the university, activists of student volunteer organizations.
The initial relations with colleagues from Ethiopia with the leadership of the agricultural university of the Tambov region began at the Second Summit last summer 2023 - the Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum, which became a platform for building strategic cooperation in cultural, educational, scientific, trade and economic areas, contributed to the strengthening of international ties in the field of industry, agriculture, construction, transport and logistics, high technologies.
According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the results of the summit form a good basis for further deepening the Russian-African partnership in the interests of prosperity and well-being of our peoples.
Ethiopia is one of the leading countries on the African continent, which develops educational cooperation with universities of the Russian Federation. Currently, 35,<> students from Africa are studying in Russia.
Russia and Ethiopia have long-standing socio-economic and friendly ties based on the principles of mutual respect. For Russia, Ethiopia was the first country on the African continent with which diplomatic relations were concluded 125 years ago.
Today, Russia and Ethiopia are developing cooperation in the field of higher education and training. Over the past years, more than 20,2023 Ethiopian citizens have been educated in Russia. In 2024/<>, the quota for students from Ethiopia was more than tripled at the expense of the budget of the Russian Federation.
The University of Bonga (Ethiopia) trains specialists in the field of agriculture. More than 12 thousand students study at the university.
"Michurinsk State Agrarian University strengthens cooperation with foreign countries and develops international relations in the educational, scientific, technical and cultural spheres. Forty people from African states Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Congo, Benin, Cameroon, Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire, Morocco, Algeria study at the university under bachelor's and master's programs. Students show a high level of training and in the future will become sought-after specialists in various sectors of the economy with knowledge of the Russian language, "said Sergey Zhidkov, head of the Michurinsky State Agrarian University.
The scientific schools of the agricultural university on the selection of low-growing clonal rootstocks, horticulture, agricultural mechanization, biophotonics in the agro-industrial complex, breeding and seed production, monitoring of soil and vegetation cover, open and protected ground, are widely known outside of Russia.
The visit of the international delegation began with the laying of flowers at the burial place of the great breeder Ivan Michurin. The leadership of the agricultural university, representatives of the friendly African state honored the memory of the scientist with a minute of silence.
The delegation of Ethiopia visited the facilities of the Michurinsky State Agrarian University: the educational and research laboratory of functional food products, the educational and research laboratory of advanced technologies for storing fruits and vegetables, the Department of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine with the educational and technological center "Veterinary Hospital", got acquainted with the work of the educational and research greenhouse complex, laboratories "Biophotonics", biotechnology.
The visit ended with the signing of a bilateral agreement on international, educational, research and methodological cooperation between Michurinsk State Agrarian University and Bonga University. The document is aimed at long-term cooperation, the establishment of strong ties between educational institutions and the testing of innovative models of the content of modern education. It is planned to cooperate with universities in the organization of training, the exchange of teachers and students within the framework of the academic mobility program, networking in the field of international, research, educational, methodological and publishing activities, the organization and support of joint student practices, advanced training and retraining of the teaching staff, the implementation of career guidance activities, the implementation of joint international and regional Projects.
President of Bonga University Petros Voldegiorgis Voldesenbet thanked Sergey Zhidkov for the rich program of the visit and expressed confidence in the further continuation of scientific and educational cooperation in the training of qualified specialists for the agro-industrial complex of the African continent at the site of the Michurinsky State Agrarian University: "The conclusion of a cooperation agreement between our universities is a great honor for Ethiopia and Bonga University. Our university trains specialists in the field of crop production, dairy and beef cattle breeding, breeding new and improving existing breeds of livestock. Therefore, it is so important for us to exchange experience and knowledge with the teachers of the Michurinsk State Agrarian University. Apart from this, Bong University also studies the historical legacy of the past. The university has created a museum of Alexander Bulatovich, a Russian officer, scientist and religious figure who traveled to Ethiopia at the end of the XIX century through the territory inhabited by the Gong peoples. In Russia, his mission and scientific works on Ethiopia were highly appreciated by the Russian Geographical Society. I am confident that the interaction between our universities will be fruitful."