The organizational committee discussed in detail many topical issues concerning readiness of all services to hold the Second Congress of Scientists of the Republic of Belarus; implementation, material and technical support for the congress; participation of representatives of foreign scientific organizations in it, etc.
The Second Congress of Scientists of the Republic of Belarus will be held on December 12–13, 2017. 2,100 delegates from all the regions of our country will take part in it. A large number of well-known scientists from the Union State, the CIS, leading foreign Academies of Sciences, world research organizations and centers are expected to arrive.
On the first Congress day, delegates and guests will work in nine sections devoted to the main directions of science development and international cooperation. Work of the youth section will also be organized. The sections will work in different organizations of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, and in organizations of other ministries and departments.
The plenary session will be held on December 13, 2017. The Science and Technology’2018-2040 Draft Strategy will be a key document to be submitted to the Second Congress of Scientists of the Republic of Belarus. Currently, it is in the process of public debate. The Strategy defines priorities for the long-term development of science and technologies, that will ensure a new quality of the economic growth of the Republic of Belarus and the country’s future exit to the world level of competitiveness in a number of areas. The Strategy has been developed by the scientists of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus with due regard for comments and proposals received from state authorities, working groups, and individual scientists. It is expected that the implementation of the Strategy will result in 3% research intensity of GDP, 30% share of breakthrough researches and developments, 10% share of high-tech sectors in the structure of the economy by 2040. Innovative products will have 25% in the total volume of production of industrial enterprises.
The year 2017 is declared the Year of Science, and the holding of the Congress will be its final event. The Congress will determine the main and most topical long-term tasks and areas for the development of the scientific sphere, as well as for the expansion of international scientific and technical cooperation and integration of the Belarusian science into the world scientific space. The Congress will also develop a general strategy for the enhancement of the role of national science in the country’s economy, its interaction with the real sector, the formation of an effective national innovation system and the progressive realization of a new economy model and the knowledge economy in the Republic of Belarus. The concept of the country's long-term scientific and innovation security will be discussed.