Minister of Education and Science Olga Vasilyeva about Kazan University: 'One of the leading higher education institutions'

One of the main guests during this week’s big visit shared her thoughts on the reached decisions.

Student entrepreneurship was the key topic of discussion at the meeting of the Council on Economic Modernization and Innovative Development. Minister Vasilyeva noted, “This is one of the leading higher education institutions. It will be one of the five pilot institutions which will work on this task”.

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, who held the meeting, expressed his wish in this regard, «The general objective, of course, is that this investment should work for the whole society and that intellectual labor results be available not only to specialists but turn into economically viable projects».

The PM also declared that Kazan University should be a testing ground for student entrepreneurship programs – 30 million rubles will be allocated specifically for that. Several other universities will join in, such as Novosibirsk University.

Mr. Medvedev also emphasized his positive evaluation of the already amassed experience in the institutional support of young innovators and called for the continuation of this effort. He is sure that intellectual and human capital concentrated in higher schools will be the backbone of Russia’s technological and economic progress.