In a major push to upgrade technical higher education in Suriname, state-owned energy firm Staatsolie has committed to fully funding the renovation of two long-neglected campus buildings at the Anton de Kom University of Suriname (AdeKUS), aiming to deliver improved learning and practical training facilities for roughly 200 engineering students by the end of 2025.
The official partnership agreement was signed by Patrick Peneux on behalf of AdeKUS, and Annand Jagesar, CEO of Staatsolie, who also carried out the symbolic groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of construction on August 13. The two facilities targeted for upgrades are the university’s aging wood workshop and mechanical engineering hall, both of which have fallen into severe disrepair over decades of use. The wood workshop has sat unused for years due to its unsafe, dilapidated condition; following renovation, it will be repurposed into new lecture space for electrical and mechanical engineering students. The existing mechanical engineering lecture and practical training halls, which have also deteriorated over time, will undergo a full overhaul as well.
When construction wraps up by the end of the year, the upgraded facilities will provide approximately 200 students from AdeKUS’ Faculty of Technological Sciences (FTeW) with a safer, more functional environment for both theoretical coursework and hands-on practical training, addressing longstanding infrastructure gaps at the public university.
This renovation project forms part of Staatsolie’s series of social and community development initiatives launched to celebrate the company’s 45th anniversary, which was commemorated in December 2024. All anniversary projects operate under the core motto “Empowering communities and institutions”.
For Staatsolie, the education investment is far more than a corporate social responsibility project: it is a strategic response to the rapidly growing demand for skilled technical workers driven by Suriname’s emerging offshore oil and gas sector. As new energy operations expand across the country’s offshore waters, company leaders project that demand for well-trained technical professionals and specialized engineering expertise will continue to climb sharply in the coming years. This investment directly aligns with long-term efforts to build a local talent pipeline that can support the sector’s growth.
This is not the first time Staatsolie has prioritized investment in technical and vocational education across Suriname. The company previously spearheaded the creation of the NATIN Oil and Gas Training Program, and has continuously invested in modernizing technical curricula and practical training facilities across the country. It also supports vocational training programs — including certified welding courses — through the Foundation for Labor Mobilization and Development. Additionally, through the SURICAP program, Staatsolie partners with multinational energy firms, the Surinamese government, local educational institutions and the private sector to strengthen the overall quality of technical and vocational education across the nation.