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On July 1, 2015, Academician of RAS Evgeny N. Kablov, Director General of the All-Russian Scientific-Research Institute of Aviation Materials (VIAM) has held the Presidium of the Scientific and Technical Council (STC) under the Governor of the Samara region.

The issue of the meeting was the “Gagarin-center” technopolis concept. It should be noted, that this center would be built in a few years; the technololis is planned as a science city, and a campus and technopark will be parts of it. The technopolis should provide conditions for a breakthrough leap in the field of the development of high technologies and foundation of new scientific educational schools. The institutions engaged in high technologies and products and personnel training only can be its residents.

Opening the meeting, Evgeny Kablov, chairman of STC, declared that the President of RF Vladimir V. Putin pays more and more attention to enhancing the role of science in the development of the state. “Science, business and industry must cooperate to meet the challenges to the country,” Evgeny Kablov has cited the Head of the State. “And for these purposes we need new knowledge and technologies,” the head of VIAM pointed out and added, “According to the Head of the State, the country should generate new ideas and technologies by itself in order to have all-sufficient structure of science and engineering.” “Gagarin-center” will allow solving tasks set by the President.

Then Alexander V. Kobenko, vice-governor, minister of economic development, investments and trade of the Samara region presented a draft concept of “Gagarin-center”. According to him, “Gagarin-center” located in a village named Radio center will be a new district of the city, where the science and highly developed production will be integrated in a united area.  “International experience on launching of innovative centers is used for its design. The Samara Technopolis will be a synthesis of the best scientific practices,” Kobenko explained.

After a brief presentation, members of the Presidium discussed the project of the Technopolis. According to Evgeny Kablov, such a discussion should help to finalize the conception of “Gagarin- center” and to agree a set of important proposals.

Nikolai I. Merkyshkin, Governor of the Samara region joined to the participants of the Council in the second part of the meeting.

In his report, he pointed out “The base for the Technopolis, which will include both capacities of universities and innovative enterprises, is gradually developed”. “The following year a big united university with high-capacity natural-scientific and humanities departments will begin its work in the Samara region. The launching of this university will give us additional opportunities to make it one of the best universities of the world”, Nikolai Merkyshkin declared.

According to the head of the region, the Technopolis together with this united university will attract talented young people to the Samara region not only from other regions of the country, but also from abroad states.

In turn, Evgeny Kablov supported the idea of Nikolai Merkyshkin about involving young people and specialists and noted that today it is a strategic issue for Russia. According to the Director General of VIAM, with the aim of involvement of talented young people it is necessary to present to the Government of RF an initiative on simplification of the acquiring citizenship procedure for foreigners, who will be engaged in scientific and production activities.

Besides, Evgeny Kablov reported to the Governor, that the majority of members of the Council supported the idea of creating of the “Gagarin-center”. “In the following step it is necessary to work out a clear organizational structure, economic components and prospects of this project. Another important point is the interest of business in products, which the Technopolis will produce”, he summarized.

Then, in the course of “The open forum”, the participants of STC could make their proposals for the final resolution of the Council.

Evgeny Kablov has summed up the discussion. “Today the main issue of the project is to transfer knowledge necessary in different economic sectors. It can be only achieved by cooperation between business, science and education. “Gagarin-center should become a platform to unite different communities and teams”, the head of VIAM pointed out. According to him, the Technopolis should solve important tasks of personnel training and development of new solutions for industrial enterprises. For this purpose, it is essential to create a center of the collective use as a certain tandem of science-consuming industries. “Any businessman may apply to this center and order any needful development. Thereby the center will bring money”, Evgeny Kablov explained.

Following the discussion, the Scientific and Technical Council has decided to approve the project “Gagarin-center” and modify its main business areas. “In the nearest future we will collect proposals of all participants of the Council and form a plan of actions at the initial stage and also for the long- and medium run prospects,” Evgeny Kablov concluded.