Innovations

Mari El Republic state policy of in the field of science and technologies sets the main goal of changeover to innovative development pattern, which should secure modernization of the economy and growth of industrial competitive ability as well as efficient positioning of the Republic.

The main factors underlying the innovative development of the Republic are:

• Stable economic growth
• Government′s concernment about enhancing investment attractiveness of the region
• Development of interregional cooperation
• Creation of high-performance regulatory framework
• University science, well-developed hi-tech industrial complex
• Intellectual and personnel potential of the Republic

Republican target program “Development of innovative activity in Mari El Republic in 2010 – 2012”, which is currently functioning in the Republic, performs the following tasks:

• Creation of the republican innovative system, able to develop engineering and research base in Mari El, enhance intellectual capitalization, promote import of technologies
• Development and subsequent integration of members of еру regional innovative system in order to turn the economy of MER towards innovative development course
• Preservation and development of competitive ability of the Republic for the foreseeable future due to significant increase in production of innovative goods

The program is to be carried out in two stages: the first stage involves creation of integral innovative infrastructure and establishing the Register of research and development works in the region. The second stage will see promotion of new hi-tech commodities and services to the market, as well as elaboration of efficient measures for stimulating innovative activity in the region.

The specified program must facilitate creation of the regional innovative infrastructure, securing development of the chain "idea – prototype model (technology) – investment project – implementation". Moreover, competitive ability of commodities produced by regional enterprises is to be enhanced through applying of advanced hi-technologies. The amount of organizations dealing with research and development will grow. The share of innovative articles in the total scope of shipped products will increase as well as R&D expenses.

Mari El Republic possesses considerable research personnel potential and developed research infrastructure. Scientific and research activities are carried out by universities, research institutes, innovative centers and the republican business incubator.

Mari State Technical University (MarSTU) and Mari State University (MarSU) carry out a good deal of research work.

25 testing laboratories and product testing centers within all-Russian certifying system for the state standards (GosStandards) of Russia have been founded, accredited and now operate. The Agency certifying quality system is functioning on the basis of Mari Centre for Certification and energy supply Ltd.

Small and medium-size businesses carry out research work, implementing technological innovations and manufacturing innovative products. Several innovative centers have been established at the republican universities for commercialization of scientific developments and their promotion to industry.