Priority S&T development areas were discussed at the Federal Agency for Scientific Organisations
A joint meeting with representatives of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) and the Ministry of Education and Science was held at the Federal Agency for Scientific Organisations (FASO), designed to discuss adjustments to the list of priority S&T development areas and the list of critical technologies for the RF. Dr. Alexandr Sokolov, deputy director of the ISSEK and director of the HSE Foresight Centre, gave a progress report.
The Federal Agency of Scientific Organisations (FASO) jointly with Russian Academy of Sciences and the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation held a meeting on the adjustment of priority directions of science and technology, the list of the critical technologies of the Russian Federation. Deputy Director of ISSEK, Director of the HSE's Foresight Centre introduced the progress of work in this area.
The meeting was attended by Lyudmila Ogorodova, deputy minister of education and science; Alexei Medvedev, deputy head of the FASO; Sergei Aldoshin, vice-president of the RAS; and representatives of leading FASO research institutes.
“The list of priority development areas and critical technologies is the main tool of the national S&T policy”, noted Lyudmila Ogorodova. “It should help with inter-agency coordination and cooperation between researchers, companies, and authorities. Therefore adjusting the list is vitally important”.
Alexander Sokolov, deputy director of the ISSEK and director of the HSE Foresight Centre told the audience about the work currently under way on adjusting the list of priority S&T development areas and the list of critical technologies for the RF.
According to Alexander Sokolov, in composing the list of critical technologies preference was given to areas potentially leading to development of innovative products and services which were in demand currently and are likely to be so in future. Federal executive agencies were involved in this work, providing information and making suggestions. Expert groups comprising representatives of research organisations and real sector companies were established to draft the lists.
As a result, significant changes were made to the list of priority S&T development areas and the list of critical technologies. Alexander Sokolov explained that in many cases the wording was adjusted so that the technologies and S&T areas would aim at accomplishing more applied objectives.
At the second part of the meeting, the participants discussed the presented draft lists. Kristof Yakubson, deputy director (research) of the Oil and Gas Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, suggested to more precisely define areas connected with production of hydrocarbons, highlighting the objectives most relevant to Russia. According to Lyudmila Ogorodova, representatives of the Russian Ministry of Energy will be invited to consider this suggestion.
Alexander Gelfan, deputy director (research) of the Water Problems Institute of the RAS, draw the audience’s attention to importance of research on assessing the risks and consequences of flooding, and in the water resources area generally. In the course of the discussion representatives of the academic community also mentioned other objectives, such as achieving environmental and energy security, which should be taken into account when composing the lists. Developers promised to consider all suggestions voiced at the meeting.
According to Sergei Aldoshin, vice-president of the RAS, adjusting S&T priority development areas was also actively discussed at the Russian Academy of Sciences, including its regional and specialised divisions.
Based on a publication at the FASO website