February 14
- Developing Socially-Oriented Education in Russia’s Universities A great deal of attention is currently being paid to the creation of a social infrastructure, support for social non-profit organizations and projects with social impact, and the role the voluntary sector, volunteering, and corporate social respon...
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A great deal of attention is currently being paid to the creation of a social infrastructure, support for social non-profit organizations and projects with social impact, and the role the voluntary sector, volunteering, and corporate social responsibility might play in tackling social issues. Against this background, issues relating to the development of human capital, whether that means fostering a culture of social engagement or providing professional training for specialists with the competencies and skills required to drive social progress, are somewhat neglected. Tackling this important challenge is particularly relevant to the post-Soviet education model, which has focused attention on students’ individual achievements and competitiveness, leading to a gap between the personal and community aspects of young people’s development. How can Russian universities overcome this gap in order to systematically develop socially-oriented education in Russia? What kind of educational programmes and practices are needed to shape a new socially-responsible generation, from those working in social services, non-profit employees, social entrepreneurs, and social communications professionals – those who have chosen the field as their profession – to businesspeople, government employees, and representatives from all parts of our society? What role can be played by the state, non-profits, and businesses in all this?
- Ecology as a Measure of Quality of Life The Environment National Project was approved in late 2018, and is the biggest, most systemic project to preserve Russia’s unique natural environment in the country’s post-Soviet history. Total funding for the project is more than RUB 4 trillion, ...
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The Environment National Project was approved in late 2018, and is the biggest, most systemic project to preserve Russia’s unique natural environment in the country’s post-Soviet history. Total funding for the project is more than RUB 4 trillion, of which over RUB 3.5 trillion will come from private sources.
Eleven federal projects are to be implemented by 2024, including: effective waste management, the clean-up of hazardous accumulated environmental damage, and a drastic reduction in air pollution in major industrial centres. There are also plans to improve the quality of drinking water and clean up bodies of water, including the Volga River, Lake Baikal, and Lake Teletskoye; to preserve biodiversity and create new specially protected natural areas; and to increase the area covered by restored forests; etc. How will project implementation impact the lives of ordinary Russians? How realistic is it that all of the objectives set out in the national project will be achieved? These questions will be discussed by representatives from government and business, as well as experts involved in the national project.
- Bringing Care Closer: New Possibilities for Rural Russia In partnership with Russian Post and Post Bank Providing access to basic healthcare, educational, financial, and public services is an extremely important issue today for rural areas, where every fourth resident of Russia resides. Villages, particularly remote and hard-to-reach areas, often la...
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Providing access to basic healthcare, educational, financial, and public services is an extremely important issue today for rural areas, where every fourth resident of Russia resides. Villages, particularly remote and hard-to-reach areas, often lack the necessary social, telecommunication, and other infrastructure. Oftentimes, the only socially significant facilities in these populated areas are a post office and sometimes a shop. Due to the lack of prospects for business development and generating profit, major retailers do not come to remote and/or sparsely populated areas. There are usually no pharmacies or health clinics, and banks are leaving due to the low demand for services and low profit margins. As a result, the local population has difficulties performing basic financial operations – opening an account, withdrawing cash, paying for utility services, obtaining and repaying loans both to individuals and for small business development – as well as getting access to social and medical services. This all leads to people leaving their homes in search of work and a better life in big cities. It is clear that the problem needs to be resolved ‘here and now’, by combining the efforts of the state, business, and the expert community. Is there a solution to the problem of infrastructural isolation in areas which are hard to reach and far away from regional centres? How can we support the infrastructure of these towns and settlements at the level enjoyed by regional centres and large cities? How can we avoid infringing the rights of local populations and meet their basic needs for food and medicine, good-quality telecommunications, and modern financial services? Is business currently ready to support the state in ensuring access to social services in rural areas, and, most importantly, are there practical examples of this readiness? What could major market players from various sectors do to improve this situation, both separately and working in partnership with each other?
- Social Entrepreneurship as a Factor Contributing to the Country’s Wellbeing In the current economic environment characterized by harsh competition, ever more companies and entrepreneurs are expressing their readiness not only to turn a profit, but also to solve important social problems. Ensuring equal access for all citi...
