Visit to the Oran Graduate School of Economics (ESE Oran), Algeria
At the height of the tangerine season in Russia, Oleg Korneev, Academic Supervisor of the BA programme “International Relations and Global Studies” (IRGS) visited Oran (Algeria). The province of Oran is the birthplace and the veritable capital of clementines, which makes visiting it in winter especially symbolic. But Oran is known not only for its sweet sunny citrus fruits, rai music, urban legends from the times of the plague, inimitable architectural blends and unique seaside atmosphere that inspired works of Albert Camus and creations of Yves Saint Laurent. This second-largest city in Algeria is also an authoritative business and cultural centre, and a major pole of research and higher education in the country.
In December, Oleg Korneev took part in the international conference “Sécurité énergétique, transition énergétique: enjeux et défis” (“Energy Security, Energy Transition: Issues and Challenges”) organised by the Oran Graduate School of Economics (Ecole Superieure d’Economie, ESE Oran) together with key governmental and industrial partners. The ESE Oran, a typical example of the prestigious French-style Grandes Ecoles, is one of the leading Algerian centres for research and higher education in the field of economics, including economics of energy, environment and sustainable development. Its three-day conference brought together a host of energy and climate experts, as well as scholars from adjacent fields of economics, public policy and international relations, and practitioners representing key stakeholders, including three former Algerian ministers with relevant portfolios.
Oleg Korneev presented the paper entitled “L’impact des sanctions unilatérales sur la transition énergétique: vue de la Russie” (“The Impact of Unilateral Sanctions on Energy Transition: a View from Russia”) co-authored with Elizaveta Smolovik and Fyodor Alekseev. This presentation largely drew on research produced by the Laboratory for Economics of Climate Change (HSE University) and its recent report “Towards Global Green Leadership: Priorities for BRICS Cooperation on Climate Change”. The presentation generated considerable interest from the audience as evidenced by various questions addressed to Oleg Korneev during the subsequent panel discussion as well as during further informal interactions with conference participants.
In addition to participating in this impressive and intellectually stimulating conference, Oleg Korneev dedicated his time in Oran to discussions with various representatives of ESE Oran to explore opportunities for cooperation in both research and higher education. He gave a detailed presentation of HSE University and the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs (WEIA) at an official meeting with ESE Oran faculty represented by ESE Director Professor Khalissa Semaoune, ESE Deputy Director for Research Zohra Sabrina Delhoum, ESE Deputy Director for External Relations Omar Tcham and the conference’s main coordinator Professor Benabbou Senouci. The participants of the meeting expressed their sincere interest in developing cooperation with the Laboratory for Economics of Climate Change, the Centre for African Studies, other research units and educational programmes of the Faculty of WEIA.
We hope that these first frank and nuanced exchanges with new Algerian partners will help us establish various formats of educational cooperation with a view to strengthen both region-focused and issue-focused expertise of IRGS students and academic staff. This may provide particularly attractive opportunities for those studying French and/or Arabic. This would also benefit ESE students who confirmed their interest in academic mobility to HSE University during the public lecture delivered by Oleg Korneev at the end of his stay in Oran.
