BISMARCK, N.D. – Bismarck State College has started an energy training program for male high school graduates in Saudi Arabia.

Sixty-seven students at the National Power Academy in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, have enrolled in a three-year program run by BSC, after months of negotiations, The Bismarck Tribune reported.

Institutions from around the world submitted proposals to partner with the academy. Saudi Arabia chose BSC’s National Energy Center of Excellence, signing a five-year contract that’s expected to generate millions of dollars in revenue for the school.

“This has turned out to be quite an exciting project, a very large project, and we’re excited that, obviously, we were selected on a global basis to be a part of this,” BSC president Larry Skogen said.

A dispute over intellectual property prolonged negotiations over the contract. The final deal stated that whatever BSC develops in Bismarck to support the program belongs to the college, and what’s developed “specific to their needs” in Saudi Arabia belongs to the academy, Skogen said.

The program includes two years in the classroom and one year of on-the-job training in disciplines such as electrical, mechanical and renewable energy. The hope is to eventually enrol 200 students, Skogen said.

National Power Academy officials also have asked BSC to develop additional short courses and training programs, including one for Saudi women in retail sales, according to Skogen.

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Information from: Bismarck Tribune, http://www.bismarcktribune.com