PetrSU at the International Online Conference Between Russia and Tanzania
The conference, entitled "Sustainable Forest Management: The Role of Competence Centers in Forest Science and Education in Russia and Tanzania," was organized by the Kirov St. Petersburg State Forest Engineering University in collaboration with the Peter the Great Botanical Garden Development Charitable Foundation. More than 100 specialists, researchers, graduate students, and undergraduates from both countries participated in the dialogue.
The central topic of the discussion was the implementation of the strategy for developing bilateral competence centers in forestry science and education, which were established in May 2025 at the Forestry University in St. Petersburg and the Tanzania Forestry Research Institute (TAFORI). Participants discussed in detail the key areas of their work and promising areas for joint research.
The official session was opened by Nizami Adilkhanovich Mamishev, Deputy Chairman of the St. Petersburg Committee for External Relations. Maxim Nikolaevich Zalyvsky delivered a welcoming address on behalf of the Russian-African Network University.
Strategic priorities for cooperation were outlined by Svetlana Viktorovna Tereshchenko, Director of the International Center for Business and Education at the Forestry University. In her presentation, she focused on four fundamental areas: educational programs, academic mobility, scientific research, and the commercialization of its results.
A keynote address by Alexey Rogozin, Head of the Department of International Projects and Programs at Petrozavodsk State University (PetrSU), was a keynote speech at the conference. He presented the concept of a comprehensive online platform designed to become the cornerstone of Russian-Tanzanian cooperation. "Creating a Digital Alliance: A Comprehensive Online Platform for Innovation in Sustainable Forest Management and Capacity Building in Russia and Tanzania" is an initiative aimed at bringing together the two countries' expert communities in a virtual space for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and educational programs.
In her presentation, Tanzania's representative, Siima Salome Samson Bakengeza, Director of the Forestry Department, emphasized the relationship between ecotourism development and effective forest management.
A roadmap for future partnership was developed through a series of expert presentations:
Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Kapitsa highlighted the ecological role of large woody debris in tropical forests.
Jared Elly Otieno shared Tanzania's national experience in sustainable forest management.
Alexander Sergeevich Alekseev demonstrated the revolutionary potential of unmanned aerial vehicles in forestry.
Grayson Zabron Nyamoga spoke about the contribution of universities to the development of tourism and nature conservation.
Dmitry Aleksandrovich Danilov outlined promising niches for scientific research in soil science.
Celestino Peter Balama emphasized the importance of incorporating market demands into educational programs and attracting investment in the forest processing industry.
The conference successfully laid the foundation for the development of a unified strategy for the development of Russian-Tanzanian centers of excellence, opening a new chapter in scientific and educational cooperation between the two countries.
The project was implemented with a grant from the President of the Russian Federation.
