At the beginning of the lecture Liana Kobzeva, Head of Tomsk popular lectures project, and Svetlana Fedorovskaya, Deputy Chairman of Forecasting committee of Tomsk region administration Economy department, pronounced the words of welcome to lecture attendees.

Triple helix in Tomsk

Vice-rector of Tomsk University presented to lecture attendees an idea of establishing an entrepreneurial university in Russia, which is a key element in the Triple helix innovation development model. The underlying concept of Triple helix is interaction of business, authorities and universities for the sake of innovation development. In the global context this model is already 20 year old, but in Russia it has become a matter of discussion only within last 3 years. Alexander Uvarov is one of the ideologists of Tomsk representatives’ participation in world conferences devoted to triple helix model. In 2014 spearheaded by TUSUR, World conference on innovation development model will be held in Tomsk. Representatives of 50 countries will participate in it. Alexander Uvarov marked key principles of Triple helix, which he highlighted in his talk. The first principle is openness. “We should apply open models, which do not have limitations,” says TUSUR Vice-rector. According to his words, having won a grant by the RF Government decree №219, TUSUR suggested Tomsk universities to open innovation infrastructure for each other. “Integrated information space will be arranged, including opportunity for projects of all Tomsk universities students to be developed within TUSUR business incubator,” claims Vice-rector. One more essential principle of Triple helix model is evolutionism. “It’s a tremendous scourge for Russia, but not for Tomsk,” says Institute of Innovations Director. As he thinks, Tomsk is a city, which generates projects, ideas and people independently by itself. “We just shouldn’t impede this process,” explains Alexander Uvarov. “And if we assist in it, the result will be obviously positive”.

Leadership of entrepreneurial university in “universities-business-authorities” triplicity

One of the fundamental principles of Triple helix innovation development model is leadership of entrepreneurial university in “universities-business-authorities” triplicity. “At instigation of Skolkovo Fund an Association of entrepreneurial universities is established on September 28 in Russia,” tells Alexander Uvarov. Huge budget for research is a basic feature of entrepreneurial university. Shining example of such university is Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT): its annual budget is about 2, 6 billion dollars; 26 thousand enterprises with annual profit of 2 trillion dollars are established by MIT graduates. TUSUR Vice-rector provided data about Russian universities. Thuswise, 60-70% of fixed budget of Russia universities are revenues from commercial educational services. “It means we are just dealing with knowledge transferring but not knowledge generation,” states Institute of Innovations Director.

Another example of entrepreneurial university, provided by Alexander Uvarov, is Stanford University. According to data cited, the university earns only 18% of its annual budget from education services, and about 60% - from research and development, in other words - from knowledge generation. If the rate of budget revenues from science is about 50%, it is a sort of “entrance pass” to entrepreneurial university. “Revenues from science in TUSUR are 40%,” says Alexander Uvarov. These data allow TUSUR to lay claim to entrepreneurial university foundation and discuss the steps for its building.

New education model – Novum Trivium

“Recommendations received by academic community in the world implies fulfilling curriculum according to Novum Trivium model,” told TUSUR Vice-rector to the listeners. Within this model natural sciences comprise one third of the subjects, entrepreneurship courses –another one third, and the other one third includes communication subjects. In university there should be no such profession as teacher,” asserts TUSUR Vice-rector. According to him, those people should teach, whose main knowledge, expertise are research, entrepreneurship, production.

Generation gap in information space

Ilya Savchuk told about the future of world information space and correspondent changes in education. “There is IDC Company, which deals with analyzing world information space,” started his talk Director for development programs of Metaver project group.

As he explained, this company introduced a new value for measuring information – zettabyte. One zettabyte is equal to 240 bytes. “World information space will be 50 zettabytes by 2020,” says Ilya Savchuk. According to the expert’s opinion, such information pressure creates not just generation gap, but a gap of 4-5 generations among people born in different time. Mr. Savchuk marked that people should learn how to work with it. First of all people should come to grips with self-education process. Secondly, they should know how to build communication with other people. And thirdly, people should unite in teams. Only in such a way, in such conditions it is possible to create something new. Currently information space is 0,5 zettabytes or 1021 bytes. “Today information is not storage, it is a rapid stream,” says Ilya Savchuk. In his opinion, current educational system is not competitive in this stream. “Advertisement is a leader in such stream,” tells Mr. Savchuk. He underlined that the teaching process itself should be alternated. The process of useful information transfer should be different. “We need to receive feedback not in form of tests and exams, but via practical actions during the lessons”.

