VEB.RF presented the results of its study “From Knowledge to Technology: Models of Urban Development” at SPIEF 2026. According to the authors, two AIRR regions—Kazan and Nizhny Novgorod—were named among the leaders in workforce training for technological leadership (TechLead). In total, six Russian regions made it into the top ranking, alongside Moscow, Yekaterinburg, St. Petersburg, and Tobolsk. The Association notes that the findings of the VEB.RF study largely correlate with the results of the Regional Innovation Development Index (the latest quarterly report was also presented at SPIEF). The index evaluates conditions for technological development and the effectiveness of innovation implementation across Russian regions. Most regions hosting TechLead cities identified by VEB.RF also rank highly in the “Human Capital” category of the AIRR rating. According to AIRR experts, one of the key factors of sustainable technological development is the integration of the education system into the regional economy and its alignment with the real demands of high-tech industries. This is especially important for large industrial centers, where workforce training requires close cooperation between universities, colleges, employers, and regional development institutions. AIRR Director Alexander Smekalin emphasized that the study results confirm the need to move from interregional competition to a model of cooperation in order to address complex challenges and build effective chains for developing and commercializing new technologies. “So far, we see that regions tend to compete with each other—for investment, federal resources, and talent. This paradigm of ‘local optimization’ unfortunately hinders rather than supports the achievement of national goals. The same applies to education. The demand of anchor enterprises for specialists is often insufficient to support full-scale educational programs. At the same time, cooperation in this area between educational institutions and potential partners from other regions remains underdeveloped,” Smekalin noted. The Association also highlights that the development of STEM education and practice-oriented engineering skills is becoming a key prerequisite for building a workforce for a high-tech economy. The most effective models, according to Yevgeny Khotulev, Head of AIRR’s Analytical Division, emerge where education policy is aligned with regional industrial specialization and the long-term needs of employers.