On Thursday, 30th and Friday, 31st October 2025, the All-Africa Students Union (AASU) participated in the Russia–Africa Raw Materials Dialogue, held at the Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University, St. Petersburg, Russia, under the theme “Development Path: Raw Materials and Personnel as the Foundation of Economic Sovereignty.”
AASU was represented by Divine Edem Kwadzodeh, Policy Advisor on Education Policy and Advocacy; Valentine Mugun Chepkoech, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement in East Africa; and Kingsley Kofi Yeboah, Programmes Officer – Migration and Mobility.
As part of the Dialogue, AASU actively contributed to two high-level roundtables focused on education, human capital, and the future of technical professions.
On Roundtable IV, themed “Training the Next Generation of Engineers: Views of Students from Russia and Africa,” Ms Valentine Mugun Chepkoech co-moderated the session alongside Mr M.V. Soldatchenko of the UNESCO International Competence Centre for Mining Engineering Education. The discussion brought together students, policymakers, and university leaders to exchange insights on engineering education, inclusion, and cross-continental cooperation.
Kingsley Kofi Yeboah delivered an insightful presentation on “Mobility, Mentorship, and Talent Pipelines: Building Pathways for African Students in Engineering,” during which he highlighted practical strategies for strengthening student exchanges and capacity-building between Africa and Russia. The session was concluded by Divine Edem Kwadzodeh, who delivered the closing synthesis and remarks, summarising the key insights from speakers and proposing practical steps for deepening collaboration in student participation, academic standards, and mutual recognition frameworks.
On Roundtable V, titled “Shaping the Future of the Mining Industry: Relevant Competencies and a New Standard,” Divine Edem Kwadzodeh once again represented AASU, joining an esteemed panel of experts and university leaders from across Africa and Russia and delivering a presentation on “Building Africa’s Engineering Future: Aligning Skills, Standards, and Youth Competence for Global Recognition,” where he outlined a seven-point framework for competence, continental standards, ethical engineering practice, and youth leadership in Africa’s industrial transformation.
A major highlight of AASU’s participation was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the All-Africa Students Union and the Consortium of Russian Universities “NEDRA”, aimed at facilitating student mobility, academic exchanges, and joint research initiatives between African and Russian institutions.
The Dialogue provided a valuable platform for strengthening collaboration between African and Russian institutions and for advancing shared priorities in education, skills development, and research. AASU looks forward to continued engagement with partners who share this vision of empowering young people through knowledge and cooperation.
