‘The Best Occasion to Get Information about what is Going on in the Country’

This spring many international guests came to Moscow to attend the 11th International Conference on the Problems of Economic Development. Here some of them spoke about their impressions and expectations.

Ann Lennarson Greer, the University of Wisconsin, USA

- What are your impressions of the conference?

Ann Lennarson Greer

- I was delighted when I saw the announcement of the topics that were to be covered. The conference is great. I've really enjoyed every day and learned something from every paper I've heard. I really think that the sections were very nicely grouped. Each of them covered a different aspect and all of them combined to make a whole.

- Is this your first time in Moscow? What are your impressions?

- Right now I am going to look around Moscow, to see some historic places such as Red Square. But overall I've had a very positive experience with the Russians I've met in the street. Yesterday, for example, in the underground a young man accompanied me because it was too complicated for me. The HSE staff have showed an extremely high level of help, which is really important if you don't speak the language. This is why I had to stay at the Hilton, because the staff all speak English there . This is my first visit to Moscow and I've been extremely impressed with it

 

Jorn Sonneburg, German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Germany

- Why this conference is interesting for you and your colleagues?

Jorn Sonneburg

- At this particular conference we are going to attend one particular section dealing with Eastern-Europe and Central Asia relationships. It's a session we helped to organize. We are primarily looking for a space where we can share experience at this conference. Also we are looking at how relations between Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the European Union can be improved. We want to see how they can join forces in terms of modernization, science and technology. Both parts of our mission are of great importance. That is why it is very difficult for me to highlight one particular presentation that is more important than any other.

- Why did you choose the HSE as a place for sharing experience?

- We have been collaborating with the HSE for years and have had nothing but positive experiences.

- This isn't your first visit to Russia, is it? What has impressed you most this year?

- My first visit was in 1986. At that time it was the Soviet Union and of course Russia has changed a lot. It is very impressive to see how fast it is changing in terms of economic development.

 

Zygmunt Krasinski, Institute of Fundamental Technological Research, Poland

- What sections and papers are interesting for you personally?

Zygmunt Krasinski

- For me the most interesting part of the event is sharing experience about public sector reforms. Here we have the very interesting experience of the EU countries, of our neighbour countries in Eastern Europe and of Central Asia. To create a good base for science and technology we should start with the infrastructure, with the public sector.

- Is this your first visit to a conference at the HSE?

- No, it is my third April conference. I think this conference was organized very well. The HSE knows how to involve young people, it is an expert in logistics and in organizing topics. There is a very good assistance for all of us who are attending from abroad - I mean in terms of accommodation, transportation etc. The conference provides lots of opportunities for informal working discussions. We have special working dinners where we don't only eat, but also discuss our papers.

- And what do you think of Moscow?

- I think in spring it is a very beautiful city, I see a great potential especially coming from the young generation.

 

Joachim Zweynert, Hamburg Institute of International Economics, Germany

- I think you attended the April Conference last year, didn't you? What are you impression of this year's Conference? Is it different?

Joachim Zweynert

- I have been participating in these conferences since 2004 and it is very pleasant to see how they have developed and grown. My impression is that there are more and more foreigners attending. It is the best economic conference in Russia. What I can say as a scholar doing research on Russia and the post-Soviet region is that this is by far the best occasion to get information about what is going on in the country. What I like is the mix of plenary sessions where we can get an overview of what is going on, and the sections where we can go into more detail. It really is a very good mix.

- What was the most interesting aspect for you?

- This depends on one's field of expertise. As I am an institutional economist, I found the sections devoted to this the most interesting. But I think that the scale is so broad that every attending academic can find something interesting for him or herself.

- What about the organization of the Conference?

- The organization is always brilliant and I am very grateful for all the support with my visa and all the assistance I got from the staff.

 

Benu Bidani, the World Bank

- What did you expect from the conference? Did it meet your expectations?

Benu Bidani

- This is the first time I have attended this Conference. I'd heard that it was a very big conference like the Economic Association meetings and having attended this conference I think it is really much like that. For me it was a huge learning experience. I wanted to know what the key topics were and who were the leading figures in the academic field.

- Is this your first visit to Russia?

- No, but I am new to working in Russia. It is a very challenging environment for me. I found my counterparts very interesting and the dialogue stimulating.

- What sections proved to be interesting?

- I was at the plenary session and attended the macroeconomic section. It was very interesting. I found the presentations on the demographic changes very thought provoking.

 

Yasunori Yamashita, Japanese Embassy in Russia

- What did you think was the most interesting thing about this conference?

Yasunori Yamashita

- There were interesting presentations in international policy. I was also interested in science and technology and innovation policy not

only in Russia but throughout the world. This topic is close to my own field. This is the second time I have attended this Conference.

- Did you have the chance to visit some other Russia cities?

- I was not only in Moscow but also in St. Petersburg and traveled around the Golden ring. Moscow is a very interesting city, a great metropolis.

 

Zuhui Huang, China Academy for Rural Development, China

- What are your impressions of this conference?

Zuhui Huang

- This Conference is very good, with many participants. The most interesting sections for me were connected with Russia and its economic reforms. I am from China and we should learn from the experience of Russia, it is a great country. Also I am particularly interested in agriculture as I am a professor of Agricultural economics. My topic is connected with the supply and distribution of food.

- Is this your first visit to Russia? Did you visit any interesting places?

- Yes, this is my first visit. I visited Red Square. I think that Moscow is a great city and extremely impressive.

 

Dr Christian Wagner, German Institute for International and Security Affairs, Germany

- What sections and presentations have been interesting for you?

Christian Wagner

- There is a lot of interesting presentations on economic and social development. I am interested in those devoted to India and China, and I am going to deliver a presentation on democracy and the promotion of democracy in the case of India.

- Are you at the April Conference for the first time?

- It is my first time at this conference but my second visit to the HSE. The first time was last year at a conference held by the HSE in collaboration with the German research institution. Unfortunately, both times I didn't have much opportunity to see Moscow. It is a very nice city and I'm sorry I don't have the opportunity to stay here longer.

- What do you think about the organization of the Conference?

- I think the organization of the conference is very good, and concerning its size, I didn't meet any problems.

 

Prof. Aard J. Groen, University of Twente, the Netherlands

- Have you ever been in Russia before?

Aard J. Groen

- I have visited this country ten times and I can see that it has changed tremendously. It has become nicer, but slightly less organized and there are more traffic jams. It is very interesting to see how it changes every year. We work with Russian companies and I think that management skills there are getting better.

- What sections are interesting for you?

- It is very interesting to see what is happening in the field of entrepreneurship and innovation at the HSE. The section of Prof. Chepurenko was very interesting. Other sections about Russia were also very interesting - to see how Russia has been changing and how innovation has been used to stimulate the economy. It is also important to meet colleagues from the HSE, to talk about student exchange programmes and potential staff exchange possibilities. Such conferences are a good opportunity for such collaboration.

- Is this conference different from international conferences in the US and the Netherlands?

- When we organize conferences ourselves they are smaller, but in the US they are relatively bigger. Here, there were a lot of speakers and everyone could find something that interested them.

 

Yekaterina Rylko, Anna Kozlova, HSE News Service

Photos by Yekaterina Rylko, Anna Kozlova