Foresight as a technology of planning

In his talk Ilya Savchuk noticed that there is a planning system formed in the state, which traditionally uses three scenarios: “how we would like it to be”, “how we would not like it to be” and “how it will turn out to be”. “At some point a new technology of planning – not linear, but dimensional one - foresight – was developed,” narrated a developer of foresight “Education 2030”. According to his words, about 20 foresights have been conducted within last 20 years in Russia. “When the work is carried on, everybody has a feeling that they’ve created something huge and marvelous, but it’s unclear what should we do with it further,” says Ilya Savchuk. The results of foresight should generate new ideas for further actions.

University is the single driver of changes

Moscow expert also touched an issue taken up by Alexander Uvarov. It’s a Triple helix model of innovation development. “State in Triple helix model could not be a driver of changes, while it’s snail-paced,” dwells on Ilya Savchuk. According to him, business can’t be a driver too, while it is busy in economy. In such a way, the only group that can serve as a driver of changes is universities.

“University needs to learn not only how to collect ideas, but also how to build connections among them in order to become a driver of changes,” insists Mr. Savchuk.

Teams open new markets

As explained by Ilya Savchuk, Candidates for Bachelor’s, Master’s degree, Candidates of Science, Professors should be involved in project activity via building up teams, as it is done in MIT. “For this purpose teams should include people of various professions – people with convergent thinking, who do not break through in science, but they combine solutions from various fields and open new markets”, claims Director of Metaver project group. He also pinpointed his attitude towards teaching in universities. His stance is that a business person, who has his own projects, should act as lecturer in university. “He should communicate with students on equal terms,” considers Mr. Savchuk.

Listeners’ feedback:

Eugeniy and Natalya, schoolchildren, 9th grade

Eugeniy: Now we know that Russia moves in right direction, wants to develop its economy, some other branches. And we ourselves will move in the same direction trying to make our country and city better.

Natalya: I want to become a person like Steve Jobs, because he achieved a lot, developed many technologies. I like Apple production, Pixar. I would like to be a leader.

Maxim N. Volkov, Tomsk state university assistant professor, Deputy Head of International relations department, Tomsk region administration

The lecture is wonderful. We considered new approaches to education. Ilya Savchuk gave a lead and showed how it’s possible to interactively and fascinating work with audience.

Generally speaking, the format of such meetings is of high importance for the city. If we are talking about our unique intellectual environment, such lectures should be held on regular basis. The idea itself (discussing the technologies of INO Tomsk 2020 project directions) is very nice. Personally I will visit these lectures with pleasure. Personally the developers of technologies dwell on their place in Russia and in the world. It should enlighten the masses, because, I’m sure, majority of Tomsk citizens, members of the public, know nothing about it. They are not involved in it, it happens concurrently.

Yana Stepanova, student of Legal science institute of Tomsk state university

It is the second lecture we attended. It was more multiaspect, more speculative and harder, as it seemed to me. Alexander Uvarov’s stance is more applicable, more viable considering modern conditions. And I think that the stance of Ilya Savchuk is more babelized, I didn’t see how it could be applied.

Alexey Kachalov, TUSUR postgraduate student

As it seemed to me, lecturers described different models. Alexander Uvarov demonstrated a model of system and university behavior as a unit. And Ilya Savchuk, the second lecturer, considered it from the point of view of a person in this system – a postgraduate, a student or a team. But he didn’t build up a clear model.

Anastasia, Tomsk region administration employee

I liked the lecture. Two views were presented – one considers innovative city, another – not very innovative one. I marked the talking point about the necessity of changes in university. I’m, to some extend, acquainted with university system and, unfortunately, many things are not implemented in practice. It is a huge complicated mechanism, which should become a nuclear and the impetus for changes.

David, businessman

The lecture impressed me. Ilya Savchuk, a guest from Moscow, sparked interest. He managed to deliver and explain his ideas. We need to think about the fact that we hang behind, and it’s a huge problem. Every day, every hour we should promote ourselves, gain new knowledge base and correspondently develop. I spend much time thinking about it. It’s necessary to be a leader. Alexander Uvarov pinpointed that we should become leaders and build entrepreneurial university, and it’s vital.

Alexey, TSU student

In Tomsk there is a unique environment. We have all the conditions to be innovative, but we have it ahead. I support Alexander Uvarov’s idea about the importance of intergenerational continuity. He presented the goals for today. Ilya Savchuk pointed on the zone of nearest development.

Maria Minenko, student of Electronics department in TUSUR

I liked today’s lecture very much. I realized in what direction work our favorite universities, including TUSUR, and understood, in what direction personally I should move. My specialty is industrial electronics and from the next semester I would like to establish a project in power electronics direction.

During the lecture a question arose – does any of education models presented work in Russia? And what else should be done in order TUSUR could work in this system? Unfortunately, I can say that it’s very difficult to implement such programs, while we will face the students’ reluctance for knowledge gaining, initiative displaying and undertaking some actions to promote these ideas. I’m frequently asked by my friends: “Why do we need it? Who does need development and changes?”