MINSK, 6 November (BelTA) – The State Committee on Science and Technology (SCST) of Belarus is working on the definition of Belarus' subregional innovation development index together with the United National Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), Chairman of the State Committee on Science and Technology Aleksandr Shumilin said as he spoke at the opening of the Subregional Innovation Policy Outlook for Belarus session on 6 November, BelTA learned from the press service of the State Committee on Science and Technology.
“It is a large-scale project, and we are interested in its results. The materials of the outlook will be used to prepare new proposals, further improve the state innovation policy of Belarus and develop the state innovative development program for 2021-2025,” said Aleksandr Shumilin. More than 20 national and regional government agencies are working on the project.
The Subregional Innovation Policy Outlook consists of 49 indicators structured into three components: innovation management, innovation policy instruments and the innovation policy process. According to the UNECE methodology, a comprehensive assessment is carried out by independent experts, public authorities and organizations of Belarus. Then the results are compared. The project is implemented with the financial assistance of the government of Sweden.
Belarus' State Committee on Science and Technology has been cooperating with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe for more than ten years. The UNECE, jointly with the State Committee on Science and Technology, prepared the first Innovation Performance Review for Belarus in 2010-2011 and the second one (Innovations for Sustainable Development) in 2016-2017. Recommendations received as a result of the two reviews were used to develop the appropriate state programs for 2011-2015 and 2016-2020, which helped verify Belarus' innovation policy with international approaches.
Photo courtesy of the State Committee on Science and Technology
