Key Events and Trends in Federal and Regional Innovation Policy for the Coming Week
Feedback System for Business
At the Caucasian Investment Forum—a platform for presenting investment projects and opportunities in the North Caucasus Federal District—Deputy Minister of Economic Development Murat Kerefov announced the launch of new feedback mechanisms for implementing investment projects in 30 pilot regions. Among them are nine AIRR member regions: the Republics of Bashkortostan, Tatarstan, Sakha (Yakutia), Perm Krai, Kaluga, Lipetsk, Nizhny Novgorod, and Tyumen regions, as well as the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug - Yugra.
The system will operate on the basis of the Unified Portal of State and Municipal Services. It is expected that with its help, the response time for simple inquiries will be no more than 10 days, complex consultations will take 30 days, and investment committees will be involved in processing applications—an institution that helps resolve business issues pre-trial. The system is planned to be implemented nationwide by the end of 2025.
International Partnership as a Driver of Innovation
On July 20, a scientific and practical conference titled "Partnership of BRICS Countries in Developing the Digital Economy: Prospects for Seamless Cross-Border Interaction" will be held, organized by the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia in collaboration with the All-Russian Academy of Foreign Trade. The event will provide an opportunity to find new points of contact with foreign partners on issues of investment, innovation, and trade. The topic of exchanging experiences in supporting small and medium-sized enterprises will also be highlighted. The international track is an important part of the country's innovative development. The AIRR confirmed this through its recent visit to Shenzhen, where it held a series of events to exchange best practices with scientists, government representatives, and businesses from China.
Competition for Faculty
The Center for Continuous Education of the Institute of Applied Economic Research at RANEPA has released a study indicating that by 2035, the country will face a shortage of 18,200 candidates and 2,500 doctors of science. Experts assert that Russia lags behind countries leading in the Global Innovation Index in terms of the number of graduate school graduates. It is noted that one of the reasons for the shortage of qualified personnel is the low stipends for graduate students, and there is already competition among universities for scientists and educators.