News

The data book prepared by Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge, National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE ISSEK) covers data on the level and trends in the education indicators in the Russian Federation, including comparative international data. Some sections contain an assessment of the educational attainment of students, relation between the educational attainment and the labour market, education funding, enrolment, personnel, and conditions of studying.

Participants of the workshop 'The Future of Science and Technology in BRICS Countries: Challenges and Responses', the closing event of the 8^th HSE Foresight Conference, shared the five countries’ experience of promoting research cooperation and the results of joint foresight studies.

The social sciences and the humanities are beginning to play an increasing role in technology and innovation studies: it becomes obvious that the long-term social effects of scientific and technological development are important side of it. Similar studies are gaining momentum in Russia. For instance, HSE ISSEK has been measuring public perception of science, technology and innovation indicators in the framework of 'Monitoring the Innovative Behaviour of the Population' for more than 10 years. It latest results were presented by Alena Nefedova at the International scientific-practical conference 'Russian User Studies' (November 29 – December 1, 2018, St. Petersburg).

The National Training Workshop for Technology and Innovation Support Centres’ personnel ended on 29 November, 2018 at the Higher School of Economics; it was organised by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), Rospatent, and the Federal Institute of Industrial Property (FIIP), and lasted for three days at various venues. HSE experts presented their approaches to patent analysis, and legal protection of intellectual property. According to the workshop participants, the university’s research in patent statistics and big data analysis (which is playing an increasingly important role in the area) was most impressive, and contributed to extending knowledge horizons.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed Decree No. 672 on November 26 “On the creation of an innovation cluster in Moscow,” thus putting in motion an initiative of Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin that the Higher School of Economics had played an active role in developing. Throughout the past year, HSE specialists studied the best practices of the world’s innovative megacities, worked with the Moscow government to hold a series of expert discussions on the principles of forming an innovation supercluster, and developed a draft concept establishing guidelines for interactions between potential cluster participants. Over time, the planned supercluster has the potential to embrace Moscow’s entire advanced-technology economy.

The annual meeting of the International Advisory Council of the HSE Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge took place on 14 November. This year the Council convened before the “Foresight and STI Policy” conference, so discussions of the ISSEK’s 2018 results, its plans for the next year, and approaches and techniques for studying and foreseeing S&T development occasionally overlapped with the conference agenda. The debates highlighted major trends which could affect relevant policies in the coming years.

On the third day of the VII Open Innovations Forum Evgeny Kutsenko, Head of the HSE ISSEK Russian Cluster Observatory took part in two panel discussions. The first one focused on new tools for providing support to innovative clusters – world-class investment appeal leaders, while the second was devoted to Moscow’s prospects of becoming a global innovation centre by concentrating its creative and production potential around an innovative cluster.

One of the round table discussions at the VII Open Innovation Forum (15-17 October, Skolkovo) focused on using various indices and rankings to adjust  goals and objectives, and assess effectiveness of innovation policies. HSE ISSEK members Vitaly Roud and Evgeny Kutsenko took part in the debates, speaking about applying the Global Innovation Index and the ISSEK-maintained Russian Regional Innovation Development Ranking in management practices on the regional and city levels.