Forum “Strategy 2020” took place at the Mining University

    The Tsar’s Hall of the Mining University hosted Forum “Strategy 2020. Regional perspective”, which started its work on the 5th of March. Russian government is ready to regard the opinion of the Ural people.

    The Governor of Sverdlovskiy region Aleksandr Misharin struck the bell in the foyer of the Tsar’s Hall to announce the Forum open.

    Forum “Strategy 2020” – is an open discussion where the most distinguished intellectuals of Russia, disregarding their political views, determine the ways of the country’s future progress and work out scenarios of Russia’s development till 2020.

    Federal experts Vladimir Gutenev, Vadim Dimov, Valeriy Fyodorov, Yelena Nikolayeva, Dmitriy Kogan, Oksana Gaman-Golutvina, Vladimir Pligin and Mikhail Grishankov took part in the work of the Forum.

    The Forum discussed the problems of democracy and corruption, international, economic, cultural issues, problem of the middle class. Particular interest was shown to the problem of Russia’s modernization. The ideas of the Forum participants will be considered in the process of law-making, normative acts and governmental regulations development.

    The Forum consisted of four sessions. Rector of the Ural State Mining University Nikolay Kosarev   spoke about the educational system within the framework of the session “Economics of innovation: economics’ modernization as the basis for improvement the quality of life in the region.

    «Many people here speak about workforce. I asked myself a question, whether there can be a crisis in workforce training. I suppose not. The product of the establishments of higher learning –  specialists -  remain to be unclaimed by the market. And what we call “a crisis” is the situation when the product is unclaimed.

    The Ural State Mining University is one of the few universities which deal with employment of the graduates. First, we study the demand and see, whether this or that specialist is required, and then we plan our work.  It is not usual practice for the system of higher education in general. As the result we see “overproduction” of lawyers, economists, and some other specialists.

    So, if we continue ill practice: “he, who managed to squeeze out more, got more” then, we shall continue to produce specialists who are not in demand all over the country.   The market should determine supply. In the sphere of education it’s high time to solve the problem instead of just talking about it».

Photo: Anzhela Dubasova, Igor Astashkin, Nikolay Agapov
Translated: Ziryanova N.E.