Opinions & Interviews

Alferov: Belarus preserves high-tech industries

Nobel laureate Zhores Alferov

MINSK, 19 September (BelTA) – Belarus has preserved technology intensive industries, Vice-President of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Nobel laureate, academician Zhores Alferov told reporters. The scientist took part in the conference “Russia-Belarus-Skolkovo: Common Innovation Space” in Minsk on 19 September, BelTA has learnt.

In his words, Belarus has built up a rather high scientific capacity. The major goal of the visiting session and the conference of the Skolkovo Foundation in Minsk was to demonstrate this scientific capacity, including the capacity of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus and the Belarusian industry. Earlier the Skolkovo Foundation had held visiting sessions in Berlin and Novosibirsk.

The Nobel laureate noted that R&D solutions developed in Belarus are in demand in Belarus and abroad promoting the country’s economy growth. The cooperation between the Skolkovo Foundation and Belarus has a great practical value. “Skolkovo is not a Moscow suburb, but an ideology that should extend not only to Russia, but also Belarus that makes part of the Union State,” the scientist said.

Zhores Alferov noted that it makes more economic sense now to buy high-tech companies, instead of scientists. Tax credits are needed to stimulate scientific research. These tax credits should not be provided solely to the resident companies of the Skolkovo Foundation, but should depend on the subject of scientific research. Belarusian companies should be asked to meet the same requirements as Russian companies operating in the Skolkovo Foundation.

The scientist also spoke about mega-grants. In his words, they will not be able to save the Russian science. “Naturally, financing should be increased, science should be supported, but what matters most is that R&D solutions should be put into use. We should not treat science as a kind of framework,” the academician said.

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