Current Trends in Scientific Policy in Russia Through the Prism of the Congress of Young Scientists

The period from 2022 to 2031 was declared the Decade of Science and Technology by the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin. The Decade of Science and Technology includes a set of initiatives and events, national and federal projects. All of them are aimed at strengthening the role of science, technology and development in ensuring technological sovereignty and creating a competitive scientific and technological space in Russia. By right, the most significant event of the Decade is the Congress of Young Scientists, which was held for the first time in 2021 on the federal territory of Sirius. In November 2024, the next Congress was successfully held. Over four years, it was attended by a total of about 18 thousand young scientists, graduate students, students, managers and entrepreneurs from all regions of Russia and many foreign countries. The average age of the participants is under 30 years. The Congress traditionally takes place over three days and has an impressive and diverse Program so that each participant can find something interesting for themselves. The article provides an overview of the most significant events of the Congress business program for the period 2021-2023, presents an analysis of the current instruments for attracting and supporting young scientists at the federal and regional levels, and outlines the priorities of the state scientific and personnel policy in modern conditions. A comparison of the Congress Business Programs for three years showed that in 2021 the focus was on the general demonstration of the country’s scientific achievements. In 2022, the issues of achieving technological sovereignty of Russia and the problems of integrating science into production came to the fore; the key theme of the 2022 Congress was designated as «Russian Science in the Era of International Rivalry». Since 2023, more and more young specialists and researchers have been involved in organizing the Congress. The Business Program of the 2023 Congress was devoted to the theme «Science: a Space of Opportunities». The personal and professional qualities of young researchers necessary for successful self-realization in fundamental science and applied research, in the creation of technological startups and the development of new products were discussed.

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