‘Most importantly, don’t worry’: what awaits Russia and Tatarstan in 2025?

One or two professions aren’t enough

The coronavirus pandemic launched processes linked with a change in the function of economic and political mechanisms. The younger generation doesn’t want to live according to previous laws anymore, many experts assume. This is why it is difficult to create long-term strategies, however, one can prepare for new conditions. Tatarstan’s position due to the challenges is unclear. The 16^th session of Volga expert club, which was on 4 September, was dedicated to these issues. The theme of the meeting that was face-to-face for the first time in long months was 2025 Challenges: What Should Russia and Russian Regions Get Ready For?. As a futurologist, specialist in cluster development Yevgenia Shamis noted, sciences, technologies interest us more during a crisis, investments were actively made precisely in these spheres. A big flow of people is studying medicine now.

Yevgenia Shamis: “One or two professions aren’t enough anymore now, the new generation will have to master three professions”

“There is a unique situation now when one profession isn’t enough for life. And there is a dramatic change at the age of 40-50, and a new profession is mastered. One or two professions aren’t enough anymore now, the new generation will have to master three professions,” Shamis stressed.

Minister of Digital Development of Public Administration, Information Technologies and Communications of Tatarstan Ayrat Khayrullin noted that a person would soon have to win the right to their data. According to the functionary, data doesn’t belong to us now, digital corporations own them. All this is beyond the legal framework, and the state finds it hard to regulate such processes. Tatarstan remains a region that can find ways of cooperation between public and state institutions in this area.

Ayrat Khayrullin noted that a person would soon have to win the right to their data. According to the functionary, data doesn’t belong to us now, digital corporations own them

Kazan in EAEU

President of the Russian Association of Public Relations Stanislav Naumov noted that Russia managed to keep the situation in the labour market.

“Such Russian regions as Tatarstan have outstripping economic relationships with both partners from Belarus and Tatarstan. This is why Tatarstan shouldn’t separate as a territory of advanced development inside Russia. Now you can pilot what all advanced communities, regions in Europe and the USA try to pilot. Today’s biggest challenge is not to try to go back like it was in February 2020. This is why it is necessary to dramatically simplify bureaucratic procedures. We already saw paper document exchange go away, many bureaucratic transactions can be excluded. And some processed can be given the function of developing new sectors from the public administration — supranational structures.”

In his opinion, a strong geographic and economic system of the Eurasian Economic Union will have appeared by 2025 where Kazan will have been the centre of advanced development.

Stanislav Naumov: “Today’s biggest challenge is not to try to go back like it was in February 2020. This is why it is necessary to dramatically simplify bureaucratic procedures”

“Nothing will qualitatively dramatically change by 2025”

“All our fears that the world will never be the same, all our hopes that the world will never be the same are destroyed step by step,” claimed President of the fund Petersburg Politics Mikhail Vinogradov.

The political expert drew the attention to the fact that such big social experiments as those during the pandemic become drivers of change. Pandemics at times didn’t change the structure qualitatively. For instance, the Spanish flu didn’t provide such a technological breakthrough.

“This is why we can say that nothing will qualitatively dramatically change by 2025,” Vinogradov continued. “There is a series of prejudice against the future. For instance, first of all, the youth needs the image of the future, it is a myth. The youth are optimistic enough not to be preoccupied with this. The feeling of the obsolete world is a feeling of the middle and older generation.”

Mikhail Vinogradov: “All our fears that the world will never be the same, all our hopes that the world will never be the same are destroyed step by step”

Another stereotype is that the image of the future is always positive. However, there is a constant feeling of some catch beyond the horizon. Moreover, there is a fear that not everybody will get access to the “nice” future.

“If the Republic of Tatarstan manages to fight the barrier of the reflection on the future in the next years, there can be a higher chance of some advantages,” the head of the fund Petersburg Politics concluded.

Most importantly, don’t worry

Summing up Ayrat Khayrullin assumed that “everything can go down to zero” by 2025, this is why it is important that society have clear horizons of planning.

Rector of Innopolis University Aleksandr Tormasov thinks that the new system of education should adapt to the constant improvement of specialists’ qualification that will be life-long.

Aleksandr Tormasov thinks that the new system of education should adapt to the constant improvement of specialists’ qualification that will be life-long.

“Most importantly, don’t worry, there is a rise after any economic crisis. And those who are ready for a rise start to win at this stage,” added Yevgenia Shamis.

As for Tatarstan, she noted a positive case of transformation of parks and urbanism Russia doesn’t have analogues of. By the way, Natalia Fishman-Bekmambetova who supervises parks and squares of the republic was at the meeting. Moreover, the expert thinks that the region works with the youth: education and sports events aren’t organised in other regions on such a scale. The development of the IT industry remains another advantage of Tatarstan. She also recommended the mechanical engineering cluster to be given a clear name.