Experts assessed Russia’s readiness for technological sovereignty

One of the key factors in achieving technological sovereignty is personnel training, Alexander Mazhuga, First Deputy Head of the Committee on Science and Higher Education of the State Duma, said at a round table of the Expert Institute for Social Research (EISI) on April 5.

According to him, the distribution of budget places in universities in 2023 will be “specific, meeting the task of ensuring scientific and technological sovereignty.” “In the first place we will have engineering and technical specialties (245,000 places), in the second place – specialists in the field of IT (about 160,000 places). In addition, 73% of all budget places will be distributed to the regions,” the deputy said.

The concept of technological sovereignty includes a variety of areas of development, such as defense, healthcare, agriculture, etc., Mazhuga explained. “The image of higher education” in his message to the Federal Assembly was outlined by Russian President Vladimir Putin, he noted. “We are based on the experience of the Soviet school, while taking all the best from the last decades, keeping the training time from four to six years and the fundamental nature of education,” the deputy said.

Mazhuga named the main directions of development in the field of science and technology – small-tonnage chemistry, nuclear energy, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, genetics, materials science and electronics, and outlined the latest achievements in these areas. For example, according to him, in the base of domestic software there are now about 15,000 domestic products that can “close all operational issues.”

On April 4, a meeting of the Presidium of the State Council for Industry was held, dedicated to the search for mechanisms to reduce business risks in the regions in order to increase production. During his speech, Putin stressed that the sanctions will remain for a long time, so it is necessary to take measures for the sovereign development of the country in the long term. “We all understand that the sanctions are, of course, for a long time. Therefore, along with priority measures to replace imported technologies and products, medium and long-term transformations are needed here, aimed at the strategic goals of the country’s sovereign development,” he said.

The concept of technological development until 2030 has been sent to the government for consideration, said Deputy Minister of Education and Science Daria Kiryanova. The document is being prepared on behalf of Russian President Vladimir Putin following a meeting of the Council for Strategic Development and National Projects in July 2022. The concept will define the concept, goals, objectives and principles for achieving the country’s technological sovereignty, as well as targets for technological development.

The document consists of three parts. The first is devoted to technological sovereignty, the second describes how technology can be integrated into the economy, and the third is devoted to the introduction of technology into the production process. Russia plans to achieve technological sovereignty by parity with the leading countries in critical technologies (technologies that carry out the life of the Russian Federation), as well as by achieving technological leadership in end-to-end technologies (cross-industry technologies), Kiryanova noted.

In the near future, a draft federal law “On Small Technology Companies” will be submitted to the State Duma, which will give the state the opportunity to identify technology companies among start-ups in other areas and create mechanisms for their support and development, she said. According to preliminary estimates, these are 9,000 companies.

Kiryanova also said that the government is developing a list of key areas of technological development in Russia. “When we publish this document, it will give businesses the opportunity to adjust their activities and understand that until 2030 they have a guarantee that Russia is moving in this direction,” she said.