Programme

Every day, technology is becoming a bigger part of our daily lives, and doing business is no exception. For some, new technologies are becoming a trusted aid to business or even the basis of a successful startup, whereas for others they are the harbinger of major problems and bankruptcy. This discussion will assess the influence of new technologies on the Russian economy as a whole, and on small businesses in particular. Possible paths will be determined for the development of small enterprises in the new environment in which we now find ourselves. Specially invited experts will explain which sectors they expect to experience a substantial growth in profitability in future, and what forms of business will cease to exist in the next five years as new technologies render them obsolete. It is anticipated that the discussion will be of considerable practical value to participants. Young entrepreneurs in the Russian Far East need to move with the times, keeping themselves prepared for new technological challenges and opportunities.

Today, the development of public initiatives and the non-profit sector in the Russian Far East is displaying the same trends found in the rest of the country. Activists are becoming better leaders, better organized, and better resourced, and communication with government bodies is improving. At the same time, the poorly developed infrastructure supporting non-profit organizations and activists’ projects, and remaining gaps in the legal and regulatory framework on which relations between the government and the third sector are based, are hindering the broader development of social activism among citizens and reducing the effectiveness of the work being done by non-profit organizations to tackle social problems and challenges. Keeping in mind the importance of citizens’ initiatives in resolving the majority of development issues faced by the Russian Far East, it is essential to bring together the efforts of national, regional, and local structures with the aim of reforming the entire support system for the non-profit sector and introducing and implementing effective practices and methods for working with initiatives in the Far Eastern Federal District. Developing infrastructure – first and foremost, resource centres, which can provide competent and accessible assistance to initiators as they develop, promote, and implement their projects and events – is also critical.

The Russian Export Center’s educational programme provides training for new export companies in the fundamentals and practicalities of export activity, including information on best practices from leading experts in Russian foreign trade and international experience. The Russian Export Center’s programme is currently the country’s only comprehensive training course in foreign trade which has been developed especially for SMEs, and which is delivered directly in Russia’s regions to a uniformly high standard and with uniform availability and regularity.

For the first time at the Eastern Economic Forum, there will be a youth platform, whose mission will be to engage young people under the age of 35 in matters concerning the Far Eastern Federal District. An environment built to mobilize intelligent and creative young people in the region could serve as a powerful catalyst in solving the challenges related to advanced development in the Far Eastern Federal District. In order to achieve this, the basic principles which drive youth policy in the region today must be re-evaluated, while development institutions, universities, business and government must be given a defined place and role, and an ecosystem must be created to support youth initiatives, entrepreneurship, and startups.

The countries of Asia represent an enormous consumer market which is virtually unknown to Russian entrepreneurs. This market stands out as a highly competitive one, making it extremely difficult to gain a foothold in. Entrepreneurs must pin their hopes on unique products which have no analogue on the Asian market. This section will examine real case studies of products and services being promoted on Asian markets, as shared with us by our speakers. The speakers will also answer questions from section participants.

With the emergence of modern technologies and the full computerization of society across the globe, the system in which everybody in business was used to operating has suddenly become outdated. An entire world of new platforms for developing and promoting businesses has opened up. This section will be devoted to exchanging best practices in implementing e-commerce systems and to discussing their prospects in Russia and the wider world.

Against a background of growing economic ties and intensified international humanitarian exchanges within APEC, the issues of ensuring quality of education and mutual recognition of qualifications are becoming ever more challenging. Barriers to recognition are significantly limiting opportunities for educational integration and the development of academic mobility. In this context, harmonization of the approaches and mechanisms for recognizing the education systems of APEC member countries is becoming especially important as a key step towards the creation of a common educational and economic space. This working session will be devoted to the discussion of existing international mechanisms for recognizing education, problem areas, and prospects for the establishment of a common system for mutual recognition within APEC, as well as the exchange of best practices for assessing foreign qualifications, in view of current trends in education.