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In the current economic environment characterized by harsh competition, ever more companies and entrepreneurs are expressing their readiness not only to turn a profit, but also to solve important social problems. Ensuring equal access for all citizens to high-quality social services, and attracting entrepreneurs into this area, could provide a new source of growth and improve quality of life. In today’s Russia, it is vitally necessary to create a social ecology which prioritizes not profit but better living conditions, through harnessing all the resources of the state, business, and society. What must be in place in order to create an integrated system for socioeconomic development in the regions and the country as a whole? How are existing measures for supporting social entrepreneurship working? Do they meet today’s standards and requirements? What efforts must the regions make to create an environment for developing socioeconomic potential?
Awards Ceremony for Winners of the Best Social Project of the Year Competition for Social Entrepreneurship Projects
- Preserve and Enrich: Implementing the National Culture Project The aims of the national project for culture are to increase public interest in Russia’s national cultural heritage and to create an environment in which citizens can develop their creative potential. This, in turn, will require the building of a ...
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The aims of the national project for culture are to increase public interest in Russia’s national cultural heritage and to create an environment in which citizens can develop their creative potential. This, in turn, will require the building of a diversified infrastructure throughout Russia which meets the needs of contemporary society; the introduction of new technologies and organizational forms for cultural institutions; the widespread promotion of cultural initiatives; and the implementation of innovative projects. To realize this cultural transformation will require not only attracting various forms of funding, which is particularly difficult at the regional level, but also the development of a dialogue between the cultural community, the state, business, and charitable organizations with the aim of coming up with effective solutions. Leading museums, theatres, and other cultural institutions, which have successful experience of introducing new ideas and practices and involving businesses in cultural projects, could help to drive this dialogue forward. In order to achieve the planned outcomes set out in the national project, it will be important to scale up this experience across the entire country, and also to create an environment which will promote the development of a tradition of philanthropy and patronage in culture. What issues must be resolved with regard to the Culture National Project by 2024? What types of support for cultural development in the regions should be prioritized? What are the prospects for cooperation between various cultural institutions, and between cultural institutions and the business community? Examples of successful cultural projects. What role might philanthropy and patronage play in implementing the national project?
- Smart City: From Theory to Practice 2018 saw the launch of the Smart City project across the Russian Federation. Implementing innovative digital and engineering solutions for urban infrastructure will increase the efficiency of urban economic management and make cities more pleasant...
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2018 saw the launch of the Smart City project across the Russian Federation. Implementing innovative digital and engineering solutions for urban infrastructure will increase the efficiency of urban economic management and make cities more pleasant and attractive places to live. Phased implementation of integrated smart solutions in all areas of urban life will increase safety, reduce expenditure on administration, housing, and utilities, improve the urban environment and transport links, and so attract investment. What solutions should be introduced first in Russian cities, and which projects might receive state support? How should the Smart City project be implemented in the regions, and what needs to be included in regional programmes? What global technologies and experience do we need to harness? What mechanisms have been developed to make cities smarter and evaluate progress against this goal? What is the role of the state, business, and residents in shaping the environment of smart cities?
- Science and Society: A Strategy for Future Generations It is very difficult to offer a single definition of the term ‘science’ which fully captures its essence. What sets scientific knowledge apart is the profundity of its inquiry into the crux of phenomena, i.e. their theoretical nature. Scientific k...
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It is very difficult to offer a single definition of the term ‘science’ which fully captures its essence. What sets scientific knowledge apart is the profundity of its inquiry into the crux of phenomena, i.e. their theoretical nature. Scientific knowledge begins when regular patterns are noticed in a cluster of facts – a general and necessary connection between them which helps to explain why a particular phenomenon happens one way and not another and to predict how it will develop in the future. One of the problems which arises as scientific knowledge accumulates, and which is particularly relevant right now, is the social responsibility which scientists assume for the outcomes of their work. The results of scientific inquiry can turn out to be dangerous to society, in which case their use for non-academic purposes could be detrimental. Scientists must be aware of their responsibility to society: after all, science cannot be separated from public life, and can exert both a constructive and a destructive influence on it. Who are today’s Russian scientists? What should pure research and information that matters to society look like? Which channels for disseminating information should we be using? Are integrated government support programmes needed in this area? What are young scientists in the 2020s likely to be interested in?
