Turkish students at MPEI: training personnel for the Akkuyu NPP

On May 12, 2010 Russia and Turkey signed the intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the construction and operation of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant in Mersin Province. The project involves building four VVER-1200 reactor units with a total capacity of 4,800 megawatts and represents a key step in developing the power engineering partnership between the two countries.

Since 2023, MPEI has joined the Akkuyu NPP training project, implemented with the participation of the State Corporation Rosatom and Akkuyu Nuclear JSC. Our university has become one of the key sites for training future plant personnel. The master’s program includes three fields of study: thermal power engineering and heat engineering, electrical power engineering and electrical engineering, as well as nuclear energy and thermal physics.

In the 2025/2026 academic year, first students continue their studies at MPEI. Now they are in the second and final year of the master’s program. Additionally, a group of students is currently studying in the first year of the program.

In autumn 2025, the third intake of Turkish students arrived at MPEI, beginning their studies at the preparatory course.

Special emphasis is placed on learning Russian, the working language at the nuclear power plant. By the end of the program, students are expected to have professional-level proficiency in the language.

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On October 30, 2025, MPEI held an online meeting with representatives of Akkuyu Nuclear and the participating Russian universities. The event was attended by Mr. Chechenov, Director of Educational and Cooperation Programs; Mrs. Melikhova, Head of Personnel Recruitment and Administration; Mr. Sezer, Head of Personnel Assessment, Training and Development, as well as representatives from four universities: MPEI, Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Kazan State Power Engineering University, and MEPhI.

Company representatives greeted the 2025 student intake and outlined the opportunities for their future professional growth.

MPEI has all the resources needed to train skilled nuclear industry specialists, from modern laboratories to experienced professors, many directly involved in Rosatom projects. The university’s participation in training personnel for the Akkuyu NPP confirms its status as a leading educational center in Russia for power engineering studies and highlights MPEI’s important role in fostering international cooperation in engineering education. The project opens new opportunities for strengthening Russian-Turkish partnerships in science and technology. It demonstrates the high level of trust in the quality of MPEI’s educational programs, which are shaping a new generation of nuclear power engineers.

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