INRTU and Harbin Institute of Technology Sign Energy Cooperation Memorandum
INRTU hosted a delegation from Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) and the Department of Science and Technology of Heilongjiang Province, PRC. During the visit the parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding on energy cooperation. The document was signed by Ekaterina Samarkina, Director of INRTU School of Power Engineering, and Liu Guodong, Professor at HIT School of Energy Science and Engineering and Director of the Advanced Nuclear and New Energy Research Institute.
The Chinese delegation was led by Shi Zhaohui, Deputy Director of Heilongjiang Provincial Department of Science and Technology.
INRTU Rector Mikhail Korniakov welcomed the guests, highlighting that in 2024 INRTU joined the group of 38 Russian universities driving the nation’s technological leadership. The University implements strategic projects under the federal academic leadership Priority 2030 program, which supports the country’s top 100 higher education institutions.
The Rector emphasized that the meeting was taking place at the EuroSibEnergo-INRTU Corporate Research and Education Center:
"For 17 years INRTU and En+ have been implementing corporate educational programs designed to equip students with additional knowledge and skills, significantly reducing the adaptation period for young professionals in industrial settings.
Through this partnership, we have successfully launched the 'Energy Laboratory' program. Leaders of the energy holding's business units provide students with real-world case studies focused on solving scientific and innovative challenges."
Shi Zhaohui, Deputy Director of Heilongjiang Provincial Department of Science and Technology, praised the significant achievements of INRTU scientists in energy and other fields. He spoke positively about INRTU delegation's visit to HIT in June 2025, during which INRTU representatives participated in an international workshop on water resource management (Water Challenges Workshop), discussed prospects for scientific and academic exchange, and agreed to establish a joint master's program in power engineering at INRTU Baikal School of BRICS.
"During the Harbin meetings, INRTU representatives expressed strong interest in working together on water purification technologies," said Shi Zhaohui. "The Irkutsk university has achieved remarkable results in scientific research and China offers a vast market potential. This creates excellent conditions for productive cooperation between our institutions through joint efforts."
According to Stepan Bykov, Vice-Rector for International Affairs, INRTU and HIT currently collaborate on a joint Ecology degree program that is accepting applications at the moment.
"We have also established the International Research Center for Pure Water, which combines our competencies in water quality technologies and reducing anthropogenic environmental impact," noted the Vice-Rector.
This July INRTU will host a summer school for HIT undergraduates specializing in Ecology. All these initiatives receive significant support from our partner, the En+ energy holding."
During the meeting, Evgeny Fokin, Director of International Cooperation at En+, highlighted the company's global leadership in clean energy and low-carbon aluminum production (En+ accounts for 6% of the world's aluminum output).
"In aluminum production, we maintain active cooperation with Chinese partners. Our energy business is built on hydropower, including plants along the Angara River flowing from Lake Baikal, making the lake's preservation our top priority. While in Siberia’s harsh climate, thermal power generation and the coal industry remain essential, En+ is implementing the landmark Sino-Russian Zashulanskoye coal mine development project with China Energy."
We are actively involved in promoting eco-tourism around Lake Baikal and producing bottled water sourced from its pristine waters. We hope to see our water products widely available in China.
Last year a HIT delegation visited our Legend of Baikal water bottling plant, and the bachelor's students attending INRTU's summer school will also tour this facility."
Modern diversified business requires scientific foundations, which is why we value our comprehensive partnership with INRTU across all these projects," Evgeny Fokin concluded.
Ekaterina Samarkina guided the Chinese delegation on a tour of INRTU Corporate Research and Education Center and School of Power Engineering laboratories:
"The EuroSibEnergo-INRTU Research and Education Center boasts unique laboratories equipped with actual industrial-grade machinery identical to that used in production facilities."
Photos by Arseniy Chekmarev
