The Scientific and Educational Center (REC) "Sever", created in Yakutia for the introduction of new technologies and research in the fields of biotechnology and permafrost, has great prospects. This opinion was expressed during the plenary session of the II Forum "Universities and the development of geostrategic territories of Russia" by the President of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) Alexander Sergeev.
REC "North: the Territory of Sustainable Development" was created on the basis of the institutions of the Academy of Sciences of Yakutia together with the Yakut Scientific Center of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the North-Eastern Federal University (NEFU) for the introduction of new technologies and research in the fields of biotechnology and permafrost. REC "North" unites five Far Eastern regions (Yakutia, Sakhalin and Magadan regions, Kamchatka Krai and Chukotka Autonomous Okrug).
"Last year, the Russian Academy of Sciences took part in the first forum. We have seen that Yakutia is turning from a geostrategically important region in terms of its geographical location, its huge mineral resource base, into a republic that plays a significant role in terms of geostrategic, scientific and technological position. <...> This is confirmed, for example, by the creation of the REC "North: Territory of Sustainable Development", which united several regions of Russia. He began to work effectively, we support this project and see its prospects," Sergeyev said, quoted by the NEFU press service.
Sergeev noted that the RAS has developed close ties with NEFU. Since 2019, an agreement on cooperation has been in force between the republic, the university and the Russian Academy of Sciences. The Head of the Russian Academy of Sciences identified several areas of interaction - issues of the development of the mineral resource base and processing, issues of the development of the riches of Yakutia, permafrost: "We understand how this can be effectively used to create cryophages. Even in conditions of permafrost degradation, Yakutia is the territory where it will be preserved. This is your advantage," he added.