About the Project

In the fall of 2011, the Digital October Center for New Technologies and Technological Entrepreneurship, in conjunction with the telecommunications company Rostelecom and with the support of the Russian Venture Company, launched the distance-learning project Knowledge Stream.

The project is qualitatively distinctive from other educational programs available in Russia today. Its mission is to acquaint the Russian audience with the world’s latest technological innovations and scientific breakthroughs that have practical application in business.

Renowned scientists and experts from around the world participate in the project: lecturers whose schedules are booked a year in advance and whose appearances in Russia are nearly impossible to coordinate. Among those who have confirmed their participation are specialists from MIT, the National University of Singapore, Hasso Plattner Institute, and other major companies and universities. The lecturers appear before a Russian audience remotely via videoconference, which is broadcast in HD in Digital October’s auditorium and on the project website. With the format’s technical specifications, the presentations can easily take place in telepresence: lecturers and audiences thousands of miles apart can communicate freely and hold lively discussions.

The interactive videoconference continues with a panel discussion with Russian experts in Digital October’s conference hall. A specialized audience is invited to each lecture: experts interested in the subject or with experience that might put the ideas presented during the lecture and discussion to practical use.

The Knowledge Stream program consists of several themed series, each of which includes three to five lectures. Previous themes include “Energy of the Future”, “Next Generation Telecommunications”, “Sports Technologies”, “Venture Capital”, “The Future of Bio- and Nanotechnologies,” a series of lectures by Nobel Prize winners, "The Economics of Happiness” and many more. More than 80 project events are planned for the year at the Digital October Center.

The Knowledge Stream Project was officially announced and garnered support at the St. Petersburg Economic Forum in June 2011. The project launch, as well as coverage and interviews with its creators, were aired on the main television channels.

Digital October is looking for meaningful partnerships with progressive Russian companies interested in developing innovation. Partners are jointly involved in organizing lecture series, collaborating on the selection of topics and speakers, and inviting experts to participate in the panel discussions. These partners also enable the project to have maximum coverage in the mass media through announcements and discussions of joint activities in leading mainstream media and online sources, both locally and nationally.