On March 18, 2015 in our University lecture hall 607-C was full of interested undergraduate and postgraduate students, doctoral degree seekers, professors and teachers, and administrative staff of the university including vice-rectors, deans and heads of chairs. All of them came to listen to a brilliant analysis lecture of foreign member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Askar A. Akaev “Strategy of Russian economics modernization” who presented some exclusive video material.

Before the lecture our honorary guest visited museum of University’s history, Scientific and technical library, where he with due respect and interest did museum’s items, rare books and presented the library with several books written by him.

Academician of the National academy of sciences of Kyrgyzstan, professor A.A. Akaev is a world-wide known researcher in the area of optic information technologies, in particular laser holography and optic treatment of information. This prominent scientist is a man who lived an interesting and bright life, who was in love with the city of his youth – Leningrad – Petersburg lifelong. Here in Leningrad in 1968 A.A. Akaev graduated with honors from Leningrad institute of precision mechanics and optics (current name is Saint Petersburg scientific research university of information technologies, mechanics and optics – University ITMO), later postgraduate studies (in 1972) and defended his D.Sc. degree in Moscow engineering and physic institute (1980). But he loved the Neva city and Petersburg citizens during all his life.

In 1988-1990 A.A. Akaev was a president of the National academy of sciences of Kyrgyzstan and later in 1990 he was elected the first president of this new independent state and during next 14 years he kept the helm of state.

Since 2005 he lives in Moscow and works as a chief science worker of the Institute of mathematic investigations of complex systems in Moscow state university named after M.V. Lomonosov. A.A. Akaev is a member of the Scientific council of the Programme of fundamental researchers of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences “Economic and sociology of knowledge”. He published an enormous amount of scientific works and inventions in optic methods and holography systems of information storage and development; he is a co-author of large monographs in issues and methods of modeling and forecasting crisis and world dynamics in economics. He developed methods for studying non-linear elements in modern market economics (interaction of cyclic vibrations and economic growth, impact of structural changes on dynamics of economic growth, reasons and signs of economic crisis and etc.).

These issues were reflected in brief in the lecture of A.A. Akaev, the conclusions being the following “Russia is passing through a structural economic crisis”. In order to overcome it we need:

• fixed investments and its principal part “human factor”;
• education of highly-qualified innovation specialists who will form a third part of those who work in the industry;  
• large scale technological renovation of the industry; percent of hi-tech equipment and rate of growth of annual replacement of fixed assets  should increase thrice; investments into research and development and innovations should increase fivefold;   
• policy (and practice) of import substitution priority;  
• development of non-resource export and etc.

If these science based recommendations can be carried out and can be successful in revival of the Russian economics – it remains to be seen.   

We should also add that Askar A. Akaev is an experience lecturer and a charming person. He practices a confident, friendly and calm academic way of material presentations using a lot of fact and figures based examples with scientifically analyzed and forecasted conclusions.  

After the lecture the audience didn’t let the professor go as they asked him various questions. Askar A. Akaev was glad to give detailed answers to all of them.

One of the questions was: “There is an opinion that politics and morality are incompatible, what do you think regarding this saying”. Professor Akaev had to agree with this point of view with regret, but noted that being a president he tried not to oppose these two concepts.

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Photo: Sutyrin Dmitry