The Moscow Innovation Cluster is Shaping its Future Image
The Moscow Innovation Cluster Fund, in effect the cluster’s organisational core, will be established in a matter of weeks. This was reported by Kristina Volkonitskaya, Deputy Director of the Moscow City Department of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Development, at the expert panel 'Moscow Innovation Cluster: Prospective S&T Development Areas' which took place on 24 April at the Higher School of Economics. The participants discussed the support the Fund should be providing, and joint pilot projects in areas such as ICT, medicine, biotechnology, advanced production technologies, and new materials.
New IP Protection Trends
The II International Strategic Forum on Intellectual Property IPQuorum was held in mid-April in Kaliningrad. Its motto was 'IP code: all aspects of intellectual property for man and economy'. An ISSEK team took part, comprising Ekaterina Streltsova, Ilya Kuzminov, and Gleb Kuzmin. Our colleagues share some of their observations, and related trends.
A Common Strategic Approach to the EAEU S&T Development is in Order
On 12 April, 2019, in the scope of the 'Foresight and STI Policy' symposium (part of the HSE XX April International Academic Conference on Economic and Social Development) a series of events were held to discuss STI cooperation in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).
Connecting to New Data Flows
The 2018 FIFA World Cup showed that big data analysis allows to significantly improve traffic flows in a megacity. How to organise nationwide collection of statistical data to build more up-to-date and reliable indicators was discussed at the expert meeting on 28 December hosted by the Higher School of Economics jointly with the Russian Ministry of Economic Development and Rosstat. Pavel Malkov, the new head of the Federal State Statistics Service, and his colleagues presented general approaches to restructuring the service, and discussed with HSE experts the prospects for setting up Digital Analytical Platform which is being designed by Rosstat. The participants agreed that big data will not replace conventional statistics but allow to fill numerous 'white spots' in it.
Pre-Christmas Debates about New Roles in the Digital Age
The 'map of professions' is being redrafted right in front of our eyes, and approaches to staff training are changing radically. Russian and German experts discussed the factors affecting the labour market in the 21st century in an unusual format — podium debates combined with a pre-Christmas reception. The event was hosted by the Moscow German Embassy’s Department of Science, the German Centre for Research and Innovation (DWIH), and the Higher School of Economics on 4 December, 2018.
Accent on Platform Solutions
Participants of the workshop 'The Future of Science and Technology in BRICS Countries: Challenges and Responses', the closing event of the 8th HSE Foresight Conference, shared the five countries’ experience of promoting research cooperation and the results of joint foresight studies.
Creating 'Users' and Studying 'Non-users' of Technologies
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).
Patents as Reference Points in the Search for Scientific Breakthroughs
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.
Foresight as a Dialogue about the Future Should be as Broad as Possible
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.
Scenarios for the Future, and S&T Development Goals will be Discussed at the HSE Foresight Conference
Strategic planning skills are increasingly often seen as a core competence for the 21st 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.