On February 25, 2016 the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) hosted a round table “Russia's International Cooperation in Science and Education.” The event was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, the Russian Foreign Ministry, the Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo), the Russian Federal Migration Service (FMS), the International Russian-Speaking Academic Science Association (RASA), the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Russian Foundation for Humanities (RFH), the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR), leading Russian universities, and RIAC experts.
On February 25, 2016 the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) hosted a round table “Russia's International Cooperation in Science and Education.” The event was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, the Russian Foreign Ministry, the Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo), the Russian Federal Migration Service (FMS), the International Russian-Speaking Academic Science Association (RASA), the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Russian Foundation for Humanities (RFH), the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR), leading Russian universities, and RIAC experts.
During the first session, RIAC presented a report “Development of Cooperation with the Russian Academic Diaspora: Experience, Problems and Prospects", written in partnership with Inconsult K and RASA. RIAC Director General Andrey Kortunov, CEO of Inconsult K Irina Korotkova, President of the Russian-Speaking Academic Science Association (RASA) Vladimir Schiltsev and President of RASA-USA Nikolay Vasiliev addressed the meeting with welcome remarks.
The methodology of the research, its key findings, conclusions and recommendations were presented by Irina Dezhina, Head of Skoltech Scientific and Industrial Policy Group and one of the authors of the report. The issues of cooperation among academic diasporas covered by the report provoked a lively discussion. In particular, the participants touched upon problems of interaction among representatives of Russian-speaking academic diasporas with relevant ministries and agencies, as well as institutions of the Russian Academy of Sciences and universities.
The discussion identified a range of topics that demand particular attention of the agencies in charge of involving representatives of Russian-speaking diasporas in scientific cooperation with Russian universities and research institutions. These agencies include the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, the Russian Foreign Ministry, Rossotrudnichestvo, the Russian Federal Migration Service, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Russian Federation, and others.
The main proposals put forward by the participants were as follows:
- To improve informational transparency of Russian science and education; to promote Russian science abroad; to create a single information resource reflecting real achievements of Russian science and university research as well as possibilities of involving representatives of the Russian diasporas in Russian scientific projects, teaching, etc.;
- To bring Russia’s resettlement programs, legal foundations, as well as employment and scientific opportunities to the notice of academic diasporas;
- To relax visa requirements for academic diasporas representatives’ and leading foreign scientists; to lift a number of restrictions affecting time limits, migration, employment, taxation, etc.;
- To broaden the experience of Days of Russian Science and similar events, for example, of specific days of Russian universities or branches of knowledge, followed by an analysis of the experience as well as of the impact of such events;
- To study and analyze the experience of diaspora representatives’ long-term cooperation with Russian universities and scientific organizations, including those that make part of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
The round table also held a presentation of the report and a rating of Digital Internationalization of Russian Universities. The rating included 45 English-language websites of major Russian universities and 11 foreign universities in the top-100 QS World University Rankings, where English is not the primary language of instruction.
Deputy Program Director Timur Makhmutov briefed the participants on the results of RIAC’s three-year research of Russian universities’ activity in foreign Internet segments, dwelling at length upon the results of the report, and shared practical recommendations for improving English language websites of universities.
The round table was followed by a lively discussion of its results among universities’ representatives, who are responsible for developing international ties and Internet resources.
Round table “Russia's International Cooperation in Science and Education”
