RUSAL aims to reduce skilled labor scarcity in Guinea by educating 100 local students in Russia’s best universities

RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium producer, is pleased to announce the launch of a unique education programme the “RUSAL Scholarship-2011”. The RUSAL Scholarship will provide 100 talented young Guineans aged between 18 and 25 the opportunity to be educated in Russia’s best universities. All accommodation, transportation costs and tuition fees will be covered by UC RUSAL.

The “RUSAL Scholarship-2011” program aims to educate highly-qualified staff for the Republic of Guinea and to strengthen the ties of friendship between the Russian Federation and Guinea. Guinean students will be able to study for degrees in mining, railroad operations, economics, building and construction, agriculture, water supply, medicine and human resources. After graduation, there is the opportunity for many of the students to work for RUSAL in their subsidiaries in Guinea.

The “RUSAL Scholarship-2011” education programme is scheduled for the next five years, during which RUSAL estimates that it will spend over USD 5.5 million on educating Guinean specialists. The admission process is competitive and to date more than 2700 applications have been submitted. The successful candidates will start their studies in September 2011.

Yakov Itskov, RUSAL Director of International Alumina Division said: “Successful businesses must promote the prosperity of society. RUSAL is making social investments a key priority for the Company in order to achieve sustainable development and social responsibility. High-quality education of local personnel in RUSAL’s subsidiaries will boost the production efficiency and lower the risks. Following that, national personnel development will promote the friendly relations between the two countries and social reconciliation and economic prosperity of Guinea».