Rustam Minnikhanov: Tatarstan makes a substantial contribution into the dynamics of scientific and technological development of the country

On 8 June, speaking at a meeting of the Association of Digital Development Facilitation at the Kazan State University of Culture and Arts, moderated by the Chairman of the Association Council Rifkat Minnikhanov and dedicated to the establishment of start-up studios in the republic by the federal project “The University Engineering Entrepreneurship Platform”, Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov said that Tatarstan makes a substantial contribution into the dynamics of scientific and technological development of the country.

Before the meeting Rustam Minnikhanov visited the university engineering center where he was shown a virtual simulator of interpretation of the decorative and applied arts of peoples of the Volga region, the experimental design studio, scientific and experimental laboratories in costume design, wood art, ceramics and so on.

Opening the meeting, Tatarstan President stated that the new reality has cardinally changed the understanding of strategic foundations and principles of the state management of science and engineering in Russia. If earlier much was said about necessity of integration of the domestic scientific complex into the global research chains, currently the priority is to refocus on restoration of technological independence, he said.

Speaking about the implementation of the national project “Science and Universities”, Minnikhanov said:” The republic is undergoing intensive renewal of the R&D equipment base and the staff. There is a well-established network of youth scientific labs and cooperation ties between enterprises and universities, scientific institutions are becoming more profound”.

He noted that prospects of further functioning of the scientific complex of the republic are mostly defined by strategic initiatives of development of the Russian higher education and scientific system, including federal projects of the “World Level University Campuses and Advanced Engineering Schools” , and the leading universities of the republic are taking active part in competitions.

Rustam Minnikhanov paid special attention to the federal initiative of the University Engineering Entrepreneurship Platform. “One of the fundamental drawbacks of the domestic economy is its low open-mindedness to technological innovations and the platform is aimed at breaking this barrier by finding and developing entrepreneurial skills of students and researchers”, he said.

Tatarstan universities have already gained success in this respect and the republic ranks second after Moscow in the total number of applications for the “Students Startup” competition. Another important milestone is the project of developing a national network integrating 50 university startup studios, 15 of which will be established in the current year, Minnikhanov said.

In his turn, Rifkat Minnikhanov proposed to establish advanced regional engineering schools which will help to create maximum conditions for cooperation of universities and enterprises in such concrete spheres as aircraft building, power engineering, pharmaceuticals, oil refinery and petrochemicals.