Scientific research and new technology development are being performed in all areas of science.

The range of institutions dealing with scientific research and developing new technologies is rather wide: the Institute of Acoustic Engineering of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Belarus (AC RB), departmental research institutes, engineering offices, and scientific labs of industrial enterprises; all in all 26 of them including state higher educational establishments.

5 State higher educational establishments make their contribution to the scientific potential of the Region. They are: Vitebsk State Masherov’s University, Vitebsk State the Order of Peoples' Friendship Medical University, Vitebsk State Technological University, Vitebsk State the Order of Honour Veterinary Academy, Polotsk State University. There is a special Vitebsk regional re-training and educational centre for the people working in educational institutions. 

The strategy of economical development of the Republic of Belarus is to implement innovation projects, scientific and technical achievements, and to deploy them effectively.

Starting in the year 2000, a new program called “Innovational Development of Vitebsk Region” is being implemented where Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee is the customer. Since the beginning of the project, 40 tasks have been performed within this program; they include tasks in the areas of machine building, civil and municipal engineering, ecology, textile, agriculture, etc. These tasks were implemented by various research institutions including universities of the Region, The Institute of Acoustic Engineering of the AC RB, leading republican research institutions: Scientific and Research Institute of Powder Metallurgy, the Institute of Physics and Technology of the AC RB, and other republican and regional institutions and enterprises.

As a result of this program, several innovations have been implemented and put to production, for instance, a pottery factory in Obol’sk has put to production a new type of tiles with combustible additives; a plant in Novopolotsk has released a new type of submersive energy-saving pumps with enhanced service life; a factory in Vitebsk has put to production a laser video spectrum analyzer system for the microbiological control at the sewer disposal plants; a plant in Vitebsk has started the production of drum electrolyzers for electrochemical facing of small and extra-small component parts; a plant in Novoloukoml’ has released a new type of electric motor with the outer rotor and fan heaters, a plant in Vitebsk has mplemented ultrasonic finishing of engine crankpins, and so on.

The choice of projects and research supports and goes in line with economic development of the Region. Program implementation is financed from the national budget, financial resources of enterprises, and regional innovation fund.

In 2005, the innovators living in Vitebsk region registered 10 new patients, 90% of them are brand new for the industry of Belarus. 5 of the innovators registered innovation patients and 4 – utility patients. At present the number of cutting-edge technologies used at the enterprises of the Region has reached 943. These enterprises spend about 100 billion BRB (98.9) a year on technology updates. In fact, 42% of the program budget was spent on the purchase of new equipment and machines, while the share of new technology research was only 7%. And still, in 2005 the load of innovation technologies comprised 1889.3 billion BRB, which is almost a third of the total expenditures of the technology-oriented enterprises. 

The exchange of innovations between enterprises worked both ways, for instance, 68 new technologies and software means were acquired, 64.7% of enterprises imported them, 14 enterprises shared them with other organizations (21.4% went to the enterprises and organizations outside Belarus).    

And it was not a random pick that in 2004 Vitebsk region hosted a session of standing republican seminar for state officials working in the area of innovational development – the recommendations worked out at the seminar have been gradually put into practice. 

In Vitebsk a Business Incubator and a Technology Park at Polotsk University have been organized. Several scientific research departments and new engineering offices have been formed. They focus on adaptating new technologies and putting them into production.

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