The plenary session of the Oil Summit of the Republic of Tatarstan, held at the Higher School of Petroleum campus, brought together representatives of government, science, and business to discuss the role of each of these stakeholders in the achievement of energy leadership. The discussion was moderated by Sergey Brilev, President of the Global Energy Association.
In addition to the announcement of the Global Energy Prize laureates, the key topic was the establishment of effective interaction between government, businesses, and the scientific community. It was agreed among participants that no single party can act alone today; instead, collaborative efforts are needed to transform global challenges into drivers of development.
Rustam Minnikhanov, Rais of the Republic of Tatarstan, emphasized that Tatarstan has consistently invested in scientific and educational infrastructure for many years, and the Higher School of Petroleum in Almetyevsk is a prime example of this approach. Here, he said further, all conditions have been created for young specialists not merely to study from textbooks, but to engage in real-world projects. “We fully understand that today, moving forward without science is impossible,” Minnikhanov stated. “Every month we meet with scientists and discuss new developments.”
The Rais of the Republic also highlighted the importance of the talent pool. “We see young talent starting as early as school. Today, the company (Tatneft) already covers several schools and kindergartens. Biotechnology and new areas respresent our reserve for further development.”
Nail Maganov, General Director of PJSC Tatneft, in his address at the plenary session of the Oil Summit of the Republic of Tatarstan, emphasized that businesses must be bolder and take greater responsibility for technological development. At the same time, he clearly defined the roles of each participant in the “triangle.”
“The state sets national priorities and goals that business should align with. But businesses can tackle some goals independently – if you’re the first to recognize opportunities, the juiciest rewards are easiest to reach. And when more capital-intensive tasks arise, the regulator steps in to support both science and business.”
Maganov stressed that Tatneft has long viewed its development as inseparable from science. “Our company faces high-tech challenges, and progress is impossible without science,” he said. “We achieve results by maintaining a dialogue with science and working together on products. All three corners of the triangle must be fully engaged.”
He also thanked the organizers for the opportunity to showcase the company’s developments and emphasized that many innovations are born precisely in Tatneft’s youth laboratories. “All these inventions, all these recommendations and technologies have been developed through our young people. These kids have literally just graduated from the university, and they’re already creating real products.”
The session took the form of a lively discussion. Participants and attendees engaged in vigorous debate on how to foster long-term relationships among government officials, scientists, and entrepreneurs, ensuring that Tatarstan and the broader Russia would not only be capable of addressing global issues but also remain ahead of them.
In conclusion, all agreed that the key success factor is not so much financial investment as systematic work to create an environment where science becomes a natural partner to industry, while the state sets the rules of the game in a way that stimulates innovation.
