Journal of the National Research University Higher School of Economics

Foresight approaches have been widely used in addressing many problems in S&T and innovation policy, and the methods employed continue to be developed. Foresight practitioners agree that there is still considerable scope for innovation and improvement in the field, however. How can conceptual frameworks and tools of Foresight be advanced so to better contribute to policymakers' search for Great Responses to the many Grand Challenges that confront contemporary societies? These fundamental questions were in focus in discussions at the Annual Conference on Foresight and S&T and Innovation Policy held on late October 2013 at the National Research University — Higher School of Economics (HSE) by the HSE Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge.

The following topics were addressed in the agenda:

• The role of Foresight in S&T and innovation policy;
• Networking and the use of Foresight results;
• Foresight for companies, sectors and technologies;
• Evolution of S&T Foresight.

Presentations were made by renowned experts from international organizations (OECD, UNESCO, UNIDO), worldwide leading Foresight think tanks — Manchester Institute of Innovation Research, University of Manchester, UK;  Korea Institute of S&T Evaluation and Planning (KISTEP); National Institute of Science and Technology Policy (NISTEP), Japan; University of Ottawa (Canada); Research Center for Futures Studies, University of Hawaii at Manoa, US; Institute for Technological Innovation, University of Pretoria, South Africa; Singularity University, US; Centre for Social Innovation, Austria, as well as from Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, HSE and a range of other organizations.