Network of University Campuses – Russia's Intellectual Belt

3 September 2021

Network of University Campuses – Russia's Intellectual Belt

KEY CONCLUSIONS

The development of campuses should be funded from a variety of sources, not just the state budget

“We don’t think about these campuses in the same logic as social security, when we take public money, build and then load all this infrastructure on the shoulders of universities and say: ‘Now deal with this’. No, we held discussions with [acting Khabarovsk Territory Governor] Mikhail Degtyarev about how this is a distinctive feature of the new generation of infrastructure policy. We are building them with multichannel financing and the use of private funds,” Russian Minister of Science and Higher Education Valery Falkov said.

“We aren’t earmarking these RUB 50 billion for the construction of campuses as budget investments, as it was done in Soviet times, but as multi-channel financing. This means that this is a different kind of responsibility. For the first time, an attempt is being made to implement a project in which there will be a lot of participants who work together,” VEB.RF Managing Director Mikhail Alashkevich said.

“Projects should pay for themselves not only through government subsidies and budget subsidies. They should pay for themselves through commercial revenue, such as possibly attracting these users from a campus. It could be students or teachers. But if the project is properly integrated into the urban environment, then there will be other users who will generate the commercial revenue that will reduce the burden on the budget,” VTB Infrastructure Holding First Deputy General Director Andrey Kiselev said.

New campuses can attract the best talent from around the world – both students and teachers

“In terms of the effects, I would like to say that we have estimated that within the 15 years of targeted operation that are included in the project, the budgets of different levels will receive about RUB 70 billion in income tax alone. And about 25,000 jobs will be created,” VEB.RF Managing Director Mikhail Alashkevich said.

“For us, this is manpower above all. I wouldn’t use the words ‘lock in’ and ‘retain’. Higher education is a highly competitive environment, so we are taking a broader view. Let’s say ‘attract’ the best people to Khabarovsk and the Far East,” acting Khabarovsk Territory Governor Mikhail Degtyarev said.

“We need to attract the best talent from all over the world here. The one percent of talent that is able to choose the best universities should choose the best Russian universities and continue to stay here in Russia,” National Research University Higher School of Economics Rector Nikita Anisimov.

Science and higher education have become entities in the formation of the economy

“Today, we spoke at a business breakfast about the development of the world’s oceans and biotechnology. We wanted to synchronize the development strategy of the university and the regional government, so we are hoping for joint productive work,” Primorsky Territory Deputy Prime Minister Nikolay Stetsko said.

“Science and higher education are starting to be recognized as real entities in the formation of the economy and that this is not just a social sector,” National Research University Higher School of Economics Rector Nikita Anisimov said.

PROBLEMS

Campus management mechanisms are poorly developed in Russia

“Maintaining and operating campuses is a huge job and [requires] special skills. For some reason, we think that building them is a major task and then it will all be somehow managed on its own. No. During the next stage, the ministry, together with our colleagues from banks and development institutions, will carry out a lot of work to train management teams, including using the experience of the best Russian universities in campus management,” Russian Minister of Science and Higher Education Valery Falkov said.

“The students themselves are key stakeholders in this whole process. The management company and, in general, the entire management model, as Valery Falkov mentioned, should be built in a completely different way. After all, in terms of the places of residence that will become the basis for such campuses, the management company will interact directly with the students,” VEB.RF Managing Director Mikhail Alashkevich said.

SOLUTIONS

The national and regional authorities need to work closely together with business to implement campus projects

“[They need to work together] on the campus construction project itself. The first key point is that we not do them without regions. You should see that the federal and regional authorities are always close by,” Russian Minister of Science and Higher Education Valery Falkov said.

“We can see that today there is cooperation between the regions and the federal government on the implementation of campus projects. This provides a synergistic effect and helps to enhance these effects,” VEB.RF Managing Director Mikhail Alashkevich said.

The customer, consumer, and investor of projects need to build up trust

“The passengers of this aircraft need to be thoroughly involved in the design of the aircraft. We need to hear their wishes and properly assess the needs of all those who will continue to use this aircraft. But it’s still important to build an atmosphere of trust among the passengers in relation to the professionals who sit at the helm of this liner,” National Research University Higher School of Economics Rector Nikita Anisimov said.

“Nikita Anisimov spoke about the important factor of trust between the customer of the service and the consumers. This is generally the key thing in financing infrastructure, which, as we understand, is not just a market or a shopping centre, where you calculated the savings, demand, and money invested at your own risk and peril. Here the regulator and the rector will be a huge influencing factor on the return on investment,” Gazprombank First Vice President Alexey Chichkanov said.

For more, see the Roscongress Foundation’s Information and Analytical System roscongress.org

Network of University Campuses – Russia's Intellectual Belt

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