SPIEF’21: St Petersburg University signs agreements on the establishment and development of ‘The Neva Delta’ Science and Technology Centre
St Petersburg University has signed a number of agreements with major high-tech companies at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum. The agreements cover the participation of the partners in the creation and development of the innovative science and technology centre ‘The Neva Delta’ at St Petersburg University.
Agreements have been signed with VTB Bank, Kaspersky Lab, Gazprom Neft, Sistema Public Joint Stock Financial Corporation and ALROSA. The documents formalise the mutual intention of the parties to cooperate in establishing and developing the innovative science and technology centre ‘The Neva Delta’ in the Pushkinsky District of St Petersburg over the next five years.
Pilot high-tech production facilities will be launched at ‘The Neva Delta’ science and technology centre. They will be designed to introduce advanced scientific developments in: ecology; agriculture and agro-technology; biotechnology; pharmaceuticals and genetics; medical technology; energy; oil and gas technology; digitalisation and digital modelling; instrumentation; and new materials, including for use at extremely low temperatures in the Arctic.
The Neva Delta, on which we will be working with partners, will become a space for cooperation between science, technology, government and business. We shall build a hub for large-scale innovation in all vital areas of the economy, a place where the route of scientific development from idea to realisation will be shortened to such an extent that we will literally bring the future closer.
Nikolay Kropachev, Rector of St Petersburg University
‘There is still a lot of work to be done, but I am sure that The Neva Delta will bring the best scientists from around the world to to our University campus and the city. This is the best gift the University can receive for its 300th anniversary. I am proud that we can build it with our own hands and with the help of our partners,’ said Nikolay Kropachev, Rector of St Petersburg University.
The Neva Delta will occupy 100 hectares adjacent to the development area of St Petersburg University in the Pushkinsky District of St Petersburg. In the long term, the area of The Neva Delta could be expanded threefold.
Earlier at SPIEF, St Petersburg University signed an agreement with the St Petersburg City
Administration. This document also seals the commitment to the joint implementation of the Neva Delta project. Also at the Forum, the Rector of St Petersburg University signed cooperation agreements with the Russian Association Znanie and Interfax Group, and agreements with Qatar University and Hamad Bin Khalifa University. He held working meetings with Gazprom EP International and Microsoft Rus, and moderated the session ‘Investment Dispute Settlement in BRICS: Prospects for a New Arbitration Institute’, which introduced a revolutionary project developed by scholars from St Petersburg University to create BRICS Investment Arbitration.