International forum “Technology Transfer: Policies, Tools, Working Practice” for members of the RTTN – Russian Technology Transfer Network – and participants of the Franco-Russian Technology Network, RFR (Réseau Franco-Russe) in Obninsk finished on 2 February. The event was held under the auspices and sponsorship of the Foundation for Assistance to Small Innovative Enterprises (Russia) (http://www.fasie.ru/eng), the Embassy of France in Russia (www.ambarfrance.ru) and the authorities of the Kaluga Region. RCTT took part in the forum as a member of the RTTN. More than 70 participants represented 21 technology transfer centres with the RTTN, the RFR network organizations, federal and regional innovation policy makers and authorities, directors of expert and consulting organizations, some officers of the French embassy in Russia and representatives of ANVAR (the national innovation agency of France).
The agenda and venue of the forum have provided time and room for several events: Conference “Technology Transfer: Policies, Tools, Working Practice”; Seminar “Arranging International Cooperation in the Domain of Transnational Technology Transfer”; Assembly Conference “Experience of RTTN in 2002 – 2004. Priority Tasks for 2005” for the RTTN members; discussions "Formation of the Infrastructure to Support Commercialization of Research and Development", "Services in the Sphere of Technology Transfer: Clients, Prices, Mechanisms for Market Incentives and Increase in Business Solvency", “Preparation for Technology Requests and Offers for Transnational Technology Transfer. Particularities of Technologic Audit with Transnational Transfer (Hands-On Experience and Lessons)", "Mechanisms and New Instruments for Collaboration of Russian and European Technology Transfer Centres ", etc.
Among the numerous initiatives suggested at the forum, the main are:
1. Russia will extend the support to its technology transfer centres, both at the federal and regional levels. Thus, in 2005 the Federal Agency on Science and Innovation of the Russian Federation plans to establish 20 regional technology transfer centres, in addition to the 48 existing ones.
2. The work on further development of the RTTN and its links to the European network, IRC, will be continued by extending and disseminating the practicable model of Franco-Russian Technology Network RFR for creating other Russian-European segments (Great Britain, Germany, etc.);
3. The lateral relations between the RTTN participants should be strengthened to serve as the basis for accelerated commercialization of the R&D products in the databases of the members of the network.
During the forum Director RCTT Mr. Alexander Uspenskiy had pourparlers with Mr. Sergey Simontsev, Deputy Director of Joint-Stock Company Tomsk International Business Centre (TMDTS) "TEKHNOPARK" (www.t-park.ru). The parties talked over a draft agreement between RCTT and Joint-Stock Company that would provide for RCTT’s joining TEKHNOPARK’s interregional technology transfer network. The purpose of the agreement is to facilitate the commercialization of the innovation projects, products and technologies produced by scientific and technical organizations and enterprises of the Tomsk region and those coming from the Republic of Belarus. The above agreement is expected to be signed within February 2005.
Mr. Alexander Uspenskiy has also met the Consultant on Technologies of the Embassy of France in Russia Mr. Gildas Bouffaud to look over the prospects for the future collaboration between RCTT and the RFR network.
The main presentations made during the forum are to be put on RCTT’s e-portal within the next two weeks (please visit the "Library" section).
