Belarus intends to resolve the problem of workforce shortage in the sphere of cutting-edge manufacturing by setting up an educational infrastructure in technology parks. Belarusian Economy Minister Aleksandr Chervyakov made the statement during the plenary session of the 8th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia on 1 July, BelTA has learned. The plenary session focused on Belarus-Russia R&D cooperation in the digitization age.

Aleksandr Chervyakov spoke at length about such an important topic as the shortage of qualified personnel for cutting-edge manufacturing. He said: “We believe the problem can be resolved by setting up an educational infrastructure at premises of our technology parks. The Economy Ministry is working with UNIDO to implement a project, which provides for setting up a pilot demonstration center for smart industry development in a technology park in Brest. It will allow us to train executives, engineers, and technicians of industrial enterprises on a systemic base in addition to getting university students familiar with capabilities of technologies of digital industry 4.0. The center will be opened in 2022. Later on we intend to expand the project onto technology parts in Mogilev Oblast and Vitebsk Oblast,” the official said.

Once these centers are up and running, it will be possible to use transboundary cooperation to teach cutting-edge technologies to personnel of industrial enterprises not only in eastern parts of Belarus but also in Russia's Smolensk Oblast and Pskov Oblast. The economy minister noted that Russia is a donor in the abovementioned project.

“At present our countries desperately need projects to fill the economy of the Union State of Belarus and Russia with real content,” Aleksandr Chervyakov said. Technology parks are the hubs where new ideas are generated and startups are set up. Technology parks are but one important tool. They need funding to grow. The Belarusian Economy Ministry is promoting a project in the area of innovative, digital, and cluster development together with Russia's Skolkovo Foundation. Belarus intends to involve Belarusian enterprises in the development of the startup movement via Skolkovo Foundation's programs.

It is also necessary to inventory the goods, which are imported into the Union State of Belarus and Russia, in order to understand what goods Belarus and Russia can make using existing enterprises and what goods need new enterprises to make them. The end goal is to work out integration projects involving Belarusian and Russian companies. Transition to strategic economy planning, including the economy of the Union State of Belarus and Russia, is the third tool. A digital platform based on an economic integrator model is needed for that.

The Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia has been held for eight years under the aegis of the upper chambers of the Belarusian parliament and the Russian one – the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus and the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation. The 8th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia began on 29 June to last through 1 July. Most of the events are held in the videoconference mode due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year's forum is focused on scientific and technical cooperation in the age of digitization due to the special importance of forming common scientific and technological space in the course of integrating the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus.

Taking part in the plenary session are heads of government agencies, ministries, and organizations, representatives of Belarusian and Russian business circles, and digitization experts.

Written by: belta.by