The training of highly qualified specialists for the oil and gas industry is one of the main tasks on which the future development of Turkmenistan's national economy depends. The International University of Oil and Gas named after Yagshygeldi Kakaev (IUOG) is a center for training specialists for the fuel and energy complex, and its activities in preparing highly qualified personnel in the scientific and educational system have been awarded a gold medal, a badge, and a diploma from the SEIN Association's International Competition. In 2013, this higher education institution of our country was accepted into the International Association of Universities and awarded the "European Quality" International Prize by the Socrates Committee of the European Business Assembly (Oxford, UK). An interview with Bayrammyrat Atamanov, the rector of the International University of Oil and Gas named after Yagshygeldi Kakaev, about the diverse activities of this higher education institution, was published in the "Oil and Gas" newspaper.

— Bayrammyrat Yaylymovich, the esteemed President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, in defining the main directions of Turkmenistan's socio-economic development for the near future, particularly emphasized the importance of introducing innovations in all sectors of the country, the sources of which are science, education, and international cooperation. How are these tasks being addressed at your university?

— International cooperation is an integral part of the university's work in training highly qualified young specialists for the oil and gas industry and an important tool for ensuring the quality of education and its compliance with international standards. One of the bright examples is the memorandum of understanding signed in January 2023 between the International University of Oil and Gas named after Yagshygeldi Kakaev and the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) during the state visit of the President of Turkmenistan and government members to the People's Republic of China. In this context, it is also necessary to mention the joint project "Luban Workshop."

— Please tell us about the work on promoting this project at the International University of Oil and Gas named after Yagshygeldi Kakaev.

— In April 2023, our university held a working meeting on the establishment of the Luban Workshop, founded with the support of the Ministry of Education of the PRC and the Tianjin Institute of China, which currently operates in several countries. The working meeting was attended by the leadership of the International University of Oil and Gas named after Yagshygeldi Kakaev, representatives of the Turkmen branch of "Internasional LTD" of the China National Petroleum Corporation, as well as representatives of CNPC, Xi'an Petroleum University, and Hebei Petroleum Professional Technical University, who joined the meeting via video link. For over ten years, we have been cooperating in the field of education and scientific research with leading foreign universities, including higher education institutions in the Russian Federation, China, Uzbekistan, Germany, Austria, Romania, Belarus, the Republic of Korea, and Italy. Our cooperation is aimed at improving the qualifications of employees and developing new technological solutions for the country's fuel and energy complex.

— Bayrammyrat Yaylymovich, speaking at the International Forum on Attracting Foreign Investments in Turkmenistan's Oil and Gas Industry in Dubai, you touched upon the important issue of developing the potential of hydrogen energy. What work is being done in this direction at your university?

— Hydrogen energy is currently considered one of the world's important issues. It is seen as an alternative energy source for promoting the "green" economy, which, in turn, implies reducing the consumption of petroleum products. In the near future, it will create opportunities for the use of environmentally friendly production and transportation. To ensure the important work of creating hydrogen energy, developing international cooperation, and implementing the "Program for the Development of Turkmenistan's Energy Diplomacy for 2021-2025," approved by the esteemed President Serdar Berdimuhamedov in 2022, the main documents are the "Roadmap for the Development of International Cooperation of Turkmenistan in the Field of Hydrogen Energy" and the action plan for its implementation. I would like to remind you that over 68% of hydrogen is produced from natural gas, 16% from oil, 11% from coal, and 5% by electrolysis of water. Currently, about 75 million tons of hydrogen are produced worldwide. The method of obtaining hydrogen from natural gas is more preferable since its cost is five times cheaper than electrolysis. The main obstacle to the development of hydrogen transport is the lack of infrastructure for hydrogen. As is known, hydrogen is mainly used in oil refining and the chemical industry, primarily for the production of ammonia, methanol, and gasoline, such as at the gasoline production plant from natural gas, where our graduates work. To create and develop this sector in the country, the Center for Hydrogen Energy has been established at the International University of Oil and Gas named after Yagshygeldi Kakaev, aimed at training highly qualified specialists and establishing international scientific cooperation in the field of hydrogen energy, conducting scientific research, and implementing innovative scientific and educational programs into production. Currently, the center has begun research on obtaining hydrogen from water by electrolysis. The research conducted has confirmed the purity of the obtained hydrogen. In the future, research on obtaining hydrogen from natural gas (methane) is planned here. It is also planned to create a laboratory equipped with modern equipment for obtaining hydrogen from natural gas by methane conversion. At present, we are negotiating with the Earth Science and Engineering Center of Imperial College London to establish international scientific cooperation in the field of hydrogen energy. With the assistance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, video meetings were held for the staff of the Center for Hydrogen Energy, university lecturers, and students. To familiarize themselves with global trends in hydrogen energy development and study its scientific and technical directions, the OSCE Center in Ashgabat organized a training seminar on "Opportunities for the Development of Hydrogen Energy." To discuss the possibilities of bilateral cooperation, the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry of Japan held a working meeting to study the Japanese experience in the field of hydrogen energy. The meeting on the topic "Studying the Experience of Hydrogen Energy Production and Discussing Cooperation Opportunities" with the Japanese company "Kawasaki Heavy Ind." was interesting and informative. A video seminar on the topic "Studying the Experience of Hydrogen Energy Production and Discussing Cooperation Opportunities" was also held with the "Iwatani" corporation. A technical seminar on developing a roadmap for expanding atomic hydrogen production, organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), sparked great interest among the teachers and students of our university. Working meetings were also held with representatives of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the UK Energy Industries Council, and other British companies to discuss cooperation opportunities in the field of hydrogen energy.

— What work is the university doing in the relevant directions?

— This year, the International University of Oil and Gas named after Yagshygeldi Kakaev organized and held the international scientific and practical conference "Scientific and Technical Opportunities for Hydrogen Energy Production from Natural Gas," which was attended by experts, scientists, and leading specialists from Turkmen and foreign universities, research centers, foreign companies, and international agencies. Currently, based on the experience of foreign companies, the Center for Hydrogen Energy has developed a short-term training program for teachers and specialists of the oil and gas complex, which was approved by the state concerns "Turkmengas" and "Turkmennebit." The center's work is regularly covered in the media of our country and abroad. Currently, in accordance with state educational standards, work is underway to include the subject "Physico-Chemical Foundations of Hydrogen Energy" in the university's curriculum.