At the invitation of Russian e-Development Partnership in Magnitogorsk city (see also PRIOR-Magnit) Tatiana Ershova, Director General of the Institute of the Information Society and Head of the PRIOR IIS Directorate, conducted several meetings with representatives of organizations interested in the information society development.  

The first series of meetings was held on April 23, 2012 in Magnitogorsk State Technical University (MTSU) n.a. G.I. Nosov.  It started with a conversation with University Rector, Doctor of Engineering, Professor, Honored Worker of Higher School of RF, Honored Scientist of RF, Valery Kolokoltsev. The discussion was also attended by PRIOR-Magnit Coordinator, Member of the Central Council of the Interregional Public Movement for Revival of National Science, Tatiana Golovina, and Member of Presidium of Political Council of Chelyabinsk Regional Division of political party “United Russia”, Vladimir Kirzhatskikh. Participation of Russia in international initiatives aimed at information society development, achievements and challenges of implementation of the Strategy of the Information Society Development in Russia, situation in Chelyabinsk region and Magnitogorsk from the point of view of ICT development and use in the sphere of education and in other priority spheres were discussed.  

Then the conference hall of the MSTU n.a. G.I. Nosov hosted a lecture by Tatiana Ershova on “Russia and Russian regions in the Information Society: Breakthroughs and Failures”, which was attended by representatives of scientific and educational community of the city, first of all students, post-graduate students and teachers of the university, commercial and non-commercial organizations, political parties and movements, mass media. Tatiana Ershova responded to numerous questions of the audience related to the information society development policy in general and internet in particular, problems of information society measuring, problems of accessibility of popular software products for educational institutions, and many others.  

The second series of meetings was held on April 24, 2012 in Magnitogorsk State University. It started with a conversation between Tatiana Golovina and Tatiana Ershova with Valentin Romanov, MSU President (MSU Rector in 1988-2008), PhD,  Professor, Honoured Scientist of Russia, outstanding state and public figure in Russia, Chairman of Magnitogorsk city Public Chamber, Magnitogorsk city, Chelyabinsk region and the Russian Federation Honorary Citizen, Professor, EdD, Zaynitdin Umetbaev, First Pro-Rector, Pro-Rector of Research and International Relations of MSU, and Vasiliy Petrov, Head of Administration for organizational and statutory activities of the University.  

Then the presentation of “infoDonor” program, providing for technological support of non-commercial and non-governmental organizations, was held, to which heads and specialists of a number of NCO/NGOs dealing with important challenges of social and economic development of Magnitogorsk and Ural region, as well as city mass media representatives, were invited.
After the presentation Tatiana Ershova introduced the main challenges and perspectives of information society development in Russia, including comments on Russia’s position in leading international ratings, a s well as the most recent data of the Index of Russian Regions.E-Readiness to the students, post-graduates and teachers of MSU, representatives of non-commercial organizations and mass media.
In conclusion, Tatiana Golovina and Tatiana Ershova visited the South-Ural Centre for Internet Education, which is functioning on the basis of the Institute of Advanced Professional Education (IAPE) under MSU and is implementing an extensive training program for educational workers and socially unprotected groups in the sphere of ICT use, information resources and services.  

PRIOR Directorate expresses its sincere gratitude for hospitality and invaluable support in organization of events to PRIOR-Magnit, to management of MSU n.a. G.I. Nosov and personally to Tatiana Golovina, A. Sarvarov, Vladimir Kirzhatskikh, Valentin Romanov and other estimated colleagues.