Head of Karelia discussed innovation potential of Karelia with students and teachers of Petrozavodsk State University

On February, 26th Head of Karelia Sergey Katanandov met with students and teachers of Petrozavodsk State University. The meeting concerned role of education and science in innovative development of the republic. The cause to serious conversation regarding this issue was provided by policy statements of the President of Russia Vladimir Putin and the first vice-premier Dmitry Medvedev on necessity of innovations for overall modernization of life in the country, as well as wide experience of innovative activity gained by scientific and educational establishments of the region.

As Head of Karelia pointed out, now Russia has a chance to improve life of its citizens radically, and the republic should use opportunities opened for the country to the full. Therefore, there should be new competitive ideas and people capable of their implementation. Alongside with timber industry, mining industry and tourism development, Karelia should show dynamics in high technology branches. As an example, Sergey Katanandov has cited the newly opened Cardiosurgical Center in Petrozavodsk provided with up-to-date equippment.

In turn, rector of Petrozavodsk State University Anatoly Voronin has noted, that serious innovative infrastructure is created in Russia. It includes priority national projects, technoparks, business-incubators, special economic zones, venture funds, basic research support programs, etc. Thus, institutes of higher education and regional centers of the Russian academy of science become kernels of innovative development of subjects of the Federation.

According to Anatoly Voronin, in Karelia there already exists corresponding environment for development and introduction of innovations, including 48 laboratories, 4 research institutes, park of information technologies and 16 university centers. Plans of creation of technological village and center of joint use of scientific equipment are developed, competitions of innovative projects are held, there goes teamwork with large enterprises. Besides, Government of the republic allocates means under the regional program to support institutes of higher education (in 2007 there has been allocated 27 million roubles), annually it pays special scholarships to the best undergraduate and post-graduate students of Karelia, cooperates with universities and Karelian Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Science within the scope of republican branch and target programs.

As the rector has informed, Petrozavodsk State University together with other scientific institutes of Karelia conducts innovative development in such perspective areas as information technologies, microelectronics, nanotechnology, rational nature management, etc. As cost of large complex projects in Russia gradually increases and demands new forms of management, to coordinate this sphere Anatoly Voronin has suggested to create a Council on Science, Technologies and Innovations at the Head of Karelia.

In conclusion of the meeting the Head of Karelia has answered questions of the audience. In particular, Sergey Katanandov was asked to state precisely terms and scales of increasing wages to teachers of institutes of higher education and school teachers. Head of the region has answered, that, as it has been declared earlier, within the next 3 years the salary of workers of budgetary sphere of Karelia should be doubled. In parallel there will pass the payment system reform directed retreat from unified wage rate scale, however terms of its completion have not been mentioned, yet. In the opinion of the Head of the Republic, we should be cautious in this matter to cause no harm with the reform.