Science Days started at South Ural State University on October 29th. During day one, a panel discussion on the topic of “The Present and the Future of the Scientific and Technological Development of the Chelyabinsk Region” was held.
Among the event participants were: the Minister of Education and Science of the Chelyabinsk Region Vitaliy Litke, Assistant to the Plenipotentiary of the President of the Russian Federation for the Ural Federal District Evgenii Gurarii, Deputy Director of the Russian Scientific Information Centre Irina Zhurbina, and Chief Scientific Secretary of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Corresponding Member of the Ural Branch of the RAS Aleksey Makarov. The SUSU Rector Alexander Wagner acted as the moderator of the event:
“It is a great honour for our university to host the Science Days in the Chelyabinsk Region. That’s why, of course, on behalf of the university students, academic and administrative staff members, I would like to thank all of you for your trust and support to us. According to the last year’s results, the Chelyabinsk Region entered the top ten in the ranking of the scientific and technological development of regions. This is a very important achievement for the whole academic community in our region.”
In the course of the discussion, the experts talked about the level of the scientific and technological development of the Chelyabinsk Region and noted its fast-pace growth. The speakers highlighted the role of the regional administration, represented by the Governor Alexey Texler, in the development of the conditions for conducting research and supporting young scientists.
“We do indeed see the personal interest of the chief executive officer – the Governor of the Chelyabinsk Region. It shows in the agenda of the events, number of meetings, communication with universities, young scientists and students, as well as, undoubtedly, in the amount of budget funding being allocated to support their scientific and research works. I feel confident that the region won’t stop there for sure. Here in the Urals, we have unique opportunities, including the strong university and scientific complexes,” noted Assistant to the Plenipotentiary of the President of the Russian Federation for the Ural Federal District Evgenii Gurarii.
The Minister of Education and Science of the Chelyabinsk Region Vitaliy Litke stressed the importance of attracting young people to research activities. He stated that the role of universities and their industrial partners is crucial for the scientific and technological development of the region.
“I would like to thank everyone for their hard work. You are engaged in very serious research and developments. It is very important to preserve and multiply this potential at the level of our region, and of course, involve young people in it since they are our future. Today, points of attraction for youth are being created at universities, so that young people could feel interest and could develop their talents further. We should keep up the good work, and I’d like to thank you for the opportunity of holding such a wonderful event,” Vitaliy Litke addressed the discussion participants.
In our region, much attention is also paid to informing the public about scientific developments and research. Deputy Director of the Russian Scientific Information Centre Irina Zhurbina noted the growth dynamics in terms of this factor:
“The Chelyabinsk Region holds an important place in the scientific and technological landscape of the Russian Federation. This is a truly significant achievement. And I would like to highlight the growth and the powerful progress of this region over the year. The Chelyabinsk Region has improved its ranking by six positions. This is the biggest step forward among all other regions in our country. That’s why I would like to wish you success and keep this position stable.”
The experts discussed the results of import substitution and the role of scientific environment in ensuring of the technological sovereignty of the Russian Federation.
“Today, the task of developing the technological sovereignty is very urgent. We must not simply replace technologies but must create new ones, not inferior but rather superior to others. This is the only way to develop our society and our country,” said Chief Scientific Secretary of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Corresponding Member of the Ural Branch of the RAS Aleksey Makarov.
To wrap up the meeting, the panel discussion speakers wished the generation of young scientists success and not be afraid of trying and dreaming.
Next, the participants of the Science Days went on an excursion to “School 21”, a centre for personnel training in the field of information technologies opened at South Ural State University this year.
Science Days in the Chelyabinsk Region are held October 29th through October 30th. You can check out the event program here.