Professor Vladimir Litvinenko, Doctor of Engineering, Professor; is Rector of Saint Petersburg Mining University since 1994. Vladimir is author of over 250 scientific papers including 5 monographs, 65 patents and inventions (Russian and foreign ones). He is member of the Presidential Commission on the development strategy of the fuel and energy complex and environmental safety; member of the Governmental Commission on the fuel and energy complex, mineral reserves replacement and increasing the energy efficiency of the economy. Chairperson of the Governing Board of the International Competence Centre for Mining-Engineering Education as a Category 2 Centre, under the auspices of UNESCO, and Honorary Doctor of Freiberg University of Mining and Technology since 2014.