Recruiting and retaining talent is a key condition for the successful development of the regional economy. Creativity, innovation, and uniqueness are the criteria based on which talented people work. The struggle to find talent is paramount to the success of Russia’s regions and ensuring high living standards and economic stability. Regions can only ensure high indicators of socioeconomic development in the future by attracting talented young people and preserving their own intellectual potential. What is talent? How should we be working with talented youth? How can we increase the number of talented people? What conditions need to be created for people to preserve intellectual potential throughout their lives? What makes talented people so powerful and how can they influence the development of regions?

Moderator:
Hasan Hasanbalayev — Executive Director for Social Development, Corporation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic

Speakers:
Vitaly Altuhov — Co-Founder, Director of Research and Development, Profilum
Andrey Betin — Rector, Senezh Management Workshop
Maxim Dreval — General Director, Russian "Znanie" Society
Anatoly Nikolaev — Rector, Ammosov North-Eastern Federal University
Natalya Tretyak — General Director, Prosveshcheniye

Front row participants:
Sergey Davydov — General Director, Good Ecology
Dmitriy Korenkov — General Director, New Technologies of Security Organizations Peresvet

In recent years, Russia and China have significantly expanded bilateral trade and economic relations. Rapid growth has been seen in bilateral trade and investment cooperation, regional and cross-border relations have intensified, and the Russian and Chinese business communities have shown a greater interest in mutual cooperation. The Chinese market is enormous and has a large number of solvent consumers. The number of Russian SMEs that export goods, services, or components to China is currently on the rise. What economic potential exists for interaction between Russian and Chinese SMEs? What is the current level of trade turnover between Russia and China? What do Russian entrepreneurs usually export to China and what measures have helped them increase turnover? What difficulties do entrepreneurs face when promoting products from the Russian Federation? What is the most effective way to further develop SMEs? Where are the most promising markets right now? What logistical and infrastructural opportunities are available for entering the Chinese market?

Moderator:
Alexander Kalinin — President, All‑Russian Non‑Governmental Organization of Small and Medium‑Sized Businesses OPORA RUSSIA

Speakers:
Igor Vetryuk — General Director, Well Way
Ilona Gorsheneva-Dolunts — Director, Owner, InterBiz Trade and Logistics Company
Alexander Zainigabdinov — Head of the Beijing office of China Window Consulting Group, arbitrator of the Shanghai International Arbitration Center
Alexey Maslov — Director, Institute of Asian and African Studies, Lomonosov Moscow State University

A global trend whereby different regions compete amongst themselves to attract national and international direct investment, seek increased tourism to revive the regional economy, and create and strengthen a favourable image of themselves for external and internal stakeholders is likewise revealing itself in the Russian Federation. The potential for regional development, cultural and creative, is a significant factor. How does the annual choice of a national cultural capital affect cultural diversity in the regions and their ability to compete? What additional resources do the winners of the competition gain for the development of their creative economy? What does a city, region, even country need to promote themselves and raise their status internationally? What other projects promote the cultural leadership of cities and regions in the Russian Far East and Arctic?

Moderator:
Nikolay Novichkov — Member of the Committee of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation on the Development of the Far East and the Arctic

Speakers:
Olga Zakharova — Director, Urban Economy Division, Agency for Strategic Initiatives to Promote New Projects (ASI)
Isa Ibragimov — Minister of Culture of the Chechen Republic
Marina Mishunkina — First Deputy General Director, Argumenty i Facty
Rustam Romanenkov — Chief Executive Officer, Center for Arctic Initiatives

Moderator:
Dmitry Stasyulis — President, International Organization of Eurasian Cooperation; Sherpa of Russia, "Civil Twenty"

Speakers:
Alexey Ilyushin — Lawyer, Associate Professor of the Department of Theory and History of State and Law, Administrative Law, Tomsk State University
Pavel Ledovskoy — Head of Tax Practice, "Diktatura Zakona" Bar Association of the City of Moscow
Olga Savina — Managing Partner, Savina Legal

