Engineering cases at the international level: The qualifying stages of the Fuel and Energy Case Solving Championship were held in Kazakhstan

On March 19, 2015, the qualifying stages of the mining and electric power engineering leagues of the Fuel and Energy Cases Championship were held at Karaganda State Technical University.

The qualifying stage at Karaganda State Technical University has a special role in the Championship: cooperation with KSTU allows the organizers to bring the movement to solve fuel and energy cases to the international level, as well as initiate other large-scale projects consolidating the experience of the two countries in working with the youth of the fuel and energy complex.

KSTU occupies an exceptional position in the system of universities in Kazakhstan. It is a university with a 60-year history, powerful educational, scientific, industrial potential and huge opportunities for self-realization of scientists, teachers and students. KarSTU has given Kazakhstan and the whole world 75,000 talented graduates: statesmen, scientists, organizers of science, education and industry, including the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev. KSTU is one of the ten universities on the basis of which the program of targeted master's degree training for priority sectors of the State Program for Industrial and Innovative Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan (GPIID - 2) for 2015-2019 is being implemented.

The winners of the qualifying stages at KSTU at the final of the Championship in Moscow will represent not only their university, but also all the students of the Fuel and energy complex of the republic.

KSTU has been participating in the Championship for the second year, and it is doubly valuable that this year the university has joined the league for electric power industry.

The qualifying stage at KSTU was supported by Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Head of the Department Vladimir Shkolnik I sent greetings to the participants and organizers of the project. The greeting, in particular, said: "Today we are joining the All-Russian movement to support capable, talented young people who are in great demand in leading industries, among which the fuel and energy complex occupies one of the most important places. I am sure that the Championship will bring together the best representatives of this unique profession on its site, help them identify themselves in the industry, as well as develop a modern set of sought-after competencies."

Anuar Omarov, Head of the Coal Industry Department of the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, He noted the Ministry's high interest in the development of the fuel and energy sector's personnel reserve and the department's willingness to support an innovative project aimed at forming an active professional and civic position among the youth of Kazakhstan.

On behalf of the management of KSTU, the participants were welcomed Vladimir Demin, Acting Director of the University's Department of Sciences. He thanked the organizers of the Championship for the opportunity for Kazakh students to participate in such a large-scale educational project and emphasized the leading role of KSTU in the formation of a professional and scientific community related to the fuel and energy complex. V.Demin expressed confidence in the high-quality professional training of KSTU students and wished them good luck in the Championship.

The championship is not only an educational project, but also a communication platform, a meeting place for future specialists with industry professionals. Over the past three years, more than 100 renowned experts, veterans of the fuel and energy complex, and recognized stars of the mining and energy industry in Russia and Kazakhstan have become guests of the students.  Communicating with such people and learning from their experience is a special opportunity and honor for the participants of the Championship.

A special guest took part in the qualifying stage of the KarSTU Championship. Nikolai Drizhd, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor, Academician of the Kazakhstan National Academy of Natural Sciences; Academician of the International Academy of Sciences of Ecology, Human Safety and Nature; Member of the Dissertation Council of Karaganda State Technical University; Knight of the Order of Lenin, Order of the Red Banner of Labor, Order of Dostyk; Labor veteran, Honorary Citizen of Karaganda, Sarani, Shakhtinsk, twice winner of the USSR State Prize.

Nikolai Drizhd introduced the students to the history of the formation of the mining industry in Kazakhstan and stressed that the practical training of future fuel and energy industry specialists, including in the framework of the next Championship competitions, should be based on real production tasks facing modern enterprises of the republic. N.Drizhd noted the solid scientific and production base that KarSTU has for training mining industry specialists, and he wished the students to make the most of the opportunities offered by studying at the university and innovative educational projects, such as the Fuel and Energy Case Solving Championship.

The championship consolidates on its site the leading fuel and energy companies that are interested in forming the personnel reserve of the industry. Serik Balkishev, General Director of Teplotransit Karaganda LLP On behalf of the professionals of the Fuel and Energy Complex of Kazakhstan, he wished the students a bright struggle, interesting innovative solutions and success in mastering the profession.