This moderated discussion will consider unoccupied niches for new business projects and assess existing demand in the Russian Far East. It will also examine the new possibilities and advantages offered by Vladivostok Free Port and advanced special economic zones. The session will also include a presentation on the possibilities of the new Voskhod investment platform.

A new format for business networking: annual meetings between leading executives, well-known politicians, and public figures at economic forums and significant global occasions, in an informal setting through sporting events, gala matches, tournaments, and business events. The aim is, among other things, to continue the dialogue begun at economic forums, facilitate business negotiations, and promote the establishment of friendly ties which lead to mutual understanding and collaboration in numerous areas.

Today, the development of public initiatives and the non-profit sector in the Russian Far East is displaying the same trends found in the rest of the country. Activists are becoming better leaders, better organized, and better resourced, and communication with government bodies is improving. At the same time, the poorly developed infrastructure supporting non-profit organizations and activists’ projects, and remaining gaps in the legal and regulatory framework on which relations between the government and the third sector are based, are hindering the broader development of social activism among citizens and reducing the effectiveness of the work being done by non-profit organizations to tackle social problems and challenges.
Keeping in mind the importance of citizens’ initiatives in resolving the majority of development issues faced by the Russian Far East, it is essential to bring together the efforts of national, regional, and local structures with the aim of reforming the entire support system for the non-profit sector and introducing and implementing effective practices and methods for working with initiatives in the Far Eastern Federal District. Developing infrastructure – first and foremost, resource centres, which can provide competent and accessible assistance to initiators as they develop, promote, and implement their projects and events – is also critical.

Franchising is one of the most popular and successful business models in the world. According to experts, it is the most common form of doing business in the West. In Russia, however, it has yet to achieve this level of popularity. This is due chiefly to a lack of awareness among entrepreneurs of the possibilities and advantages of buying or creating their own franchise. This session will discuss the essential parameters of launching Russian franchises on Asian markets and look for the best solutions. Objective: to increase general awareness of franchising among young entrepreneurs, and to discuss the possibility of using Vladivostok as a starting point for subsequently adapting Russian franchises to suit Asian markets.

Modern technologies have transformed the way businesses are managed throughout the world. Managers no longer need to remain in the office throughout the working day. New software has enabled the automation of many processes which once required entrepreneurs to be physically present. Better and better tools for managing organizations are appearing every year. This section will include a speaker presentation on the subject ‘Business in the cloud: how to run a business anywhere in the world from Vladivostok’. Participants will have the chance to engage directly with speakers, and to discuss the pros and cons of new business management technologies.

Young people throughout the world are of particular value to society and occupy a special place in social and economic relationships. The situation for young people and the degree of their participation in economic development depends both on the state, and on young people themselves taking a proactive approach to life. Creating the economy of the future will require change from all participants in global politics, from the private to the state sector, and from the academic world and society itself. The young people of the world are the driving force behind innovation and creativity, the catalyst for putting new initiatives, ideas, and movements into practice, and a reservoir of vast intellectual potential. The value of young people in the modern world is also increasing with the growing importance of the education and professional skills required in response to a revolution in science and technology.

Mutual perception is a major factor which can facilitate or impede productive international cooperation. Russians share a mostly positive image of ASEAN member states, and the same holds true for the image of Russia in most ASEAN countries. Yet, admittedly, these images are rather blurred and full of stereotypes. Ordinary people and elites in both Russia and ASEAN know very little about their counterparts and have difficulty building mutual understanding. Participants in this session are invited to discuss how Russia and ASEAN countries can understand their partners better by learning more about each other through academic and cultural exchanges, media reporting, and other channels for public and interpersonal contacts.

Against a background of growing economic ties and intensified international humanitarian exchanges within APEC, the issues of ensuring quality of education and mutual recognition of qualifications are becoming ever more challenging. Barriers to recognition are significantly limiting opportunities for educational integration and the development of academic mobility. In this context, harmonization of the approaches and mechanisms for recognizing the education systems of APEC member countries is becoming especially important as a key step towards the creation of a common educational and economic space. This working session will be devoted to the discussion of existing international mechanisms for recognizing education, problem areas, and prospects for the establishment of a common system for mutual recognition within APEC, as well as the exchange of best practices for assessing foreign qualifications, in view of current trends in education.