Russia is actively working on a project to create personal digital medical assistants as part of the Russian Ministry of Health’s Strategy for the Digital Transformation of the Healthcare Industry until 2024 and for the Planned Period until 2030. The project aims to provide greater coverage for the population in terms of regular medical checkups and increase the production of personal medical assistants by Russian IT companies. IT companies are also developing digital assistant projects and actively integrating them into various services. Such assistants offer a wide range of functions, from voice control to generative skills, and are already being actively used by a large portion of the population. However, there are a number of challenges with digital medical assistants, such as the fragmented nature and low coverage level of medical information systems, as well as insufficient support for domestic companies that are developing AI tools for medicine. What is currently being done to create the conditions needed to achieve success in healthcare and information technologies? What measures should be taken to more broadly introduce personal medical assistants? What options are there for cooperation between the healthcare system and companies that produce AI solutions? How can digital medical assistants complement or replace humans in the event of understaffing? What decisions could be taken at both the federal and regional levels to stimulate the development and integration of personal medical assistants throughout Russia? How are digital medical assistants being integrated into clinical practice? What is the position of practicing doctors and the leadership of medical institutions on this issue?

The goals for the demographic and socioeconomic development of the Far East cannot be achieved without training the specialists that are so crucial to ensuring high-quality higher education and developing scientific research. To support the development of universities in the Far Eastern Federal District, the Far Eastern track of the Priority 2030 programme is being implemented, and universities are setting up advanced engineering schools. The Far East is providing education for Far Easterners, attracting prospective university students from other regions of Russia, exporting education through foreign students, developing scientific activities, and building systemic cooperation with businesses and leading universities, which is essential to ensuring the advanced development of the Far East. What challenges have universities encountered as part of the implementation of strategic development projects and what is important for university teams? What development tracks do universities offer to prospective university students? What new opportunities and advantages can universities in the Far East offer? How are advanced engineering schools changing universities and influencing science and business? What is needed to successfully export Far Eastern education?

Speakers:
Oksana Martynenko — Acting Rector, Transbaikal State University
Yury Marfin — Rector, Pacific State University
Valentin Shumatov — Rector, Pacific State Medical University

The Russian regions are creating infrastructural opportunities using the mechanism of integrated territorial development (ITD) in an effort to draw attention to issues concerning and prospects for urban development. Regional specifics are being taken into account, particularly when implementing ITD projects in the regions of the Far East and Arctic. At present, ITD projects are an essential part of the master plans of the cities of the Far East. In addition, ITD can be used to solve the problem of dilapidated housing. What infrastructural opportunities are emerging in Russia’s regions for the use of the ITD mechanism? How should regional specifics be taken into account when implementing ITD projects in the regions of the Far East and Arctic? How are ITD tools helping to implement master plans for cities in the Far East? What best practices and approaches do ITD project offer for solving problems related to dilapidated housing?

Moderator:
Maria Sinicic — Director of the Department for Integrated Development of Territories, Ministry of Construction, Housing and Communal Services of the Russian Federation

Permafrost covers 11 million square kilometres, or about 65%, of Russia’s territory. It is a key factor in the natural environment, economic activity, and life of the population in the Arctic zone. The current trends with high rates of global warming, unstable permafrost conditions, and the significant warping and destruction of infrastructure make it essential to take into account the impact of climate, risk management, and the development of new construction technologies, engineering surveys, and design. The timely forecasting, monitoring, and adaptation of economic activity to changes in permafrost could contribute to economic growth and the creation of more jobs. Combatting the consequences of such destruction and cataclysms is a very expensive process and can often be ineffective. What are some of the problems associated with the changing permafrost conditions? How can we avoid catastrophic consequences and ensure the sustainability of infrastructure in the face of climate change, taking into account the need to preserve biodiversity and habitats? What institutional solutions could consolidate the interests of business, the state, and the population in solving such problems?

Moderator:
Sardana Avksentieva — Deputy Head of the Faction, "New People" Political Party

Speakers:
Anatoliy Brushkov — Head, Department of Geocryology, Lomonosov Moscow State University (online)
Vladimir Burovtsev — Rector, Far Eastern State Transport University
Nikolay Gilev — Head of Geotechnical Monitoring Group, Rosneft Oil Company PJSC (online)
Oleg Zhdaneev — Head, Center of Competence for Technological Development of the Fuel and Energy Complex under the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation
Mikhail Zheleznyak — Director, Federal State Budgetary Institution of Science "P.I. Melnikov Permafrost Institute of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences"
Mikhail Kuznetsov — Director, Eastern State Planning Center (FANU Vostokgosplan)
Mikhail Pogodaev — Deputy Minister for Arctic Development and Northern Affairs of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia); Special Representative of the Russian Chairmanship in the Arctic Council on Indigenous Peoples Issues and Regional Cooperation
Dmitry Pristanskov — State Secretary – Vice President, Norilsk Nickel; Film Producer, Co-Founder, Monumental Vision film company
Nikolay Kharitonov — Chairman of the Committee on the Development of the Far East and the Arctic, State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation

