Moscow – The Patrice Lumumba Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), with the support of Rosatom State Corporation, hosted the 6th International Youth Forum “Russia–Africa: Nuclear Education as a Catalyst for the Region’s Development.”
The forum on 27 May 2026 brought together more than 350 participants from 32 African countries, including South Africa, Ghana, Egypt, Mali, Rwanda, and Namibia.
The event was held in a hybrid format, both in person and online.
Key discussion topics included energy, medicine, environmental protection, agronomy, geology, and other applications of nuclear technologies.
Presentations covered both energy and non-energy applications in areas such as nuclear medicine, geology and mining, radiation safety, environmental protection, and agricultural technologies.
“Africa is a priority region for Rosatom’s international cooperation,” stated Vera Upirova, representative of Rosatom’s Project Office for Education Development and International Cooperation.
“Today, more than 2 400 students from 65 countries are pursuing higher education in Russia in nuclear and related fields.
“Over 400 of them come from 24 African countries.”
Upirova said Rosatom places particular emphasis on capacity building and the transfer of engineering education to partner countries’ universities to ensure their technological and workforce independence.
“More than 300 professionals have already graduated from Russian universities and are now working in the nuclear sector in Egypt, Ghana, Rwanda, Nigeria, and other countries,” Upirova said.
“Cooperation is also developing with Tanzania, Namibia, and South Africa.
“Plans include opening branches of Russian universities in Egypt.
“Forums like this help identify new areas of collaboration and new formats of engagement between Russia and African countries.”
Russia and South Africa are consistently expanding their cooperation in the field of peaceful nuclear energy.
The partnership covers personnel training, professional development of specialists, and joint educational programs.
Students from South Africa, home to the only operating nuclear power plant (NPP) on the African continent – the Koeberg NPP, are studying nuclear specialties at Russian universities.
Building on its many years of operational experience, South Africa continues to develop its nuclear infrastructure in cooperation with Rosatom.
This partnership lays the foundation for strengthening energy security and technological development in South Africa.
The country’s nuclear technology development is also supported by the international student championship Global HackAtom (where participants solve real engineering challenges), the annual video contest “Atoms Empowering Africa” for African youth, and the participation of South African schoolchildren in the “Icebreaker of Knowledge”.
“Every fourth person on the planet is African. It is a young and rapidly developing continent,” noted Ghana’s Ambassador to the Russian Federation, Dr. Koma Steem Jehu Appiah
“Thanks to Rosatom and Russian universities, Africans are advancing nuclear energy, nuclear medicine, and environmental sustainability in our countries.
“This contributes to energy independence.”
Dr. Appiah said the students currently studying at Russian universities will be the ones shaping the future.
“It is important to expand joint research, academic exchange programs, and the transfer of Russian technologies,” the Ghana ambassador stated.
“If education is a passport to the future, then nuclear education is a gateway to prosperity.”
