Natalia Shmatko

The competition for promising young researchers is intensifying around the world, and spending on preparing future generations of highly qualified specialists is on the rise. This is happening against a backdrop of digitalisation, which is creating a new digital inequality. For example, a quarter of the adult population in Russia does not possess any digital skills and does not use the Internet. These and other topics were discussed by participants of a round table held during the XXII April International Academic Conference on Economic and Social Development organised by HSE University and Sberbank.

The competition for promising young researchers is intensifying around the world, and spending on preparing future generations of highly qualified specialists is on the rise. This is happening against a backdrop of digitalisation, which is creating a new digital inequality. For example, a quarter of the adult population in Russia does not possess any digital skills and does not use the Internet. These and other topics were discussed by participants of a round table held during the XXII April International Academic Conference on Economic and Social Development organised by HSE University and Sberbank.

The new issue of the Foresight and STI Governance journal is devoted to the impact of technological progress on employment prospects and the development of competencies. This problem is viewed from the perspective of employees, companies and regions.

The 'map of professions' is being redrafted right in front of our eyes, and approaches to staff training are changing radically. Russian and German experts discussed the factors affecting the labour market in the 21^st century in an unusual format — podium debates combined with a pre-Christmas reception. The event was hosted by the Moscow German Embassy’s Department of Science, the German Centre for Research and Innovation (DWIH), and the Higher School of Economics on 4 December, 2018.

The HSE Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge conducted a survey of more than 2 thousand Russian doctorate holders, in order to assess the situation with foreign language skills among highly qualified scientific personnel.

The labour market is changing rapidly and radically. The changes are already apparent and are certain to become even more pronounced in the coming years. Accordingly, the question 'which professions are going to be in demand in 5-10 years’ time' becomes increasingly important: what qualifications should be acquired now to have labour market-relevant knowledge and skills upon graduation? The HSE Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge (ISSEK) experts addressed these issues in the scope of the targeted project to identify professions for the future.

Experts at the HSE Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge found out to what extent modern digital technologies have taken over the activities of Russian PhD holders.

In the special issue of the journal various aspects of the integration of education, research and innovation activities of universities based on the model of “knowledge triangle” are being considered. The experts from Russia, Great Britain, Austria, Sweden, Iran, Indonesia and OECD share the achievements upon the subject.

PhD holders’ careers analysis shows that getting an academic degree is no longer enough for a career in research. The chances of getting a permanent job, of getting a good position at a university or research centre depend not only on one’s academic degree but also on one’s experience, competencies and portfolio.

One in ten Russian researchers who publish prolifically are working simultaneously in more than one country. According to HSE researchers, they are usually attracted to countries such as the U.S., Germany, France and the U.K.

Policymakers are increasingly turning to foresight techniques for guidance when addressing the wide array of problems and challenges arising in their work. A new book co-edited by Leonid Gokhberg, Dirk Meissner, and Alexander Sokolov from the HSE ISSEK, attempts to add another dimension — namely, opportunities — that can come from proper application of foresight techniques.

At the XVI April Conference’s section on Science and Innovation hosted by the Higher School of Economics, a seminar took place on international ways to cooperate in the fields of science, technology, and innovation. Participants included universities from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) project ‘Knowledge Triangle: Cooperation in Science, Education, and Innovation.’ The section’s participants discussed the role of education, academic research, and innovation in ensuring the ability of European countries to compete globally.