“Qualified customer” is a concept that is used frequently in the current government framework of national goal setting – the Strategy for Scientific and Technological Development of the Russian Federation, the ongoing national projects. A number of companies have already successfully established themselves in this role with respect to applied developments and are bringing hi-tech products to the market. However, the question of how to organize work with fundamental science remains open. The state policy on managing investments in science calls for the creation of a system for the formation and implementation of strategically significant projects, approving scientific and technical results, and evaluating how these results have been used by qualified customers. But what does this actually mean in practice: are companies the ones that should be defining research problems for fundamental science? Should they be involved in examining the results? Or, in addition to time, should they also be funding basic research? Will this pay off, and will business investments in fundamental science allow them to actively develop import substitution products? What business indicators should companies set for themselves when working with fundamental science? Do scientists believe that this work is effective and feasible?

Moderator:
Pavel Sorokin — Head of Programs for the Expertise and Functional Development Unit, Gazpromneft STC

Speakers:
Nikita Marchenkov — Chairman, Coordinating Council for Youth Affairs in the Scientific and Educational Spheres of the Presidential Council of the Russian Federation for Science and Education; Head, Kurchatov Complex for Synchrotron-Neutron Research, National Research Center "Kurchatov Institute"
Alexey Fedorov — "Quantum Information Technologies" Scientific Group Head, Russian Quantum Center; Director, Institute of Physics and Quantum Engineering, MISIS University of Science and Technology
Fedor Chemashkin — Technical Director of Digital, Yakov & Partners

As the world continues to change, it is becoming increasingly clear that we have entered a transitional era. The West’s unipolar hegemony led by the United States is a thing of the past, yet the configuration of the new global world order remains elusive. Key global players are putting forward their own proposals for the future of international relations. Russia is the leading proponent of a multipolar world and the Greater Eurasia Partnership. China is proposing its concept of a ‘Community of Common Destiny for Mankind’ and is implementing the Belt and Road initiative. India is advocating its plan of ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’ and stressing the importance of an open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region. To what extent can these and other visions of the future of the world order complement each other harmoniously? Or will they inevitably conflict, compete, and undermine each other?

Moderators:
Yevgeny Vlasov — Vice-Rector for International Relations, Far Eastern Federal University
Dongsheng Di — Dean of School of Global and Area Studies, Renmin University of China

Speakers:
Boris Korobets — Rector, Far Eastern Federal University
Bo Linh Le — Member of the Central Theoretical Council of the Central Committee, Communist Party of Vietnam
Yu Miaojie — Rector, Liaoning University
Ebrima Ceesay — Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Gambia to the Russian Federation

Front row participant:
Ivan Zuenko —

The Russian economy and state are currently facing challenges and pressure of several kinds: natural (natural disasters, new threats in places not previously faced), man-made (industrial accidents and disasters, terrorist threats), and monetary (challenges in monetary policy) among others. Meanwhile, it is essential that the country enter a phase of intensive industrial development, master new product types, and institute programmes of import substitution. Relatively high interest rates, however, make the use of effective instruments challenging and necessitate a search within for resources to optimize the cost of capital. As is evident from the duration and scale of the projects implemented as part of the Project Finance Factory, risks are evolving so rapidly that it is making classical approaches to management ineffective. In particular, pressure from sanctions, terrorist threats, and disruptions in logistics chains can arise unexpectedly and must be dealt with immediately. The development and establishment of uniform risk management norms for syndicated loans will improve the efficiency of that kind of lending (as part of the Project Finance Factory among others) and interaction among those involved in the process of loan support and monitoring. The creation of appropriate platform tools and models improve the efficiency of the financial organizations lending to large investment projects and the individual enterprises availing themselves of these tools. A reliance on technological innovation and platform solutions will increase the efficiency of the measures taken and allow us to respond to new challenges, economic or otherwise, more easily. What new solutions are there to improve the efficiency of the economy in the light of limits on traditional (monetary) instruments of state influence? What risks await and what methods are there for managing them in systemically important projects? Are platform solutions effective for analyzing information, risks, and mitigation? What challenges do financial institutions face as participants in systemically important projects? What internal mechanisms exist to reduce high borrowing rates? How promising is the application of risk-based assessment ratios to projects?

