UK supports Myanmar’s geosciences sector

19 January 2016
UK supports Myanmar’s geosciences sector
Letpadaung mine in Monywa, Sagaing region. Photo: Bo Bo/Mizzima

The delegation of UK government, business and academic sectors will meet with Myanmar government officials and others to support the development of the geoscience sector.
The delegation senior UK academics and experts will visit from January 18-22, according to a press release. Officials represent the British Geological Society, Oxford University and Heriot Watt’s Institute of Petroleum Engineering, with support from the British Chamber of Commerce’s Energy Working Group.
They will meet with representatives from Myanmar’s government, education sector and business circles to identify areas for collaboration.
The delegation will take part in a workshop hosted by Yangon University to share knowledge, identify areas of common research interests, build relationships and identify training, curriculum and teaching needs, while also exploring collaboration opportunities in the Earth Sciences at universities in Myanmar.
The workshop will include up to 40 participants from key faculty members in Myanmar universities associated with geoscience subjects, national and international representatives from the oil and gas sector, retired professors and resource persons and high level officials from the Ministry of Mines, Ministry of Energy and Ministry of Irrigation.
Among the goals of the workshop are the identification of needs related to the research and teaching of geoscience subjects at Myanmar universities and developing linkage with industries.
The workshop will also look at multidisciplinary areas affecting Geosciences, such as law and climate change.
British Embassy official Mike Croll said the workshop is that first of a series of activities to be followed by a visit by six Myanmar geoscience researchers to UK universities and training workshop on geoscience for Myanmar researchers to be offered by visiting UK post-doctorate representatives.