Cisco Signs Cooperation Roadmap with Republic of Tatarstan and Opens Innovation Center at Kazan Federal University Rustam Minnikhanov, the president of Tatarstan (third from left), and Cisco delegation
From left to right: Chris Dedicoat, Rustam Minnikhanov, Ilshat Gafurov
MOSCOW - October 22, 2014 - Cisco today announced that in order to develop the cooperation and to broaden its involvement in the digitalization of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russias most innovative and ICT developed region, the Cisco delegation in Kazan signed a cooperation roadmap with the republic for the implementation of the Smart and Safe Kazan City project and Memorandum of Understanding with Kazan Federal University.
This was preceded by a meeting between Rustam Minnikhanov, the President of Tatarstan; Roman Shaikhutdinov, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Information and Communications of the Republic of Tatarstan; Ilsur Metshin, Mayor of Kazan; Linar Yakupov, Head of Tatarstan Investment Development Agency; Ilshat Gafurov, Rector of Kazan Federal University (KFU); and a Cisco delegation led by Matthew Smith, Head of Strategy and Planning Industry Solutions and Emerging Countries.
Increased use of smart solutions for cities and the integration of various elements into a single system can help the leaders of Tatarstan reach their main objectives - implement economic transformations, diversification, innovations development, increased productivity, and improved quality of life.
The Smart and Safe Kazan City project includes the construction of a unified urban infrastructure with a Wi-Fi and video surveillance network and implementation of technical solutions that provide a variety of public services to the city residents, companies and government agencies. The project includes such systems as: intelligent transportation, urban local and environmental situation control, smart parking, smart bus, smart street lighting, contextual advertising, smart utilities, and public safety.
The project is based on innovations developed by local vendors from Tatarstan and some other regions of Russia, such as ICL-KME CS, HeadPoint, Avtodoria, BARS Group, Sinarra, Step Logic, Tattelecom, and ENTELS. Their developments are integrated into the Cisco technology platform.
Supporting Quote
Rustam Minnikhanov, President of Tatarstan:
Its nice that Cisco considers Tatarstan as a pilot region for its projects in Russia. Cisco is our strategic partner, and I hope that we will continue our cooperation.
With reference to his visit to Barcelona, where Ciscos experts demonstrated to him the smart city project being implemented there, Rustam Minnikhanov said: Much of what we saw in Barcelona assured us that we are on the right track. Matthew Smith thanked Rustam Minnikhanov for good partnership relations established between Tatarstan and Cisco. He stressed that despite the costs, these projects are payback while creating proper innovation environment.
To further support innovative agenda in the region, Cisco opened an Innovation Center at the Kazan Federal University. It will contribute to the development of technology and the creation of an innovative ecosystem in the Republic of Tatarstan and the Russian Federation at large. This is Ciscos second such center in Russia. The first one was opened over a year ago at Skolkovo.
Supporting Quotes
Chris Dedicoat, President, Cisco EMEAR:
Tatarstan can be proud of what was set up in the Kazan Federal University. This is a great example of real innovations and leadership. As an engineer, I am glad to see that Cisco and KFU are developing together an innovation economy in Russia. Our task is to build a platform for local companies to create new solutions based on Cisco technologies, which will contribute to the modernization of Kazan.
Rustam Minnikhanov, President of Tatarstan:
We have already covered a long distance together, and its time to take new steps. Cisco can continue to count on Tatarstan, and on our cooperation.
KFU-based Cisco Innovations Center is equipped with advanced videoconferencing systems and laboratory network equipment. This, in the framework of the Internet of Everything, will enable comprehensive science-intensive research in such areas as communication systems, navigation systems and future antenna technology design for building complete products and integrated solutions for smart cities. In particular, Cisco and Kazan Federal University Higher School of Information Technologies and Information Systems plan to implement a joint project for introducing Wi-Fi solutions (similar to Cisco Connected Stadium Wi-Fi) at the World Aquatics Championships, which will take place next year in Kazan.
Moreover, Cisco Innovations Center will serve as a base for implementing various initiatives supporting the technological development of KFU innovative community, such as training seminars, mentoring and other activities providing undergraduates and graduates with direct access to business experts and other global innovation ecosystem participants. As a result, Cisco Innovation Center will promote the development of technological education in Tatarstan, since other universities undergraduates and graduates may be also able to use its resources and technologies.
During the opening ceremony, several working prototypes were demonstrated e.g., smart utilities, situational surveillance, fractal antennas, inertial positioning systems and a physical model of Internet networking in the urban environment. They had been developed as a result of Cisco cooperation with ITIS KFU research team and local software and hardware systems vendors.
Of particular interest to the Head of Tatarstan was a smart bus, an innovative development of Kazan IT professionals. An ordinary city shuttle equipped with video cameras and a high-speed Internet connection can record traffic violations
