Research & Expertise

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.

Strategic planning skills are increasingly often seen as a core competence for the 21^st century; researchers are trying to measure regions’ and whole countries’ readiness for the future, while futures studies the world over are conducted on an impressive scientific foundation. On 15-16 November the VIII International Academic Conference “Foresight and STI Policy” will take place in Moscow. Participants from more than 15 countries will present tens of case studies reflecting practices of international organisations (such as OECD, UNESCO, European Commission), governments, major companies, leading universities and R&D centres; analyse global development scenarios and challenges, cutting-edge foresight approaches and tools, and best practices of measuring and monitoring progress in the science, technology and innovation sphere.

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.

The HSE Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge conducted a survey of more than 2 thousand Russian doctorate holders, in order to assess the situation with foreign language skills among highly qualified scientific personnel.

DOM.RF commissioned to the HSE ISSEK Foresight Centre an analysis of more promising technological solutions for construction of housing; the results are presented in the publication 'The Future of Housing: Best Technological Development Practices'. The report outlines how housing construction, and urban environment generally are likely to develop (including in the scope of the 'smart city' concept).

The HSE Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge presents information about Russia’s place in a ranking of countries by the number of academic publications on engineering sciences.

In 2018 the Department of Science and Technology of the Republic of South Africa commissioned a national Foresight study to the ISSEK Foresight Centre. Preliminary findings will be discussed at a workshop in Pretoria on October, 18–19. Ozcan Saritas, Leading Researcher at the Foresight Centre and Deputy Head of the Research Laboratory for Science and Technology Studies, will take part in this event.