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Eureca

Enhancing University Research and Entrepreneurial Capacity (EURECA) Program

Russia’s transition to a knowledge economy requires the creation of a modern educational culture that focuses on the development of intellectual capital and the transfer of “innovation” to the market place. In the past two years, the Russian government has undertaken major higher education reforms aimed at integrating academic work and research, as well as cultivating an entrepreneurial spirit among university students and faculty and developing favorable conditions for the commercialization of intellectual property created at Russian universities. On August 2, 2009, a Federal law was signed by President Medvedev, giving Russian universities control over their intellectual property and allowing the creation of small companies on campuses. Moreover, the Ministry of Education and Science (MES) of the Russian Federation has selected 28 universities as national research universities, in two rounds, and provided them with generous funding to become Russia’s leading entrepreneurial institutions.

In keeping with its central mission of assisting the long-term development and diversification of Russia’s economy, the USRF has launched a multi-year program - EURECA (Enhancing University Research and Entrepreneurial Capacity) - to develop collaborative partnerships between U.S. and Russian universities that will result in building and strengthening the capacity of Russian research universities to commercialize intellectual property developed or identified by their research faculties. USRF is implementing EURECA in close consultation with the Russian Ministry of Education and Science.

EURECA has started with two discrete pilot projects that focus on the skills, knowledge and infrastructure needed to handle such critical tasks as:

  • Modernizing university research management;
  • Engaging effectively with the business sector and government to stimulate economic innovation and development;
  • Developing the legal framework and necessary legal instruments to secure registration and patenting of university intellectual property;
  • Conducting “technical audits” to determine the commercial potential of research results;
  • Securing initial funding and venture capital to further develop the product;
  • Disseminating best practices of entrepreneurship to other Russian universities. 

USRF has selected a consortium of one Russian (the New Eurasia Foundation) and the U.S.-based NGO (American Councils for International Education: ACTR/ACCELS) to administer this project under the overall guidance of USRF. They select the Russian universities for the pilot projects; identify U.S. partners; assist in “matchmaking” and preparing joint programs for the pilot projects; administer programs of exchanges, mentoring, and curriculum development; monitor the realization of the program and provide information to permit USRF to evaluate overall progress.
By April 2011 the implementation of four modular projects in the framework of the EURECA Program US-Russian university partnerships has started:

  1. N.I. Lobachevsky State University of Nizhni Novgorod (NNSU-RF) - Purdue University (USA).
    Modular Project «Center of Development of Innovative Entrepreneurship of Academic Youth”
  2. N.I. Lobachevsky State University of Nizhni Novgorod (NNSU - RF) - University of Maryland (USA). Modular Project «Center of International Cooperation in Tech Transfer”
  3. Saint Petersburg State University of Information Technologies, Mechanics and Optics (ITMO-RF) - University of California, Los Angeles, CA (USA).
    Modular Project "Enhancing world-wide ITMO innovative capacity – EWIIC”
  4. Saint Petersburg State University of Information Technologies, Mechanics and Optics (ITMO-RF) - University of California, Los Angeles, CA (USA).
    Modular Project "Cross-Atlantic Innovative Bridge for Russian innovations – CIAB”

The Round Table on development of educational, research and innovation infrastructure of the Russian and American universities was held on February 28, 2011 within the framework of the Presidential Russian-American Commission Education Subgroup. The Round Table was organized by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation in partnerships with the US Russia Foundation for Economic Advancement and the Rule of Law (USRF) and the New Eurasia Foundation. The following issues were discussed:

  • Cooperation of the Associations of the US universities and the RF leading universities.
  • Presentation of the actual formats of the US-Russian programs on cooperation in the areas of universities’ educational, research and innovation infrastructure development, the EURECA Program Case.
  • The Russian and American cooperation resources in the areas of universities’ educational, research and innovation infrastructure development.

In the framework of cooperation between the American Association of Universities (AAU) and the Association of Russian leading Universities the visit of Russian Universities' leaders will take place in USA on April 9 - 16, 2011. This visit being the first step to systemic and mutually beneficial relations between Russian and American Universities is organized by the New Eurasia Foundation in partnership with the Association of Russian leading Universities and Russian Ministry of Education and Science.

For more information please visit the EURECA Program web-site: http://www.eureca-usrf.org/en/

EURECA Program information on U.S. Department of State web site: