From 9^th to 10^th November, 2016 the Plekhanov Russian Economic University hosted the 3^rd International Congress “Smart Russia 2016”. The purpose of the Congress was in-depth consideration of conceptual issues and practical achievements in the development of "Smart" countries (Smart Nation), under which national efforts to secure a better life for all citizens by maximizing the use of knowledge and technologies are meant now. More than 400 people, including representatives of governmental authorities, business, civil society, research and education community, international organizations and the mass media registered for the event.

Congress is organized by the Plekhanov Russian Economic University, the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, Institute of the Information Society, Russian Union of CIO (SoDIT), Analytical Center for the Government of the Russian Federation, “Intelligent Enterprise” Journal, UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education.  and “1 C” company. Sponsorship support of the Congress was provided by "1C" company.

Congress started with a Plenary Session "Conceptual Issues of the Development of “Smart Country" (Smart Nation): Government - Economy - Education", moderated by Boris Slavin, Research Supervisor of the Department of Applied Mathematics and Information Technologies of the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation.

The event was opened by welcoming speech of Viktor Grishin, the Rector of the Plekhanov Russian Economic University. In his greeting to the participants, he said: "When we talk about smart, knowledge-based society, we must understand that the new information paradigm is formed now. Everything has changed, including the sphere of education – the furtherer, the dynamics of these changes is higher. A lot depends on technology”.

Greetings to the Congress participants were sent by Nikolai Nikiforov, the Minister of Telecom and Mass Communications; Maksut Shadayev, Deputy Chairman of the Moscow Region Government - Minister of Public Administration, Information Technology and Communications of the Moscow Region; Andras Horvai, Director and Permanent Representative of the World Bank in Russia; Alexey Rudenko, Deputy Chairman of the Social Insurance Fund of the Russian Federation.

Deputy Minister of Telecom and Mass Communication of the Russian Federation, Alexey Kozyrev, in his report presented strategy of e-government development in the period of 2015-2020, including public services portal, new popular services, basic transformations (shift from focus on departmental processes to user requirements, introduction of modern management approaches), performance indicators, goals and objectives - improving the quality of life and doing business, as well as increasing the efficiency of public administration through the use of e-government technology.

Academician of the Russian Engineering Academy, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Institute of the Information Society (IIS) Yuri Hohlov commented on the report of Alexey Kozyrev noting the problems of e-government development: “Regulations and administrative processes that remain from the past must be cardinally transformed. Also, in our country it is still lack of appropriate information culture and information literacy of the population”.

Academician of Russian Academy of Science (RAS), Director of Central Economics and Mathematics Institute of the RAS Valery Makarov made a report on the theme “Computer Models to Support the Strategic Planning and Management in Russia”. He spoke about the major projects of the past and present, which can significantly affect the unity of the country and the world, as well as the computer (digital, virtual) models of the economy and society.

Head of ICT programs in Europe and Central Asia Region of the World Bank Group, Juan Navas-Sabater made a presentation “Accelerating digital transformation”. He spoke about the recently presented in Russia the World Development Report 2016 “Digital Dividends”, which refers to the fact that digital technologies can accelerate growth, expand opportunities and improve quality of service.

For the guests the excursion to the Plekhanov Russian Economic University museum was organized. Also the various technological solutions and projects in the fields of “Smart Government", "Smart City" and "Smart Education" were presented.

Within the framework of the Congress, for two days, the working and thematic sections such as the workshop “Digital Economy: Prospects for Russia”, organized with the support of the World Bank; “Smart Education”; “Smart City” and “Smart Government”; “Knowledge Economy” were held.

On 9^th November, 2016 the final event was the panel discussion on the theme “Conceptual Issues of Smart Country: Government - Economy - Education", moderated by Dr. Yuri Hohlov. On 10^th November, 2016 the joint panel sessions and a closing plenary meeting took place.

In the result of the Congress, it is planned to publish a special issue of the scientific and analytical journal “Information Society”. Some materials of the Congress will be published in the journals of Plekhanov Russian Economic University and the “Intelligent Enterprise/Corporate Systems” journal. More detailed information about the congress can be found on its website at: http://www.smartcongress.ru. In the nearest future the presentations made in the course of the Congress will be published on the “Program” page.