Photo: RIA Novosti / Alexander Kazakov
Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a greeting to the participants and guests of the 5th Congress of Young Scientists, in which he noted:
"It is important to enhance the role of the scientific community in solving strategic tasks of Russia's development, in strengthening national technological and industrial sovereignty. And for this—to stimulate investment in the most promising research, to expand international dialogue and cooperation in this sphere. And of course, to maximally contribute to the professional growth of young talented specialists, to expand opportunities for their participation in long-term projects and programs."
Forum Quote
Photo: Maxim Bogodvid / Photo host of the Congress of Young Scientists
Denis Sekirinsky, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation:
"The number of Congress of Young Scientists participants has tripled over these five years. We started in 2021, ...there were about 3,000 participants. Today, we have approximately 9,000 people at the Congress venue."STAT FACT
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16,000 applications were received for the Congress, and following the selection by the Organizing Committee, participation of over 9,200 participants was confirmed.
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Every fifth Candidate of Sciences in Russia under 29 and every third Doctor of Sciences under 39 is taking part in the forum's business program.
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The Congress is attended by representatives fr om 89 constituent entities of the Russian Federation and over 500 foreign delegates fr om 100 foreign states.
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Photo: Evgeny Biyatov / Photo host of the Congress of Young Scientists
Andrey Fursenko, Assistant to the President of the Russian Federation, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Russian Science Foundation (RSF):
"Soviet science was strong in that it had far less pragmatism than Western science.... I consider that I spent the best part of my life precisely in science, and I can say that both in Soviet times and now, people who simply find it very interesting go there and should go there."
Expert Opinion
Elena Shmeleva, Expert and mentor, Chairperson of the Council of the federal territory "Sirius," Head of the "Talent and Success" Educational Foundation, said that in her opinion, three things inspire young people today: practice, dream, and community. Elena Shmeleva believes that for modern young people, the opportunity to realize their talent and be at the forefront of development or in a project that is already shaping the future is important. The speaker also noted that developing technological sovereignty is impossible without cultural sovereignty. According to her, when a person considers which task they are actually starting to develop for—this can be called "scientific citizenship."
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Alexey Valkov, Deputy Director of the Roscongress Foundation, Director of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum:
"The Congress of Young Scientists is a platform that unites experts from various scientific schools into a single professional space. Regardless of research field or participant's age, opportunities for development are formed here, initiatives that give an impulse to the entire scientific industry are launched."
A discussion "From Strategy to Practice: Implementing Breakthrough Technological Solutions in the Transport System" was held at the Congress.
Sergey Chernyshev, Vice President of the Russian Academy of Sciences, noted: "Transport is a system-forming element and a locomotive of the Russian economy's development. The 'Transport Strategy of the Russian Federation' developed by the Ministry of Transport with the participation of the Russian Academy of Sciences envisages the implementation of long-term goals for the development of the country's transport system until 2030 and for the forecast period until 2035: increasing spatial connectivity and transport accessibility of territories; increasing population mobility and developing domestic tourism; increasing the volume and speed of freight transit and developing multimodal logistics technologies; digital and low-carbon transformation of the industry and accelerated introduction of new technologies."
During the discussion, three key challenges for the transport industry were named: increasing automation and introducing unmanned technologies, reliability, and ecology.
Фото: Кирилл Зыков / Фотохост Конгресса молодых учёных
Developing Human Capital
Participants of the session "Grow in Russia: Architecture of Solutions for Developing Human Capital Locally" discussed approaches to developing human capital in the regions and conditions for self-realization of young specialists.
Experts noted that the Congress contributes to forming a stable personnel environment, wh ere collaborations between young and experienced researchers allow expanding scientific potential, pilot projects make career trajectories more transparent, and professional classes with employer participation connect education and the labor market.
A significant part of the discussion was devoted to the topic of cooperation between science and business, inter-regional synergy of development institutions, within which scientists and young specialists are involved in solving tasks of regions and businesses. However, in a number of regions, young scientists find themselves without clear development prospects.
Speakers also condemned the problem of a gap in the career trajectories of young researchers. Without a clear understanding of prospects and without conditions for cross-functional interaction, young scientists risk stalling at entry-level positions or leaving the research field. Close ties with regional projects and specific partners help young scientists see the practical significance of their developments and understand how their work aligns with the general tasks of the country's development.
Discussion participants emphasized that sustainable development is impossible without diversity in industries, educational trajectories, and professional communities. An opinion was expressed about the special value of intergenerational and interdisciplinary teams as one of the most effective formats, allowing young and experienced scientists to jointly create competitive solutions, increase youth engagement, form new competencies, and strengthen human resource potential.
They also spoke about the systemic development of educational infrastructure. Creating professional classes jointly with employers, participating in the "Professionalitet" program, and forming regional clusters allow for seamless professional growth trajectories.
Advantages of the Russian Educational System
Photo: Evgeny Biyatov / Photo host of the Congress of Young Scientists
Anton Kobyakov, Head of the interdepartmental working group for the preparation and holding of the Congress of Young Scientists and satellite events, Advisor to the President of the Russian Federation, named among the advantages of the Russian educational system the system of olympiads and specialized schools, which serves as a social elevator for gifted children; strong traditions in mathematical and natural science training; powerful scientific schools; unique research infrastructure; the dedication of scientists; and the annual expansion of state support measures for science: four Presidential Prizes in Science and Innovation and seven Government of the Russian Federation Prizes; the "Megagrants" program; other grant competitions; youth laboratories.
Photofacts from the Congress
Science for All. Photo: Pelagiya Tikhonova / Photo host of the Congress of Young Scientists
Meeting of Councils of Young Scientists in the Pedagogical Sector. Photo: Pelagiya Tikhonova / Photo host of the Congress of Young Scientists
Popularizing Science. Wh ere is the Result? Photo: Kirill Zykov / Photo host of the Congress of Young Scientists