National Technological Initiative discussed cooperation in the field of innovation between Russia and Germany
On March 30, 2021, a round table "Germany – Russia: cooperation in the field of innovation" was held in Moscow, the purpose of which was to identify the potential for the development of information technologies in Russia and to determine the range and possibilities of potential cooperation between the countries.
The event is organized by the University 2035 together with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, the Government of Moscow, the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation and Rossotrudnichestvo.
The round table discussed important issues for both countries related to innovations in the field of high technologies, digitalization, artificial intelligence, biotechnologies and other high-tech areas, as well as the comparison of regional cooperation in these areas.
Our Foundation pays special attention to German-Russian cooperation in the field of digitalization. During the period of big changes and the acceleration of the pace of scientific and technological progress, the position of a country in the international arena is largely determined by how timely the state will develop digital technologies. For the next 10 years, I am sure that artificial intelligence will be actively implemented in all spheres of life, from medicine to mechanical engineering.
In 2017, the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum hosted the German-Russian initiative on digitalization of the economy, designed to intensify the dialogue between our countries in the IT industry.
Major Russian and German IT companies have joined the initiative, which is also of political importance. Today, it is extremely important for our countries to find new ways of cooperation, and we, together with the University 2035 and other partners here in Russia, are engaged in these projects. I am convinced that thanks to these and other projects, we can contribute to long-term and mutually beneficial cooperation between our countries.
Dr. Thomas Kunze
Head of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation
Representative Office in Russia
The session was attended by government authorities, leading Russian universities, and specialized Russian and German companies.
On the Russian side, Igor Sudets, Deputy Head of the Digital State Development Department of the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Communications of the Russian Federation, took part in the Round Table. He stressed the importance of the implementation of the national program in Russia, within the framework of which 7 projects were allocated for the development of information infrastructure, which are necessary to ensure high-quality communication, Internet connection of schools and hospitals, as well as polling stations in order to ensure the transparency of elections. Important, as Igor Sudets noted, is information security, as well as the development of human resources for the digital economy of the State.
The session was attended by 17 key speakers, one of them was Dmitri Sergeyevich Nersesyan, Deputy Head of the Committee on International Education and Partnership of the Assembly of Peoples of Eurasia, Director of the Humanitarian Development Center, CEO of the Education Export Center.
I represent the Education Export Center, whose team contributes to the implementation of the national initiative to attract foreign students to Russia. We assist universities in increasing their export potential, with regard to their presence in foreign markets, as well as working with international companies to recruit students. It is important to use this resource since 60–70% of the world's students work with these companies.
Having extensive experience in the education industry, in particular, online education, I can say that the Russian Federation is an ideal testing ground for the introduction, testing and application of technologies in the field of online education. Our country is very large, with a diverse landscape, people live at great distances, including in hard-to-reach places. Therefore, we can become a solution provider for the online learning technology market. This became especially relevant with the introduction of lockdown in 2020, when all educational institutions were forced to switch to distance learning. Of course, all universities have made certain conclusions and necessary decisions, for example, in the organization of the work of admissions committees, which has become possible in the online environment, in compliance with all important parameters.
I would also like to note that the legislative branch has become more friendly to online technologies, not only in the field of additional and non-formal education, but also in formal education. Universities are seriously considering the possibility of implementing modern CRM and ERP systems to improve the quality of administration. Universities are actively looking for ways to bring online classes closer to the ideal, making them more effective than simply reading lectures and conducting webinars.
All this will allow Russian universities to continue exporting education to foreign countries in the future.
Dmitri Nersesyan
Director of the Education Export Center
Summing up the results of the Round Table, Thomas Kunze expressed his gratitude to the organizers and participants for their qualified and productive work.
The participants were also offered to take a course of study from the University 2035 on the "Artificial Intelligence" program which includes the best lectures and case studies from Western universities and partner companies.