In the history of BRICS, 2024 is a landmark year. In addition to creating fresh opportunities for BRICS to look into, the association's expansion presents complex challenges in terms of reforming the way it operates. Russia's role as the current BRICS Chair is especially significant in this perspective. BRICS is currently concentrated on figuring out how to function in its new form and integrate new members as rapidly and efficiently as possible into the group’s activities. At the same time, there is a need to develop mechanisms for maintaining stability and bolstering internal unity among the BRICS nations. What impact will growth have on BRICS's decision-making process? What would be the best way to balance the interests of each and every member country? What comes next for the BRICS expansion process? Is it possible for the BRICS countries to increase their collaboration in the field of global security? How best to establish a relationship between the Global Majority and the BRICS countries? How should the newly formed BRICS position itself in light of its expansion?

Moderator:
Victoria Panova — Head, BRICS Expert Council – Russia; Vice-Rector, National Research University Higher School of Economics; Russian W20 Sherpa

Speakers:
Zenebe Abdi — Deputy Director, Institute of Foreign Affairs
Alireza Khoda Gholipour — Deputy General Director, Director for Asian Studies, Institute for Political and International Studies
Mohamed Salah — Member of the Board of Trustees, Al-Hewar Foundation for Studies and Humanities Researchs; Chairman, Eurasia and BRICS Forum; Member of the Advisory Board, World Tourism Experts Forum
Sergey Storchak — Senior Banker, VEB.RF
Dmitry Suslov — Deputy Director, Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies; Expert of the Working Group "Country Analysis and Analysis of National Strategies of BRICS", BRICS Expert Council–Russia
Zhao Jing — Deputy Secretary General, China Council for the BRICS Think Tank Cooperation (CCBTC)

Front row participant:
Nikita Gusakov — Chief Executive Officer, EXIAR; Senior Vice President, Russian Export Center

A comfortable and cosy urban environment must take into account the needs of various groups of the population: pedestrians, cyclists, people with disabilities, parents with strollers, and children with balance bikes. It is crucial to find a balance between the functional capabilities and aesthetics of the urban environment. On the one hand, it is essential to create convenient conditions for the movement and accommodation of city residents and ensure the safety and accessibility of municipal facilities and services. On the other hand, it is equally important to preserve and develop urban culture and create an attractive urban environment for life and leisure, which helps citizens maintain their mental health and increases their satisfaction with life in the city. This problem is being solved with the help of developers who are equipping the spaces around new residential complexes with all the essential amenities, architects who offer new solutions, and designers who are creating new points of attraction. Municipalities play a key role in harmonizing the activities of all parties in order to ensure a systemic approach to creating a pleasant living environment. What are the priorities for improvements to the municipalities of the Far Eastern Federal District? How can green areas and waterways be combined as part of these improvements, taking into account the uniqueness of each locality and the demands of residents? How can we build a strategy for the safety of public spaces in cities? What indirect social effects do municipal improvement projects create?

Moderator:
Yulia Zubova — General Director, Academy of Urban Technologies «SREDA»

Speakers:
Evgeniy Grachev — Deputy Head of the Office of the President of the Russian Federation for Domestic Policy
Irina Guseva — Co-chairman, All-Russian Association for the Development of Local Self-Government; Member of the Presidium of the Council under the President of the Russian Federation for the Development of Local Self-Government
Vyacheslav Kvon — Head of Artemovsky Urban Okrug
Irina Makieva — Chief Managing Partner for Urban Development, VEB.RF
Алексей Ракитский — Minister of Architecture and Urban Planning of the Sakhalin Region
Nikita Stasishin — Deputy Minister of Construction, Housing and Utilities of the Russian Federation

The last two years have revealed trends in the changing economic landscape of Russia and its reorientation to the East. Supply chains are being redrawn, new production capacities are being recreated, radically new consumer habits and patterns are being formed, and new brands from the Asia-Pacific counties are being actively marketed. What is of particular importance at this juncture is to ensure Russia’s scientific and technological progress and the growth of its industries, accelerate the process of import substitution, and make more effective use of the resources of development institutions with respect to entrepreneurship. Key to this is the transfer of technological solutions from Asia-Pacific countries in order to establish production in Russia with the help of an international technology transfer centre, the so-called “technology bridge”.
Can the problem of import substitution be solved through re-engineering and international transfer? Should the university become a driver for the development and formation of the concept of an International Technology Transfer Centre? What competencies and ready-made solutions should already be developed, and what personnel should be attracted?

