Irina Dezhina

Science and Innovation Policy of the Russian Government: A Variety of Instruments with Uncertain Outcomes?

This paper explores the state and pace of the development of science and innovation policy in Russia with the goal of finding an explanation for its relatively slow progress. We argue that this slow pace can be explained by three major factors. First, instruments of science and innovation policy are government-centered as manifested in excessive, hands-on government involvement. This is a reflection of the vertically organized Russian innovation system having weak horizontal linkages. Second, the government policy is poorly balanced. While in some areas there is a policy mix, in others, necessary instruments are lacking. This is a result of a growing asymmetry of information under the conditions of weak horizontal linkages. Third, in recent years, changes in economic conditions and international relations started to affect Russias innovation system. Measures undertaken in response to economic sanctions produced signals that conflict with the science and innovation policy. We illustrate our position by analyzing (1) policy instruments aimed at linking research and commercialization and supporting the improvement of the scientific and technological workforce, and (2) new regulations, which appeared during economic sanctions and are related to the work of foreign science foundations in Russia.We link our interpretations to theoretical studies of science and innovation policy and a policy mix. The Russian case confirms the theoretical models that describe hierarchical systems in which government dominates and asymmetry of information becomes a persistent problem. Government, as a principal, tries to find new forms of a pursuing agent to implement tasks. In Russia, the lack of monitoring leads to new instruments being added while the existing ones remain uncorrected. As a result, a policy mix becomes more complex and its outcomes are difficult to predict.

Innovation policy in Russia and the development of university–industry linkages

All the major science and innovation activity indicators for Russia have remained largely unchanged over the past 10–15 years. Expenditures on research and development (R&D) have stayed at a low level, with 70% of the funding provided by the federal government. During the last 7 years, the Russian government has introduced a number of instruments to improve research performance and stimulate closer cooperation between universities and companies. This article presents the results of a survey conducted in 2016 among 155 medium-sized technological companies with the purpose of identifying factors that encourage or hamper collaboration with universities in Russia. The survey revealed that the level of cooperation between companies and universities is relatively stable but insufficient. It is not low, especially in the area of educational activities, but it appears not to be growing. Companies often prefer to conduct R&D on their own, without outsourcing tasks to universities. Major problems that companies face in their attempt to partner with universities in R&D include (1) low levels of mutual understanding while conducting research projects; (2) unsatisfactory levels of training of graduate students; and (3) a lack of capability on the part of universities to solve specific scientific and technical problems quickly.