TCI Network 2021 Global Conference in Kazan gathered more than 300 participants from 38 countries of the world
On September 15-17, Kazan hosted the largest international event in the field of regional competitiveness XXIV TCI Network World Conference 2021. The conference was held in a hybrid format with the possibility of face-to-face participation or connection to online broadcasting and brought together more than 300 participants from 38 countries.
The conference was organized by the Innokam Association, the Agency for Innovative Development of the Republic of Tatarstan and OJSC Tatneftekhiminvest-holding.
The rich three-day conference program kicked off on September 15 with cluster tours dedicated to the cities of the future, the circular economy, education, industrial clusters in the urban space and clusters that are changing the face of the city. In total, 85 delegates from 17 countries of Europe, CIS and Africa took part in the tours.
Each tour included an individual route through key specialized infrastructure facilities in Kazan, as well as a business part, where participants discussed the most pressing issues in the chosen direction.
Among the speakers of thematic round tables within the framework of cluster tours were:
Alexander Tormasov, Rector of Innopolis University
Nikolay Kulikov, Deputy General Director for Innovations, JSC "NEFIS-Bioproduct"
Marat Baikiev, Executive Director of the Yelabuga Battery Plant
Oleg Ibragimov, General Director, ITP Idea CJSC
Assiya Timiryasova, Rector of the Kazan Innovative University named after V.G. Timiryasova
Albert Gilmutdinov, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Tatarstan.
The business program of the conference was opened on September 16 by the President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov. He greeted the forum participants and launched a plenary discussion dedicated to the global concept of development of states, regions and all of humanity in order to preserve the planet's resources for future generations. The discussion of key trends in sustainable development was also attended by:
Børge Brende, Managing Director of the World Economic Forum
Meret Daniel Nielsen, President of TCI Network and Cluster Excellence Denmark
Gegham Vardanyan, Member of the Board (Minister) for Internal Markets, Informatization, Information and Communication Technologies of the Eurasian Economic Commission
Ibrohim Abdurakhmonov, Minister of Innovative Development of the Republic of Uzbekistan
Vladimir Knyaginin, Vice Governor of St. Petersburg
Renaud Seligmann, Director and Country Manager of the World Bank for the Russian Federation, Europe and Central Asia
Vladimir Kuznetsov, Director of the UN Information Center in Moscow
Nail Maganov, General Director of PJSC TATNEFT named after V.D. Shashina
Dmitry Konov, Chairman of the Management Board of PJSC SIBUR Holding
The discussion was moderated by Taliya Minullina, Head of the Investment Development Agency of the Republic of Tatarstan and David Fernandez Terreros, representative of SPRI, Basque Business Development Agency.
The second plenary session on the Green Transition was moderated by Kirill Kai, Senior Vice President for Innovation at the Skolkovo Foundation. The discussion of the strategy for solving global environmental, economic and social problems and successful cases on sustainable development of territories was attended by:
Igor Korotetskiy, Partner, Head of the Operational Risks and Sustainable Development Group of KPMG in the CIS
Taliya Minullina, Head of the Investment Development Agency of the Republic of Tatarstan
Alexander Idrisov, Managing Partner, Strategy Partners
Maria Ivanova, First Vice-President of the Russian Union of Chemists
Julian Evans, Hydrogen & Green Project Manager, Duisburg Business & Innovation Gmbh
Renaud Seligmann, Director and Country Manager of the World Bank for the Russian Federation, Europe and Central Asia
Vladimir Kuznetsov, Director of the UN Information Center in Moscow.
This was followed by an open dialogue on the transformation of clusters in the era of globalization with the participation of representatives of the TCI Network Board of Directors and a keynote session, during which Rudy de Vejle Futurologist, an expert in innovative and strategic management, shared his expert opinion on the cities of the future. The business program of the first day of TCI 2021 ended with discussions on trends and best practices of cooperative management and the formula for the success of the cities of the future.
The third day of the conference was no less fruitful. At the round tables, which were also held in a hybrid format, 90 international and Russian expert practitioners shared their expertise in the field of cluster policy.
In addition, this day was marked by the signing of business agreements on cooperation between the Innokam Association and the Moscow Innovation Cluster Foundation, as well as between the KFU Technopark and the Slava Technopark.
The business program of the XXIV TCI Network 2021 World Conference was completed with a solemn ceremony of handing over the flag to the representatives of the South African delegation, which will host the conference in 2022, a gala buffet and informal communication of delegates.