This session is devoted to the problems of launching and developing a Russian business in Asia, as well as to preparing entrepreneurs and managers to work in the markets of the Asia-Pacific region. It will include a presentation from Russia’s first Executive MBA programme, ‘Establishing and promoting a business in Asia’. This programme has been developed jointly by the Far Eastern Federal University, the Agency for the Development of Human Capital in the Far East, and the National University of Singapore. It is intended for those who are planning to develop their business in Asia, but do not know how to find their niche and direction for successfully promoting themselves on Asian markets. Session participants will learn about the special features of the programme and find out what they can look forward to once they have completed their training.

Facilitating the development of human capital in the Far East is the key to delivering on the regional development strategy. Measures taken with the aim of developing the Russian Far East should ensure that the population (in particular the youth population) within the constituent entities of the Far Eastern Federal District remains stable or shows upward growth. To this end, on 20 July 2017, the Government of the Russian Federation approved a Concept for the Demographic Policy of the Russian Far East covering the period until 2025. A significant part of this concept focuses on the establishment and implementation of measures to encourage young people to settle in the Far East, as well as creating the conditions for a stable growth in the birth rate and life expectancy, a reduction in the mortality rate, a decrease in emigration, increase in migration attractiveness, and the creation of new jobs in the Far East. What are the most pressing challenges associated with encouraging young people to settle in regions of Russia’s Far East? What needs to be done to ensure wide scale involvement among young people in the implementation of the concept on all levels? What can be done to promote the implementation of the concept on the ground?

One of the priorities of the Concept for the Long-Term Socio Economic Development of the Russian Federation to 2020 is the growth of the nonprofit sector. The concept pays considerable attention to the social services provided by non-profits, achieving a reduction in administrative barriers, the creation of youth non-profits, and the development of a transparent state support system for the non profit sector. The impact of this emerging third sector on the social and economic situation in the country, particularly in the Far East, is directly dependent on the interactions between non-profit organizations and representative and executive state bodies, as well as with local government. What is the most effective partnership strategy between the government and the third sector? What is the role of regional and municipal authorities in this form of cooperation? What needs to be done to increase the proportion of social services provided by the non profit sector?

Technology entrepreneurship, encompassing the active involvement of young people as the most dynamic members of society, should be the driver of the Far Eastern economy. In order for this to happen, the state, private sector, and educational institutions will need to join forces. One of the key global trends in the development of higher education is the establishment of fully fledged business ecosystems within universities. Universities in the Far Eastern Federal District can become a platform to unite all interested parties in one effective ecosystem to support technology entrepreneurship. What must be done to develop technology entrepreneurship at universities What opportunities can development institutions offer to support technology entrepreneurship in the Far Eastern Federal District? What regional innovation development programmes are scalable in the Far East?

One of Russia’s priorities in improving quality of life and ensuring economic growth in the Far Eastern Federal District is the creation of a favourable investment climate and ensuring that businesses in the region have quicker access to Asia-Pacific markets. Advanced Special Economic Zones and Vladivostok Free Port are, as zones with special regulatory regimes, the primary tools to achieve this goal. At the current time, the mechanisms used to implement these tools are in need of feedback from all sections of the population as a way of optimizing the work of the relevant development institutions in the Russian Far East. In addition, youth entrepreneurship is viewed as an important driver of the Far Eastern economy. Consequently, the government is taking steps to encourage businesspeople to take advantage of the existing support mechanisms, such as the aforementioned Advanced Special Economic Zones and Vladivostok Free Port. How do young people assess the efforts the government is making in this area? How can participation among young people be widened in implementing the concept of Advanced Special Economic Zones and Vladivostok Free Port? What steps need to be taken to improve these special regulatory regimes?