7 teams of future mining engineers competed for a ticket to the finals in the mining league. The students presented their ideas for solving the case "Choosing the most effective option for a mining complex and improving its efficiency." The expert jury, which evaluated the decisions, included teachers of KarSTU and representatives of mining enterprises of the Republic of Kazakhstan.: Transkomir LLP, Karagandagiproshakht and K LLP. 

The winner of the qualifying stage was The Miners team: 

• Abai Baizak (Team Captain, Mining Faculty, Department of Surveying and Geodesy)
• Sabit Beisembayev (Mining Faculty, Department of Surveying and Geodesy)
• Daria Voloshina (Faculty of Engineering Economics and Management, Department of Enterprise Management)
• Sania Mamatova (Faculty of Mining, Department of "Mining of Mineral deposits")

6 teams took part in the qualifying stage of the electric power industry league, which solved the case "Development and selection of the optimal scheme for the supply of electric power to a thermal power plant during its reconstruction."  The results of the students' work were presented to an expert jury consisting of university teachers and energy companies in the region: Teplotransit Karaganda LLP, NPF Ergonomics LLP, Kazakhmys Energy LLP, Karaganda Energy Center LLP.

KarSTU power engineers will be represented by the winners of the Championship finals. The Positron team:

• Aigerim Ryskalieva (Team Captain, Faculty of Energy and Telecommunications, Department of Industrial Process Automation)
• Anastasia Prystroko (Faculty of Energy and Telecommunications, Department of Industrial Process Automation)
• Andrey Musapirov (Faculty of Energy and Telecommunications, Department of Industrial Process Automation)
• Marina Babayeva (Faculty of Energy and Telecommunications, Department of Industrial Process Automation) 

The winners and prize-winners of the qualifying stage received diplomas, valuable prizes and memorable gifts from the organizers and guests of the Championship. The teams were also awarded with commemorative certificates.  Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Awarding diplomas to students, Anuar Omarov noted:  "By participating in the Championship, you have mobilized your intellectual and creative forces, gone beyond the educational process, gained experience that will definitely be useful to you in your future professional activities".

During the qualifying stage, a meeting was held between the leadership of Karaganda State Technical University and the organizers of the Fuel and Energy Cases Championship. Rector of the University Arstan Gazaliyev highly appreciated the level of organization of the Championship and the opportunities that the project opens up to Kazakhstani students, and noted that the university is ready to expand cooperation within the framework of the Championship and other Forum projects. In particular, KSTU is ready to join the Championship exploration league in the future and offer case studies in the field of mining engineering on its basis.

The meeting resulted in the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation between Karaganda State Technical University and the Reliable Shift Foundation.  The purpose of the Memorandum is joint actions in the field of youth and personnel policy aimed at professional orientation, formation of an active professional and civic position among the youth of the fuel and energy complex of the Republic of Kazakhstan. On behalf of the University, the Memorandum was signed by the rector of the University, Arstan Gazaliev, and on behalf of the Reliable Change Foundation, the director of the Foundation, Artyom Korolev.

By the organizers The Reliable Change Foundation, the Non-Profit Partnership Youth Forum of Mining Leaders and the Non-Profit Partnership Russian National Committee of the International Council for Large High Voltage Electrical Systems (NP RNC CIGRE) are participating in the Championship.

The general partners of the Championship are: JSC "System Operator of the Unified Energy System", JSC "Siberian Coal Energy Company", Micromine company, JSC "MHC "EuroChem", LLC "Siberian Generating Company", EVRAZ company, JSC "Yuzhkuzbassugol", RUSDRAGMET Management Company.

Karaganda State Technical University will transfer the baton of the mining league to Zabaikalsky State University in Chita, where the next stage will be held on March 24, 2015.

The next stage of the League on electric Power Industry will be held at the National Research South Ural State University (Chelyabinsk) on March 20, 2015.

Photo of the Mining League stage

Photo of the Electric Power Industry League stage