Baku, December 6, AZERTACThe Ministry of Education of Azerbaijan and bp have today signed a Protocol of Intent on cooperation to found a new renewable energy programme in one of the local universities. The protocol marks the start of joint work on an important educational project that aims to train national professionals specializing in renewable energy related disciplines including the use of renewable energy technologies. This will be achieved by establishing a new master’s degree programme in a local higher educational institution through partnership with a UK university.As part of the protocol a working group will be set up to define the technical aspects of the project including the selection of an implementing partner.Emin Amrullayev, Minister of Education of Azerbaijan, said: “The concept of turning "black gold" into human capital, one of the important directions of state policy, created important opportunities to support the education of young people abroad. About 3,500 young people studied abroad within the "State Program for the Education of Azerbaijani Youth Abroad in 2007-2015" approved by the decree of President Ilham Aliyev. It is very important to train specialists in renewable energy and we are pleased to start cooperation with bp in this area. We also plan to implement research projects within this programme.”Gary Jones, bp’s regional president for Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, said: “We are very pleased to extend our long and successful collaboration with the Ministry of Education to a new area in support of Azerbaijan’s energy transition efforts. The new university programme we will establish is designed to build a new field of expertise and capacity that the country will need to develop its renewable energy sector. This is a great project that supports Azerbaijan’s steps to the future of energy and our own purpose to reimagine energy for people and our planet.” The project will be jointly funded by the Ministry of Education and bp. bp’s contribution to the project is $2 million.Some 40 renewable energy professionals are expected to be trained a year through the new master’s degree programme.