9 March 2021
March 9th, the former Austrian Foreign Minister (2017-2019) came to MGIMO. Karin Kneissl was received by the Vice-Rector for Research and International Cooperation, Dean of the School of International Relations A.Baykov. The guest met with graduate and undergraduate students and spoke about the current situation on the world oil market and the future of energy cooperation between Russia and the EU.
The meeting was a follow-up to the course of lectures on the evolution of the global energy market, which Karin Kneissl delivered online to MGIMO graduate students in the spring. This time the talk focused on the problem of price volatility in the oil market. Dr. Kneissl spoke about the key factors that determine the situation in the oil market as well as current topics including the coronavirus pandemic, the development of new technologies and the expansion of the use of renewable energy sources, the changes in the demand for oil and key infrastructure projects in Europe and Asia.
The event attracted a large audience including students who attended the spring course on oil markets, representatives of MGIMO’s German Studies Club, the Associate Professor of the Department of Oriental Studies, Leading Expert of the ASEAN Center E.Koldunova and the Director of the Secretariat of the Russian-Austrian Public Forum "Sochi Dialogue" M.Matveyeva. After the lecture, the participants put questions to the speaker about the future of oil prices, the green course of the European Union and the prospects for energy cooperation between Russia and the EU.
In conclusion, A.Baykov noted that "Karin Kneissl is a close friend for MGIMO and a welcome guest, both for students and faculty members of the University."
Karin Kneissl has been a visiting professor at MGIMO for several years. In 2018, when she was Austrian Foreign Minister, she came to MGIMO in the framework of her official visit to Russia at the invitation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. During a working meeting between Karin Kneissl and Sergey Lavrov on March 12th, 2019 in Moscow, a Joint Ministerial Statement was signed on the establishment of the Russian-Austrian Sochi Dialogue Public Forum. Both sides agreed to contribute to its activities aimed at the implementation of joint civil society projects. In 2019, K.Kneissl returned to MGIMO to present her book “Prince Eugene. From obscurity to European recognition”. On December 9th, 2019, the Sochi Dialogue held a presentation of her book at the Pushkin Museum. The Co-chairman of the Sochi Dialogue, Aide to the President of the Russian Federation A.Fursenko and the Director of the Pushkin Museum M.Loshak addressed the guests on that day. In 2020, K.Kneissl delivered an online course of lectures to MGIMO students in English on the global energy market, and also gave a talk to members of the German Studies Club on the role of the EU in the new emerging world order.