- Creating a Modern School: New Opportunities for the State and Business to Collaborate through the National Education Project In the face of globalization and the nascent digital economy, developing human capital is key to the country’s systematic long-term success, while investment in human resources is the main driver of investment that will result in concrete and meas...
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In the face of globalization and the nascent digital economy, developing human capital is key to the country’s systematic long-term success, while investment in human resources is the main driver of investment that will result in concrete and measurable strategic benefits for the socioeconomic development of the regions. In order to increase the level of development in Russia’s regions and make the Russian economy internationally competitive, it is vital to ensure that Russia possesses human resources capable of responding to the challenges of the global economy. Training to produce highly qualified specialists with the skills to implement large-scale projects in high-tech and knowledge-intensive sectors must be systematic. The National Education Project both creates new and develops existing opportunities for individuals at all stages of their education, from ensuring the right conditions are in place to promote early child development and support families, to modernizing vocational education and facilitating continuous professional development for workers. The project aims to establish opportunities for growth and replicate best practices, taking the individual needs and features of each region into consideration. Which regional features allow the project’s best practices to be implemented most effectively? How can we provide the necessary human resources to support the development of innovative sectors of the economy? Which measures undertaken as part of the National Education Project will create opportunities for developing the investment climate in Russia?
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Healthy Life Expectancy: The Foundation of Social Development The Event of the Healthy Life Forum Russia’s most important developmental goals include increasing life expectancy to 78 years by 2024, of which 67 should be considered healthy, and to improve the quality of life for the elderly. At present, these numbers differ significantly from r...14:30–15:45
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Russia’s most important developmental goals include increasing life expectancy to 78 years by 2024, of which 67 should be considered healthy, and to improve the quality of life for the elderly. At present, these numbers differ significantly from region to region and lag behind the European Union. Special state programmes and a bringing together of the efforts of the whole of society are needed to respond to this challenge, especially in light of Russia’s aging population. Health has been shown to depend upon the population’s real income, on affordable and high-quality medicine, on lifestyle choices such as regular physical activity and nutrition, on a safe environment, and on conditions in the workplace. Active involvement in community life, a demand for their experience and knowledge in the labour market, and, of course, respect and concern on the part of young people are of even greater importance to the health of senior citizens. All of these things have a pronounced effect on healthy longevity, which in turn significantly impacts the economic aspects of the life of the elderly.
What tasks need to be resolved by 2024? What measures have proven to be effective in preserving the health of senior citizens? What is the ideal balance for investments in public health by the state, business, and by people themselves? What conditions need to be created for the elderly to play a more active role in the economy? What public and private programmes to support this trend exist in the regions today? What resources will be needed to increase healthy life expectancy?
- Best Practices for Socioeconomic Development: Integrated Solutions for the Regions and Cities Federal tools for supporting regional development are getting a lot of airtime at the moment, but unique solutions with a positive socioeconomic impact frequently appear and are implemented within the regions themselves. These can be found in area...
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Federal tools for supporting regional development are getting a lot of airtime at the moment, but unique solutions with a positive socioeconomic impact frequently appear and are implemented within the regions themselves. These can be found in areas such as housing and utilities, agriculture, tourism, urban development, and, as of quite recently, social entrepreneurship. Sometimes, these solutions do not even require public funding, but the effect they have can still be very significant. How might regional know-how help to achieve the targets set out in the May Decree? Which solutions have most to offer the regions? How can we evaluate their impact?
Awards Ceremony for the Winners of the All-Russia Regional Best Practices and Initiatives in Socioeconomic Development Competition
- In the Vanguard of Technological Progress: Women in STEM The low proportion of women in STEM professions (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) has traditionally been the result of a number of factors: limitations in the education system, upbringing, and social stereotypes. But even today, ...
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The low proportion of women in STEM professions (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) has traditionally been the result of a number of factors: limitations in the education system, upbringing, and social stereotypes. But even today, despite the broad range of professional opportunities available to women in the country overall, there remain considerable gender inequalities in terms of both the number of people employed in STEM fields and the level at which they are employed. Why are few women entering the world of science and technology? What barriers do women face in this field? Do we need mechanisms and programmes to encourage women to study the hard sciences and increase the number employed in STEM fields? What influence can women have, and what influence are they having, on the development of high-tech sectors? What must be done to attract women into STEM? What projects and initiatives might be implemented at schools and universities?
