S&T&I priorities for the Russian natural resources sector

The article “S&T&I priorities for the Russian natural resources sector” by the HSE ISSEK researchers Sergey Shashnov (Department for Strategic Foresight) and Anna Sokolova (Laboratory for Science and Technology Studies) is published in the «Foresight».

The paper analyses three individual Russian foresight projects party or entirely referring to the natural resources sector in Russia: “National S&T Foresight: 2025” (2007-2008, for  RF Ministry of Education and Science), “National S&T Foresight: 2030” (2009-2010, RF Ministry of Education and Science)  and “Innovation priorities for the Russian natural resources sector” (2010, for RF Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology).

These studies are compared from the point of view of their objectives, structure, methodology and results. Also their interconnection and influence on policy decision making are investigated. 

The paper concludes that implementation of these three interrelated studies allows identification of S&T&I priorities that have a strong connection with policy decision making. Therefore, on the basis of this experience, it is suggested that a widespread national Delphi survey for the identification of science and technology (S&T) priorities should be complemented by the identification of key long-term demand for resources and reshaped management systems.