The Conference was organized by the New Eurasia Foundation in partnership with the Association of Innovative Russian Regions and Technopark “Idea” with the support of the Government of the Republic of Tatarstan.
The Conference was arranged in the framework of the interregional and international Program “Eureca”. The Program was initiated and funded by the US Russia Foundation for Economic Advancement and the Rule of Law (USRF) and it is implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation. The Program is aimed to enhance research and entrepreneurial capacity of Russian Universities and Sub-
working group, included into the Program list, on formation of the US Russian Intergovernmental Presidential Commission.
The international Conference was attended by representatives of regional authorities, institutions of higher education, innovative youth, the business community, innovation and investment communities, civil society institutions, Russian and foreign experts with the view to discuss experience on support and development of youth as one of the key factors in innovation and leadership economy development in Russia.
In his opening speech First Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of TatarstanRavil Muratov noted that “It is impossible to be competitive on the world economy without development of innovation. Especially in the context of Russia accession to the WTO. Annually, the volume of RT innovative products and scope of innovation financing increase by 30%”. To the effect, the Republic has all conditions: business-incubators, technology parks, technopolicies, Tatarstan Investment Development Department, Investment and Venture Fund of the Republic of Tatarstan and others. According to Ravil Muratov these forms are the most efficient forms of small business support.
The Conference opening was also attended by General Director of the Association of Innovative Russian Regions, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Foundation for Assistance to Small Innovative Enterprises in Science and Technology I. M. Bortnik, Deputy Director of the Federal Youth Affairs Agency of the Russian Federation А.B . Povalko, President of the US Russia Foundation for Economic Advancement and the Rule of Law A. V. Danilina and Education program director of the New Eurasia Foundation N. R. Valamat-Zade.
The Plenary Session “Economy of Leadership and Innovation: Key Challenges” addressed issues related to problems and development of innovation ecosystem, opportunities and limitations of the regional social policy, Education 2030 foresight resources and opportunities, as well as opportunities and problems of the youth creativity potential as one of the key resources of economic development.
The Round table “Challenges of the new social and educational policies for innovative development of a region” included the discussion of Russian experience in Prototype centres arrangement; opportunities and challenges for new workforce policy; collaboration between business and education; experience of entrepreneurial universities; problems, capacity, and resources of secondary and tertiary education in the development of a new creative class in Russia.
The experience of USA (Fab Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Israel and Estonia in the implementation of efficient approaches for development of scientific-technical creativity of youth and their involvement
in innovation was presented in the final part of the Conference.
Program Manager of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Center for Bits and Atoms MIT Media Lab) Sherry Lassiter (USA), Chief of the Qiryat Gat Lachish Region Technological Incubator, Director of a unique SME support Center Naomi Reem (Israel), Director of the Narva College, Tartu University Katri Raik(Estonia) gave master classes on Fab Lab organization on the experience of MIT, organization of students’ research activity, deployment of a network of centers for youth initiatives and entrepreneurship, novelties in university curricula and practical training of students, organization of network-based youth partnerships and models of industry-specific summer youth camps and others.
Source: tpidea.ru