It was December 12, 2007 when I received an e-mail from Dr. Jonathan Craig informing me that Eni was considering sponsoring a stand for Jammu University at the Getenergy Event 2008 in London. Frankly speaking, none of us at Jammu University had heard about the Getenergy Event before. Perhaps knowing this, Jonathan sent me the details by e-mail:
“ On 26th -28th March next year, there is a major oil industry event in London called ‘Getenergy 2008’, which will bring together oil companies, governments, universities and various ‘geoscience training providers’. It is an opportunity for University Geoscience (and Engineering) Departments around the world to ‘showcase’ their training programmes and to build global links with oil companies and host governments. You will find the details in the attached e-mail and on the ‘Getenergy’ website. I have made a proposal to my colleagues in the Senior Management of Eni that we sponsor the Geology Department of the University of Jammu to attend this event and to have a stand, as part of our efforts to support Geoscience training and academic research in India in general and at the University of Jammu in particular. Although not yet finalized, it seems likely that the proposal could be accepted. However, before we proceed further with this, I would like to get some idea from you about whether the University of Jammu would be interested in taking up this opportunity, if Eni provide the necessary sponsorship. I will send this message to Bindra Thusu as well, as he may be able to offer you some advice on the matter”.
It was a superb opportunity for the Geology Department to market itself to the world and to build long term alliances with other institutes and with the wider petroleum industry world. I briefed Professor Mattoo, Vice-Chancellor of the University, about the event; he readily agreed to send a three member team to represent the University of Jammu. The team, including myself, Dr. Renu Nanda and Ms. Malvinder Kaur, contributed in promoting the education, research and training facilities and capability of the University of Jammu. Dr. Bindra Thusu (Alumni of the Geology Department and Visiting Professor to the University of Jammu) provided local support to this event. Dr. Jonathan Craig, Vice-President, Geoscience Studies and New Opportunities Selection, Eni Exploration and Production Division, Milan, and visiting Professor to the University of Jammu represented our sponsors “Eni“(Eni is the sixth largest Oil Company in the world and operates in 70 countries including India and Pakistan). Jammu University was among 112 global education and training providers present at the event, including major global oil and service giants from 35 countries.
We interacted with officials of different oil companies, universities, NGOs and other service and training providers during the three days of the Getenergy Event. Our interaction and discussion was focused on hydrocarbon exploration, energy conservation, climate change and alternative sources of energy, especially those which are environment friendly (green energy) including the Kangari (a Kashmiri charcoal stove) and the Samovar. These proved a major attraction for the visitors to our stand. We worked on possibilities of partnerships and collaboration with overseas training providers in organizing courses in energy studies and research and waste management of bio-fuels.
The Getenergy Event gave us a chance to promote the university and its capability in teaching, training and research in petroleum geoscience and in our campaign for energy efficiency at an international level. Several oil and service companies and universities expressed interest in our programmes and in collaborating with the University of Jammu in joint ventures in India for hydrocarbon exploration, research and training programmes. Some two hundred of the visitors to our stand recorded their comments in our visitors’ book. Current research and training facilities at the Geology Department, Business School, Biotechnology, Botany Department, e-learning, etc. were presented and useful links with other training providers were established. The traditional energy sources were debated and the use of the 'Kangari' in Jammu & Kashmir State was demonstrated and generated much interest.
Our major achievement at the Getenergy Event was to plan to initiate a Post-Graduate Diploma course in ‘Petroleum and Energy Studies’ at the University of Jammu with the help of the Eni Corporate University, the Maghreb Petroleum Research Group at University College London and the Energy & Geoscience Institute (EGI), University of Utah. A ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ to this effect was signed between the University of Jammu and University College London. The Diploma course will start this year and will be a key step towards establishing a new ‘Energy Institute’ in the University of Jammu. This new institute will provide high quality professional training courses to address the geoscience and engineering challenges arising from the exploration, development and production of the various energy sources that India will require for sustained economic development in the future.
The participation of the University of Jammu at the 2008 Getenergy event was a great honour and an important achievement. Getenergy is an annual event and Jammu University is sure to participate in future events in order to take every opportunity to make the university a global player in collaborative education and training programmes.
I would like to place on record our appreciation of Eni for the sponsorship and of the Getenergy organizers, especially Dan March and Shunker Goel, who provided us all possible support during the event.
Prof. G. M. Bhat University of Jammu (India)
