The Industrial Robotics Development Center will be established in the Nizhny Novgorod region.

      Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University (NNSTU) named after R.E. Alekseev will receive 295 million rubles to establish a Center for Industry Robotics Development as part of a targeted government program. The university's application ranked first out of 28 projects in the competition. Significant expert and coordination support was provided by the Nizhny Novgorod Scientific and Educational Center (SEC). Starting from 2025, the development of industrial robotics is being carried out within the framework of the federal project "Development of Industrial Robotics and Automation of Production," part of the national project "Means of Production and Automation," initiated by President Vladimir Putin. The state program under which the grant competition was conducted was developed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation. The operator is the Autonomous Nonprofit Organization "Innopolis University." Funding will be phased and is planned until 2027. The Center for Industry Robotics Development, to be established at NNSTU, will become a key element of the regional infrastructure in automation and digital transformation of industry. The center's activities will include creating a full-cycle scientific and production complex, implementing engineering projects, and developing and commercializing domestic robotic solutions. "The development of modern industrial infrastructure and, consequently, increased labor productivity are priorities for our region. This is a fundamental tool to reduce the personnel deficit, which somewhat limits the growth rate of our industry. Implementing modern robotic solutions reduces manual operations and increases technological accuracy. The robotics center should give an impulse to technological modernization of enterprises and strengthen the position of the Nizhny Novgorod region as a center of engineering competencies at the federal level," said Gleb Nikitin, governor of Nizhny Novgorod Oblast. Deputy Governor Andrey Sanosyan emphasized that besides technology development, the center would also focus on personnel training. "It is important that the center will provide training in industrial robotics—more than 250 specialists are planned to be trained annually. Any new equipment requires servicing, so over time, such specialists will be increasingly in demand," said Sanosyan. Additionally, the center will actively participate in conducting technological audits and supporting modernization processes at manufacturing sites, enabling enterprises to adapt efficiently to the requirements of the modern economy and improve their competitiveness both domestically and internationally. "Winning in the competition is recognition of our systematic work in robotics and technological development. We thank the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia, Innopolis University for their trust, and also the Nizhny Novgorod SEC for active assistance in preparing the application. We are confident that the center will become a powerful driver of industrial transformation in our region," said Sergey Dmitriev, rector of NNSTU named after R.E. Alekseev. Alexander Tarasenko, director of the NGO "Nizhny Novgorod SEC," noted that the center's creation will combine the competencies of academic science and engineering schools, taking into account the needs of industrial enterprises. "The created center will become a hub for developers, engineers, students, and industrial partners, ensuring the transfer of advanced technologies to real production and contributing to Russia's technological sovereignty," emphasized Tarasenko. The competition was conducted in accordance with the order of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia and the Russian Government resolution No. 1781. Key evaluation criteria included research and personnel potential, material and technical base, as well as the demand and significance of the solutions being developed in the market, among others. The period from 2022 to 2031 was declared by President Vladimir Putin as the Decade of Science and Technology in Russia. The main objectives of the Decade are attracting talented youth to research and development, engaging researchers and developers in solving society's and the country's critical challenges, and increasing public awareness of domestic science achievements and prospects. All current information about the project and its initiatives can be found on the website: nauka.rf.