Rustam Minnikhanov: Advanced Engineering Schools are one of the key tools for achievement of technological sovereignty

On 6 April the Rais (Head) of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov, Russian Minister of Science and Higher Education Valeriy Falkov, Director General of the KAMAZ Automaker Sergey Kogogin and representatives of the advanced engineering schools (AES) and heads of the industrial partner-companies from Russia took part in a two-day alignment meeting with heads of the AES held in Naberezhnyye Chelny and Almetyevsk. The main aim of the event was to discuss issues of AESs establishment, to summarize results of their work in 2022 and to define the role and place of the engineering schools in development of the country and the staff training system.

Speaking at the meeting, Rustam Minnikhanov reminded about the task of restoration of the technical independence of the country set up by the Russian President and which is based on the new quality of engineering education and the new level of technological developments.” Advanced Engineering Schools are one of the key tools for achievement of this strategic objective and Tatarstan has won the grant for establishment of three such schools at Kazan Federal University, Kazan Technical University and University of Innopolis,” he informed. 

“Our universities and the Kazan Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences also take an active part in the events of the Science and Universities national project. The state programme of scientific and technological development of the republic also set serious tasks for the scientific and educational complex”, Rustam Minnikhanov said. 

Speaking about the special programme to stimulate interest of children in natural sciences at school and universities announced by Russian Minister of Science and Higher Education, the Rais of the republic stated that Tatarstan has begun practical implementation of a similar idea as the programme of scientific and technological development of the republic contains a special track in Physics, Mathematics, Biology and Chemistry aimed at solving this task at the regional level.

Rustam Minnikahnov said that the republic is engaged in active work to involve talented young people in scientific research and developments and the share of young scientists in Tatarstan is much higher than that on average in Russia. He also stressed that alongside with multiplication of the human capital of the scientific and educational complex, the republic actively renovates its physical facilities. 

One of the most vulnerable factors is the insufficient open-mindedness of business to domestic innovations and developments which is manifested at the stages of getting patents and commercialization, Rustam Minnikhanov said, but added that there are also exceptions, namely such companies as the KAMAZ and the Tatneft Oil Companies which for many years are the national leaders in innovation and in the number of projects being implemented together with universities. 

The Rais of the republic also stated the importance of motivating the scientific and industrial cooperation and innovative work. “We put a great deal of trust in the startup-studio established within the  Platform of the University Entrepreneurship strategic initiative, the task of which is not only to provide development of entrepreneurial skills among the youth community but also to facilitate expansion of cooperation between universities and real sector of economy”, Rustam Minnikhanov said and added that students of Tatarstan have already submitted more than 1000 applications for establishment of startups and 129 of such projects have already been launched successfully.