The Far Eastern Hectare programme is a motivational driver of the Far Eastern Federal District’s development system, created to bring human capital resources to the development of vast areas in Russia’s Far East. The 2016 law concerning the Far Eastern Hectare governs land, forest, and other aspects connected with the provision of land plots in state or municipal ownership located within the Far Eastern Federal District to citizens of the Russian Federation. It enables any Russian citizen to obtain one hectare in the Far East for residential, agricultural or entrepreneurial purposes. The young people of the Far East, as the driver of economic growth, are one of the key target groups for the Far Eastern Hectare programme. What makes the Far Eastern Hectare programme attractive to young people? What measures and tools are required to make it simple and attractive to acquire a hectare, and ensure it is used effectively? What are the intermediate results of the Far Eastern Hectare programme, and what are its medium-term prospects?

It is no secret that the infrastructure of a city, together with its political and economic environment, has a considerable impact on the entrepreneurial capacity of its citizens. This section will be devoted to defining the optimal qualities of the ‘ideal’ city from an entrepreneurial point of view. It will also consider how to make Vladivostok a convenient place in which to do business. Dmitry Alekseev will deliver a talk on ‘Why there should be a maximum of two cities in the Russian Far East’. The section will also examine what is being done in Moscow and in Asian countries to create a comfortable urban environment for entrepreneurs.

The Philippines is one of the largest Southeast Asian nations with a population exceeding 100 million people. Annual economic growth of 6% makes the Philippines one of the world’s most rapidly developing countries. Throughout the past decade, Russo-Filipino contacts have been limited. There was a notable shift in 2016, however, when President Rodrigo Duterte came into office and proclaimed his intention to pursue a more balanced foreign policy. Whereas previously the Philippines’ relations with the great powers had been mostly focused on the US, now the country also sees Russia and China as potentially important partners. President Duterte has repeatedly stated that the Philippines is interested in strengthening and developing relations with Russia as new strategic partner for the country. In December 2016, when a group of Russian Pacific Fleet ships visited Manila, he personally toured one of them. In spring 2017, President Duterte visited Moscow to meet President Vladimir Putin. At the governmental level, Russia and the Philippines are working on plans to boost cooperation and exchanges in all key areas, including the economy, military cooperation, security, education, and science. As a result, relations with the Philippines have become a very promising element of Russia’s policy in the Asia-Pacific region. This session will discuss the current state of Russo-Filipino relations and prospects for the future. Is it possible to establish strategic cooperation between our countries?

Education traditionally represents one of the most important areas for cooperation among rapidly developing APEC member economies. Due to fast growing socio-humanitarian ties, and academic and scientific cooperation, state borders are becoming increasingly transparent. In the context of regional integration and evolving international challenges, APEC member economies need to adapt rapidly to a new international environment. Economies have to use emerging opportunities effectively in order to provide regional human resources with the skills and competencies that are in high demand on local labour markets. This requires a long-term strategy. The educational space in this context seems to be the foundation for building a stable and prosperous society in the Asia-Pacific region.

This discussion will include an overview of existing financial market instruments, a quickfire survey, and expert presentations on financial topics.

Today, Japan is one of Russia’s most important regional cooperation partners, with the countries working together to develop the economy of the Far East. Over the last two years, the two countries have reached agreements on dozens of new initiatives and projects aimed at the development of the Russian Far East. In May 2016, Prime Minister of Japan Shinzō Abe proposed an eight-point plan for economic cooperation. This new approach to relations between Russia and Japan has led to the emergence of new levels of cooperation. Among the primary objectives of the two nations is the development of human capital, which was the main driver behind the creation of a new mechanism for the cooperation between young people in Russia and Japan. This mechanism arose from the establishment of the Association of Institutions of Higher Education of the Russian Federation and Japan, which has led to the Student Forum taking place, held by Moscow State University and the Far Eastern Federal University. The Forum is a platform where young researchers have the chance to propose their ideas on how to improve Russian-Japanese cooperation in a wide range of areas, such as education, science, cultural exchanges, healthcare, economics, and ecology. Consequently, the Forum promotes relations between Japan and Russia through facilitating communication between young people from the two countries.