Russia and FSU region is critical for the global energy system. The countries of the region are undergoing significant transformations, resulting in dramatic shifts of their energy policies and energy sector performance. The course aims at providing students with the critical knowledge and skills to understand historical and macroeconomic background of the institutional frameworks in the post-Soviet energy sector, regulation and State governance, major challenges facing Russia and other FSU countries in the energy sphere both domestically and on the global arena and tools typically used to deal with them. During the course competing political and commercial agendas, main stakeholders and real centres of decision making will be discussed. Specifics of market organization, access to subsoil, ownership, pricing, taxation will be addressed, as well as announced and real priorities of the national energy policies. While somewhat more focus will be put on Russia, energy policies of Ukraine and Caspian countries will be also examined. There will be special focus on the current situation and prospect of the main energy industries in the region – traditional oil, gas, coal, power sector as well as new energy and energy transition agenda.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
1. Identify and discuss historical, political and macro-economic background of the institutional frameworks in the FSU energy sector, regulation and state governance (including specifics of market organization, access to subsoil, ownership – public versus private, pricing, taxation), have understanding of main stakeholders and their hidden interests and interactions, relationship between corporate and national interests and real centres of decision making.
2. Analyse properly data and outlooks on FSU countries energy balances (energy resources, production, consumption and exports, as well as current situation and prospects of the main energy industries in the region – oil, gas, coal, power).
3. Evaluate challenges facing Russia and other FSU countries in the energy sphere both domestically and on the global arena and alternatives for the national energy policies.
Professional Skills
Research & Analysis - Collecting and analysing information to increase understanding of a topic or issue
Critical thinking - Engaging in reflective and independent thinking
Team Work - Working with a group of people to achieve a shared goal or outcome in an effective manner
Understanding stakeholders - Understanding and taking into account the priorities and concerns of others, negotiations
Oral and written communication - Communicating effectively and adequately orally and in writing
- Reading and Preparation for Class: 20 hours a semester
- Research and Preparation for Group Work: 30 hours a semester
- Research and Writing for Individual Assessments: 60 hours a semester
• Individual participation in the class work (questions, comments, brainstorming): 10% (in two weeks)
• Group work (business games): 10% (in two weeks)
• Individual oral presentation: 30 % (in two weeks after the presentation)
• Individual final policy paper: 50% (end of the semester)