About the Foresight Centre
The Foresight Centre
The HSE University ISSEK International Research and Educational Foresight Centre was established in 2006 as a centre for expertise and applied research in the field of long-term forecasting of scientific, technological, and socio-economic development. Over the past 20 years, the Foresight Centre has become a leading Russian and global centre of expertise in the field of science and technology forecasting and analysis.
The centre is a strategic partner to international organisations, foreign research centres, and universities in the field of foresight studies. Its International Advisory Board comprises leading global experts, and its expert database includes over ten thousand individuals.
The centre’s specialists actively collaborate with representatives of government bodies, senior management from large and medium-sized enterprises, business associations, and civil society organisations. The centre employs advanced project management technologies.
Under ISSEK’s scientific and methodological coordination, a network of sectoral foresight centres has been established which currently encompasses over 200 organisations including universities, research centres, and real economy companies, as well as 2,000+ experts.
The Foresight Centre’s experts have developed an original methodology for constructing technology roadmaps for the development of innovative markets and technologies, and have created and registered know-how titled ‘Roadmap Construction Methodology.’
The Foresight Centre conducts comprehensive monitoring of global technological trends and regularly issues information bulletins on key trends in technological development.
The centre has developed and maintained databases on leading Russian and international scientists and practitioners across all fields of science and technology, as well as on global technology trends and foresight studies conducted in Russia and abroad.
Mission
To foster a culture of foresight studies in Russia as a tool for reducing uncertainty in the face of global challenges.
To prepare and provide high-quality analytical and forecasting data to support strategic decision-making at state and business levels.
Strategic Goals
— To become a leading Eurasian centre for strategic foresight and technology forecasting.
— To ensure the systematic application of foresight in shaping national priorities for science and technology development and innovation policy.
— To integrate Russian foresight approaches and expertise into the global expert agenda.
— To establish a sustainable ecosystem for training, consulting, and analytics focused on long-term horizons (10–30 years).
Key Objectives
— To develop science and technology foresight at the national, regional, sectoral, and corporate levels.
— To build strategic foresight competencies among students, postgraduate students, and management teams.
— To collaborate and exchange expertise with leading Russian and international specialists.
— To implement international foresight projects, including joint research and technology development roadmaps.
Areas of Activity
Expertise
Foresight Centre specialists develop long-term forecasts and roadmaps for promising areas of science and technology, as well as for innovative markets and economic sectors. The centre prepares and widely disseminates analytical and informational materials reflecting both Russian and international experience in the field of foresight.
Consulting
The Foresight Centre provides consulting services to leading Russian companies and government bodies on matters such as strategic planning, technology policy, digital transformation, technology market analysis, and other relevant topics. The results of its work are used to formulate lists of priority areas for science and technology development and critical technologies in the Russian Federation.
Education
Educational activities focus on training highly qualified specialists in the fields of strategic forecasting, long-term planning, and the management of science, technology, and innovation. Key components of the curriculum include the English-language Master’s programme ‘Science, Technology, and Innovation Management and Policy’ and the elective course ‘Foresight: Methodologies and Organisation,’ through which the centre’s experts deliver specialised courses based on their own expertise, covering the theory and practice of applied foresight.
Research
The Foresight Centre develops new methods for long-term forecasting. The expertise of its specialists is evidenced by numerous publications in international scientific journals ranked in the Q1 and Q2 quartiles.
International Cooperation
The Foresight Centre is part of a network of sectoral centres for science and technology forecasting, and its staff members serve on the expert councils of international organisations. The International Foresight conference is held annually at HSE University.