Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has told key federal ministries to formulate ideas for the development of “world-class IT-related R&D centers” within Russian institutions of higher education and research institutes.
The ministries expected to work out a mutually integrated project include Russia’s Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Telecommunications, and Ministry of Finance.
The future R&D centers must focus on “advanced research” in the IT sector. Mr. Medvedev believes that the key research teams at these centers must have continuous funding allocated for at least five years.
The Russian Prime Minister expects a project concept to be presented to him by April 25, 2013.
According to Medvedev, the rapid advancement of information technologies determines sustainable growth in basically all other sectors of the Russian economy; therefore, the IT industry “was and still remains a priority for the government.” Federal programs currently have $700 million reserved for support of new IT projects. Russian academia may now expect more than $80 million in federal subsidies for collaborating with key IT experts and launching joint projects with industry.
Over the past few years, Russia’s so-called development institutions, which include Skolkovo, Rusnano, RVC, Vnesheconombank and a few others, are said to have invested a total of about $2.5 billion in the IT sector.
