Agreements on cooperation under the Decade of Science and Technology signed at the Symposium

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As part of the II International Symposium "Inventing the Future", the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Russia signed cooperation agreements with AST Publishing House, ANO "National Priorities", and the "Contribution to the Future" Charitable Foundation. The documents formalise cooperation in implementing the Decade of Science and Technology. The projects will focus on promoting science fiction and advancing education in the field of artificial intelligence.

"The Decade of Science and Technology, announced by the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, is an unprecedented initiative that brings together numerous ministries, companies and public organisations. The main goal of the Decade is to attract talented young people to research and development. Today, Russian science is one of the youngest in the world: almost every second scientist in the country is under 40. This is a unique situation, because twenty years ago there were far fewer young people in the field," said Denis Sekirinsky, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation.

Under the agreement with the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, AST Publishing House plans to implement a series of projects and initiatives to promote science and technology through popularising the genres of fantasy and science fiction. The plans include a campaign marking the 100th anniversary of Arkady Strugatsky, a national AI illustration competition for creating book trailers titled "The Future Today: Science Fiction with AI", and the preparation and publication of books dedicated to Russian scientific discoveries, as well as memoirs and biographies of scientists. The publishing house is also a partner of the "Scientific Universe" educational project for students and high school pupils and the Russian educational quiz "History of the Future: The Technology of Science Fiction".

"Each of us grew up reading science fiction — whether by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky, Alexander Belyaev, Ray Bradbury or Jules Verne. It was the science fiction authors who first described ideas that later became reality — from space flights and tablets to artificial intelligence and biotechnology. Today we understand that to invent, to discover, to drive science forward, one needs imagination. And imagination is born in the world of books. Literature teaches us to think unconventionally, to dream boldly and to see what does not yet exist. Only a person with imagination can offer the world something new — whether it’s a time machine like H.G. Wells’s or satellites like those created by Korolev, who was inspired by science fiction. At AST Publishing House, we believe that science fiction is not just a genre, but an essential tool for nurturing a new generation of scientists, engineers and researchers. The interest in popular science literature and science fiction will only grow, and our joint projects under the Decade of Science and Technology will make a great contribution to that. Literature and science are inseparable — together they shape the future, making it happier, more inspiring and more humane," emphasised Tatyana Gorskaya, CEO of AST Publishing House LLC.

A trilateral agreement between the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Russia, ANO "National Priorities", and the "Contribution to the Future" Charitable Foundation provides for the joint implementation of the "Artificial Intelligence Academy" initiative — one of the first projects in Russia aimed at developing students’ practical skills in AI. It envisages educational and awareness-raising events, specialised AI competitions, and training programmes for future professionals in the field.

"Our goal is to give every talented child in Russia the opportunity to gain hands-on experience with artificial intelligence, regardless of whether they live in a big city or a small village. The 'AI Academy' is an entry point into the profession of the future, accessible online from anywhere in the country. We cover the entire educational journey — from the first introduction to AI and digital skills through educational events to in-depth subject training and specialised competitions. At the same time, we understand that quality education is impossible without strong teachers, so we are developing teaching and learning materials in parallel. This way, we are laying the foundation for the sustainable development of AI talent in Russia," concluded Pyotr Polozhevets, Executive Director of the "Contribution to the Future" Charitable Foundation.

The Decade of Science and Technology in Russia includes a set of initiatives, projects and events aimed at strengthening the role of science and technology in addressing the country’s most important social and developmental challenges. The initiative’s objectives include attracting talented young people to research and development, engaging scientists and innovators in tackling the nation’s key challenges, and increasing public access to information about the achievements and prospects of Russian science.

The International Symposium "Inventing the Future" is organised on the instruction of the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, under the auspices of the Decade of Science and Technology in Russia, with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, and the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation. Analytical partner is the VCIOM Analytical Centre. Literary partner is the Eksmo-AST Publishing Group.