Moderator:
Boris Korobets — Rector, Far Eastern Federal University

Speakers:
Anatoliy Bobrakov — Deputy Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic
Juntao Wang — The General Director, International Competence Center
Oleg Karasev — Deputy General Director, Directorate of Scientific and Technical Programs
Yu Miaojie — Rector, Liaoning University
Vladimir Pastukhov — General Director, Agency for Technological Development
Aleksey Filimonov — Executive Director of the National Association for Technology Transfer

Front row participant:
Nikita Shaposhnikov — Deputy Head of Research and Educational Center Vezerford-Polytechnik, Peter the Great St.Petersburg Polytechnic University

Russia’s pivot to the East has led to the redistribution of logistics flows, both export and import. The sharp increase in demand for transporting goods to the East has revealed a number of challenges for the Russian cargo transportation industry. Promising alternatives for Russian logistics (the Northern Sea Route, the North-South International Transport Corridor, and the Eastern Corridor) will obviously experience increased loads due to global geopolitical changes, which may require revisions to the target indicators of these projects. How can we resolve the issue of expanding throughput capacity to the East? Which are the most promising trends in terms of container cargo transportation? How should we balance container imports and exports? What prospects exist for the development of the North-South International Transport Corridor? How feasible is the project to build a through railway line to the ports of the Persian Gulf, given the current infrastructure and political realities? Is it possible to expand the range of goods that will be transported along the Northern Sea Route? What are the main bottlenecks of the project in the view of market participants? Do any successful solutions exist in world practice? How can we interconnect cargo flows based on cargo classification and export/import directions to international logistics arteries?

Moderator:
Yakov Sergienko — General Director, Yakov & Partners

Speakers:
German Maslov — Vice President of Liner and Logistic Division, FESCO
Denis Matyukhin — General Director, Aeroclub
Vitaliy Sergeychuk — Member of the Management Board, VTB Bank

There are currently five technologies in the world that are transforming global manufacturing systems and unleashing a new wave of competition: the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, modern robotics, specialized wearable devices, and additive printing. The further development of these technologies affects how, what, and where people manufacture and will change the nature of production, which needs new solutions and new manufacturing systems. Increased mobility is becoming an even clearer trend overall with each passing day. In the Far East and the Arctic, additive technologies are crucial to repairing parts in hard-to-reach areas. The experience gained by companies abroad and in Russia proves that robotics is effective. Programmes to expand and modernize production facilities are essential to increasing the overall use of robotics at enterprises. What experience can Russia’s foreign partners offer? How important are robotics in industrial production and what are their prospects for the future? Why is it crucial to have a component base? How are advanced digital production technologies being introduced? What are some of the problems with training personnel and developing robotic solutions for industry?

Moderators:
Evgeniy Dudorov — Executive Director, Androidnaya Tekhnika; Chairman of the Board, Consortium of Robotics and Intelligent Control Systems
Olga Ospennikova — Executive Director, Association for the Development of Additive Technologies

Speakers:
Evgeniy Dudorov — Executive Director, Androidnaya Tekhnika; Chairman of the Board, Consortium of Robotics and Intelligent Control Systems
Alexey Mazalov — General manager, Additive Technologies Center

The Far Eastern Hectare state programme is a unique tool for citizens to acquire land for free. Any Russian citizen can register a land plot without even leaving the house. Since the programme was launched, more than 137,000 people have received land plots. 52% of the programme participants have built houses on their land, while 29% of the hectares are used for agricultural purposes. Russians are using the land plots to develop various projects in tourism, recreation, and entrepreneurship, such as ecological parks, greenhouses, cheese factories, horse stables, service stations, cafes, and fish farms. How are the programme participants implementing projects on their hectares? What do people need when building a house or farm on a hectare? How can the hectares be used to build villages?

Speakers:
Elizaveta Ageeva — Participant of the Far Eastern Hectare Program
Aleksei Butovetskii — Secretary of State – Deputy Head, The Federal Service for State Registration, Cadastre and Cartography (Rosreestr)
Sergey Vinokurov — Head of the Municipal District "Vilyuisky Ulus (District)" of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)

Front row participants:
Dmitry Melekhov — Participant of the Far Eastern Hectare Program
Natalia Mokeeva — Participant of the Far Eastern Hectare Program
Elena Pakhomova — Participant of the Far Eastern Hectare Program