Stages and Principles of Forming Regional Science and Technology Infrastructure under Russian Federal Policy

The imperative of achieving technological sovereignty places the task of science and technology development at the forefront for Russia’s regions, with infrastructure being a key enabling factor. In recent years, various infrastructure facilities have been established across the Russian Federation’s regions, including innovative science and technology centers, world-class research and education hubs, and advanced engineering schools. However, data on these assets remain insufficiently systematized, and the boundaries of the concept “science and technology infrastructure” are not clearly defined. This article analyzes definitions of infrastructure in federal laws and strategic and programmatic documents on science and technology policy from 1991 to 2025. Four main stages in the formation of such infrastructure in Russia are identified. It is shown that the term “innovation infrastructure” predominates in both legal texts and academic publications, yet it does not fully capture the specificity of science and technology activities. To address this gap, we propose refining the concept of infrastructure in national science and technology policy by distinguishing two subsystems—scientific‐research and science‐infrastructure.

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